Gardener News August 2014

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TAKE ONE

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Gardener News Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

August, 2014

GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 136

Lt. Governor Highlights the Importance of Agriculture

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, center, continues her annual agribusiness tour by visiting Barlow’s in Sea Girt, Monmouth County, New Jersey. From left to right are Stephanie Barlow Peduto, Leslie Barlow, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, Stephen Barlow, and Stephen Barlow III. 6($ *,57 1- ʊ Emphasizing the importance of agriculture to New Jersey’s economy, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno continued her annual agribusiness tour by visiting Barlow’s in Sea Girt, Monmouth County, on July 23, 2014. This visit marks

the third year Lt. Governor Guadagno has visited New Jersey’s agricultural business community, underscoring the important contribution this thriving industry provides to the state’s economy.

Barlow’s is an awardwinning retail garden center

located along the Jersey Shore. They grow their own annuals, perennials and seasonal blooming plants on their six-acre Jersey Grown farm. The Barlow family has owned the property for over 30 years and is the third family to own the over-200-

year-old farm.

The original farm, Barlow Flower Farm, consisted of a farmhouse (built in 1807), one retail greenhouse, 10 small growing greenhouses, a retail shop that was formerly used for produce sales and a garage for

production. Early expansion emphasized improving the growing facilities. As sales grew, existing facilities were moved or converted to increase both indoor and outdoor retail space and each year saw new production (Cont. on pg. 17)

2 August, 2014

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August, 2014 3 Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Summer Maintenance I consider August the rejuvenation month for annuals and hanging baskets, and a time for a little extra care for outdoor potted ferns.

First and foremost, deadheading (removal of spent flowers) keeps your garden attractive. Nearly all flowering plants benefit from at least a little deadheading. When blooms start to fade, brown, curl or otherwise look unattractive, that’s the time to trim them off, allowing the other flowers to flourish.

Most flowering plants, annuals, perennials and some flowering shrubs will benefit from removing the dead blooms. Some continue to produce new blooms whether you deadhead or not, but many will not continue to flower unless you deadhead. I’m pretty sure a flowering plant’s sole purpose is to reproduce.

Not all annual and perennial flowering plants require pruning or deadheading. Many are selfcleaning and can be left alone. Plants such as geraniums, petunia, salvia, lantana, daylily, and scores of other flowering plants will benefit tremendously from deadheading or a good pruning if they’ve stretched a lot by mid-summer.

There are a few plants such as coleus, dusty miller, fennel and basil, that if allowed to produce flowers will start to decline and might even die. That being said, if you want some of these to reseed themselves, you can leave the flowers on the plants to allow them to drop their seed.

First, keep a watchful eye on your flowering plants, paying close attention to blooms that are past their best. Once a flower has started to fade, remove it from the plant with a quick clip from your pruners or floral scissors. Just make sure you give them a bleach wash before using them. Alternatively, if stems are thin or soft, gently snap them off with your thumb and forefinger. When doing this, try to remove just the spent flower, leaving the new buds beneath intact.

You can often get a clue about which plants to deadhead and which to leave alone simply by watching them. If the flowers stay on the plant and become brown and unattractive, it’s time to deadhead.

Some of you might be asking yourself, What is deadheading? Deadheading is simply the removal of spent blooms once the flowers have died and begin to form seeds. It is extremely important to stop seed setting on many flowering plants if you want to encourage continued blooming beyond midsummer.

Of course, if you are looking to save some seeds for next year, or if you are trading seeds with other people, then you would allow some of the flowering plants, preferably those in the background, to set seed for that purpose.

The majority of flowers bloom and set seed, a natural climax to the growth cycle. Deadheading flowers as they fade not only tidies up the plant, but it interrupts this sequence and stimulates new flowers to appear.

In addition to encouraging additional blooming, deadheading will also refresh your garden or basket.

Here are a few deadheading terms that you might have heard about.

3LQFKLQJ ʊ Grasp the stem between your thumb and forefinger below the flower head, and just above a set of leaves. Pinch the stem between your fingers to break off the stem.

6QDS ʊ Plants that bear blooms on top of long stems will usually snap off easily. Follow the stem with your fingers all the way to the base and snap off with a quick downward bend &OLS ʊ Make a clean cut with a hand pruner. Cut anywhere below the spent bloom: at the first set of leaves to just remove the bloom; or further down the stem just above a set of leaves or where another stem joins to trim the plant back.

6KHDU ʊ Plants with many blooms are easiest to deadhead with large pruning shears. Removing individual blooms as they shrivel can be extremely tedious. Using large pruning shears will make quick work of the job, and you can shear back the entire plant if it has become overgrown.

This fall I winterized my annual flower beds and containers by planting pansies, cabbage and kale in them. Leaving these plants in beds or containers throughout the winter can lead to development of damaging fungus and disease.

I’m also going to overwinter a few of my containers indoors. Before I bring them inside, I’ll be sure to inspect all the foliage, stems and soil for insects. If insects are present, I’ll pick them off, or wash them off with water from the garden hose.

I’m also going to put a little TLC into my Boston ferns.

With this month normally being hot and dry, I’m going to make sure the soil remains damp. Dry soil is one of the number-one reasons that Boston ferns die. I’m going to check the soil daily and make sure to give it some water if the soil feels at all dry. My Boston fern is planted in a potting mixture that has a high peat moss content. In the middle of this month I’m going to soak the pot in a tube of water to make sure the peat moss is fully hydrated. Allowing the soil to dry out between watering stresses these plants.

If your Boston fern’s leaves and fronds are turning yellow, make sure to increase the humidity around the plant. Misting it with the garden hose lightly usually works.

Boston ferns are in their active phase of growth this month. More growth means a higher need for nutrients. The proper Boston fern fertilizer to use in summer is a water soluble fertilizer mixed at half strength. The fertilizer should have an NPK ratio of 20-10-20 or close to it.

Boston ferns also like filtered light.

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

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

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

Gladly Accepting SNAP EBT Cards

2014 NJ Flower and Garden Show Award Winning Water Display Garden

4 August, 2014

Gardener News

It is the height of summer and also the Jersey Fresh season. Pretty much every major fruit and vegetable is being harvested around the state right now. You can find them in grocery stores, roadside stands and any of our 149 community farmers markets.

Each one of our state’s farmers markets is special and different. You will find markets in the heart of downtowns, on the edge of small towns, out in suburban areas or in rural towns. There are markets with many different types of farmers, selling fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood.

We have markets with vendors that sell baked goods, fresh mozzarella and artisan cheeses, frozen foods, jams and jellies and other specialty items.

If you haven’t been to a market in a while, you should stop by and you are sure to find some surprises. There is always some unique activity taking place. Some markets have games for the kids; some have live music; and some have seating to sit and drink an iced tea or coffee, snack on a home-made baked good or bite into a juicy peach picked just that morning. We have

farmers market listings (www. jerseyfresh.nj.gov) to see if the market has a participating farmer.

We plan to celebrate community farmers markets during Farmers Market Week in New Jersey the week of August 3-9. We usually join with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during that week to call attention to these very special markets and the services they provide to their communities.

We invite you to visit your local market during Farmers Market Week and throughout the rest of the summer and fall so that you, too, can enjoy all that is Jersey Fresh, Jersey Grown and Jersey Seafood.

NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Jersey Fresh Farmers Markets in Full Swing for Summer seen cooking demonstrations and gardening lessons as well.

Community farmers markets harken back to the time of the town square, when neighbors gathered to discuss current events, catch up on local news and share recipes.

Wherever you find a farmers market today, it still has that same feel. People strolling from stand to stand, stopping to talk to a friend, arms filled with shopping bags. It also is a great opportunity to get to know the people who grow our food.

Farmers bring what they grow to these markets, from the most recognizable produce like sweet corn, tomatoes and cucumbers to fenugreek, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi.

Talk to the farmers at your local market. Learn where your food comes from and sample a fruit or vegetable you have never

tried before. Farmers usually can tell you how to prepare their produce. Some even offer recipes at their stand.

Each season I visit quite a few farmers markets as Secretary of Agriculture to call attention to these markets that provide access to Jersey Fresh produce, many times in places where there are no farms nearby. When local farmers supply these markets, they usually harvest the produce just hours before they arrive.

This is Jersey Fresh produce at its freshest. Consumers know where their produce is coming from and the produce has incredible flavor because it is picked at the height of ripeness.

While farmers markets are so enjoyable to attend, they also provide an important service to qualifying senior citizens and Women, Infants and Children

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Bob McGrath, who has been a core part of the Sesame Street family since the television show’s inception, looks over the Gardener News during a recent engagement in northern New Jersey. McGrath was one of the first four original human cast members. A great favorite with everyone he meets, McGrath is always ready to sing, tell stories, give music lessons, explain something to Big Bird and even dress up as a bumblebee. McGrath has recorded numerous CDs and sing-alongs, and has performed in thousands of children’s concerts, encouraging his young fans to explore the world of music. In 2002, he was inducted into the Silver Circle of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He is the recipient of the National Music Council’s American Eagle Award, the National Association of Music Educators’ Fame Award for furthering the cause of music education, and the 2006 Saskatchewan Centennial Award. McGrath has chaired National UNICEF Day and has hosted World Children’s Day at the United Nations.

(WIC) recipients. This year, the Farmers Market Nutrition Program is again available.

The program, which assists those in need in accessing local produce, is administered by the state Department of Health. Recipients receive $20 worth of vouchers to buy fresh produce at farmers markets through November 30. Qualifying seniors should contact their county’s office on aging to find out how to obtain the vouchers. WIC recipients can get the coupons from their local WIC office.

There also are farmers who accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to pay for purchases. Check with your local farmers market or on the Jersey Fresh website

Editor’s Note: Douglas H. Fisher is New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture. He is the department’s executive officer, secretary to the State Board of Agriculture and a member of the Governor’s cabinet. Secretary Fisher fulfills executive, management and administrative duties prescribed by law, executive order or gubernatorial direction. He can be reached at 609.292.3976. For more info, please visit: http:// www.state.nj.us/agriculture

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August, 2014 5

6 August, 2014

Gardener News

CASE FILES

From the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County Garden Help Line

By Madeline Flahive DiNardo, Union County Agricultural Agent, Dr. Stephanie Murphy, Director, Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory, and Master Gardeners MC Schwartz and James Keane

USDA to measure small grain production +$55,6%85* 3$ ĘŠ 'XULQJ WKH ILUVW WZR ZHHNV RI September, growers of small grains around the country will receive survey forms from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The agency is taking an in-depth look into the 2014 production and supply of small grains, which include wheat, oats, barley, and rye. “The small grains industry is an important component of the North East’s agriculture and it is crucial for us to have accurate data about this key sector,â€? said NASS Northeastern Regional Director, King Whetstone. “We will contact more than 4,500 producers across the 11 Northeastern states to accurately measure 2014 acreage, yield, and production for small grains.

The data collected from this survey will also help set small grain acreage and production estimates at the county level.�

NASS will contact survey participants to gather information on their 2014 production and the quantities of wheat, barley, and oats stored on farm, as well as old crop corn and soybean stored on farm. As an alternative to mailing the survey back, to help save both time and money, growers will have the option to respond to the survey online. The farmers who have not responded by August 29th will receive a phone call from a NASS-trained enumerator who will help them fill out the survey form.

As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

Survey results will be published in several reports, including the annual Small Grains Summary and the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on September 30.

These 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.

Q. My neighbors are debating over whether it is a good idea to use wood ash in a garden. Who is right?

Peacemaker in Plainfield A. They could both be right or wrong! There are pros and cons to incorporating wood ash into a garden; the most important thing is to do a soil test of the garden area to determine the soil pH first, as wood ash will raise the soil pH. Some gardeners use ash from home fireplaces or wood-burning stoves to amend their garden soil. The “pro� of using wood ash is that it contains 3 to 5 percent potassium. It also has 1 to 2 percent phosphorus, and trace nutrient elements of such as boron, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc. Wood ash from hardwood trees tends to have higher nutrient levels than softwood (conifer) trees. Wood ash from tree bark may contain high levels of silicon and aluminum. Wood ash from painted or stained woods should not be used in a garden.

A “pro� or “con,� depending on the circumstances, is that wood ash contains 50 to 60 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, which can significantly raise soil pH. Wood ash has a very fine particle size, which makes it fast acting. For example, according to a Mississippi State Extension Service Garden Tips Newsletter, “a 15 lb per 100 square foot application of wood ash can change pH from 4.0-6.5.� That’s great if you have a very low soil pH, but if your pH is in an appropriate range for the plants you are growing in your garden, that dramatic rise in pH could be a problem. If soil pH becomes too high, nutrient uptake by plants is repressed. Micro-organisms that break down organic matter and release nutrients for plants are inhibited by the alkaline soil conditions.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension has a soil testing laboratory that can be used to determine your garden soil pH and nutrient levels. The results come with recommendations for adjusting soil pH to a favorable level for the types of plants growing in your garden and appropriate fertilizers to use in your garden for optimum growth. Soil test kits are available at your local Rutgers Cooperative Extension office, or you can download soils sample submission forms and instructions on how to take a sample at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/ .

If your pH is above 6.5, adding wood ash to the soil is not recommended. If your garden has ericaceous (acid-loving) plants such as blueberries or azaleas and rhododendrons, do not apply wood ash to that area. Wood ash should not be used around new seedlings, as the ash may have a high salt content. Also for that reason, avoid spreading the ash on live plant tissue: rinse plants promptly if necessary to avoid salt burn.

Another place to avoid is an area where potatoes are growing, as the wood ash could potentially create ideal conditions for a disease called scab. If you are using high-nitrogen fertilizers containing ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate, avoid incorporating wood ash into the garden one month before the nitrogen application, as the wood ash may promote nitrogen loss.

Some plants may be sensitive to wood ash, so the best time to apply it to a garden is in the late-fall, winter or very early-spring before plants are growing. It should be gently tilled into moist soil. Since wood ash particles are fine, you might consider wearing a dust mask when making the application to your soil. Avoid applying wood ash on a windy day. It would also be wise to wear eye protection and gloves.

Because of its pH-altering capabilities, wood ash should not be added to the same area annually. You might want to wait two to two to three years before reapplying wood ash.

Check the soil pH before making a wood ash application. Don’t get burned by wood ash – a soil test recommendation will lead you in the right direction.

Editor’s Note: The Union County Master Gardener’s HELP LINE fields hundreds of citizen inquiries a year – offering assistance with their indoor as well as outdoor gardening and pest-control questions. Responses to resident phone calls and on-site visits comply with current Rutgers NJ Agricultural Experiment Station recommendations. Union County residents can call (908) 654-9852 or email mastergardeners@ucnj.org for assistance. A complete listing of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) offices where you can contact a Master Gardener in your area can be found on page 26 of the Gardener News. Free RCE fact sheets are available at www.njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs

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As we move into the month of August, the offerings from local farms and farm markets here in New Jersey really start to hit their full stride. Generally speaking, some of the early-season crops such as asparagus, cherries and strawberries have come and gone and the traditionally cooler weather fall crops such as apples, cauliflower and fall squashes are still about a month away. This leaves the month of August for those crops that really thrive in hot weather. And while many crops that are widely grown here in New Jersey fit this description, by far the most popular offerings, on our farm at least, are sweet corn, peaches and tomatoes.

By this time of the season, we have been picking sweet corn for about a month already and that means that we have moved away from the shorter season early sweet corn varieties that are only planted because they mature early, and into the higher-quality main season types that make up the bulk of our plantings. These main season cultivars are selected

August, 2014 7

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

The Big Three because they not only have a high degree of sugar content, but also have very tender kernels which when combined with the sweetness make for a very pleasant eating experience. There are many fine varieties to choose from at this time of the year.

While in the past most of our customers preferred white sweet corn varieties, in the past few years, bi-color or mixed yellow and white types have been gaining in popularity. But regardless of the color, sweet corn is at its best at this time of year.

Peaches are another crop that is at its peak in August.

Some of our early varieties start to ripen in early-July (or even June in a warm year) and we will continue to harvest peaches into late-September.

But just as with sweet corn,

generally speaking, the main season cultivars tend to offer the best quality. There is a diverse selection in-season at this time of year as yellow, white, donut and nectarines (which are fuzzless peaches) are all readily available.

Many of the early season varieties are not “freestone,” which means that the flesh of the peach tends to cling to the pit. And although these early peaches are flavorful and juicy, the later freestone varieties are much easier to work with when it comes to preparing them for eating or cooking. And when they are eaten out of hand, they still have a very sweet taste and provide enough juice to run down your arm!

Of these three items, tomatoes are easily the most versatile and widely

used. In fact, you could probably eat tomatoes in one form or another at every meal for a year and still have plenty of new recipes to try. Tomatoes are also readily available throughout the year and I think that, unfortunately, people are lulled into accepting this inferior quality as the norm and actually forget how truly good a field-grown, vineripened Jersey tomato can actually be. With that being said, now is the time to revel in the opulent and diverse offerings of locally grown Jersey tomatoes. Whether you prefer cherry or grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, any of the multi-colored heirloom varieties, or just a plain old red ripe tomato that is bigger than the bread you use for your BLT, this is the

peak of the season. Tomatoes thrive in hot weather and their flavor is best when the days are hot and the night time temperature stays in the 60s. (Remember to never refrigerate your tomatoes!)

Also, these great tasting tomatoes can be made into sauce and saved for use during the rest of the year.

So as the days start to shorten and the kids start to get ready to go back to school, this is the time to take advantage of the summer’s bounty and get your sweet corn, peaches and tomatoes while its hot.

Editor’s Note: Peter Melick is co-owner of Melick’s Town Farm in Oldwick and a 10th-generation New Jersey farmer. Peter is a current member of the Tewksbury Township Committee, and a former 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.

8 August, 2014

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August, 2014 9 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Architectural, Sleek and Practical Often I speak about the right plant for the right place. Having been in retail for almost three decades, I can say that many times customers are driven by price first and design second. It’s as though customers would rather buy a big tree that is less expensive than a smaller tree that is more appropriate for its surroundings.

Equating, in their minds, that size and price go hand in hand with plant material‌ it doesn’t always!

Fastigiate plants are those that have their branches erect and closer together.

Almost parallel branches tapering toward the top give you the impression of a tree that is more columnar in appearance. Important to note that if you ever see the word “‘Fastigiate (a)� in the Latin order of genus, species and cultivar, it does not always mean that it will stay in a tight column. It simply means that it is narrower than the species typically gets.

Everyone has heard of Arborvitae! A tree that can grow 60 feet tall and 30 feet wide has a cultivar called “Emerald Green� or “Smaragd.� “Emerald Green� grows 15 feet tall and four feet wide, with lustrous green foliage and vertical sprays. This tree, widely grown and used, has excellent heat tolerance but little deer resistance. Norway Spruce, Picea abies, is a tree that grows north of 75 feet tall and 30 feet wide. It too has a cultivar that is more “Fastigiate� in nature. Picea abies “Cupressina� is a more narrow form with bluish-green needles. This tree grows 30 feet high and only four to six feet wide. Found in the Thuringian Forest in Germany before 1904, this evergreen tree is useful in groupings, as a windbreak and works nicely to help soften fence lines.

All this plus deer resistance is offered on a low-maintenance tree.

For those looking to solve almost any problem in your garden, including a plant that will do well in a container, other than the pedestrian Alberta Spruce, I give you a Japanese Plum Yew, Cephalotaxus harringtonia “Fastigiata.� Plum Yews have been known to do well in sun or shade, wet or dry, sandy or clay. An evergreen that is deer resistant could be used to hide air conditioning units, soften a fence line or prove useful as a single architectural element. A rotund column, this plant can reach 10 feet high and four to eight feet wide.

My favorite oak tree is Pin Oak! Perhaps because it takes me back to a class I had with “Doc� Hamilton at Rutgers University and his quip about an interesting dance. Quercus palustris “Green Pillar� is a columnar form introduced by Princeton Nurseries. Extremely glossy, green foliage turns an intense red in the autumn. Useful in contemporary landscapes and practical in surroundings that have limited footprints.

You could row run these beauties to create a thoughtful garden wall and have privacy most of the year. After all, Oaks are notorious for their marcescent foliage.

A Katsuratree that will add bold color to your landscape is Cercidiphyllum japonicum “Rotfuchs.� A cultivar that had a difficult time taking off, probably because of its original name, also goes by “Red Fox.� Thick, leathery red and purple foliage, not too dissimilar from “Forest Pansy� Redbud is exciting to look at in our own garden.

Because of its relatively new existence to gardens everywhere, projected heights and widths vary all across the Internet. Having grown this tree for the past decade in our garden, I can speak to its more columnar habit. Amenable to pruning, our “Rotfuchs� are used to create a tight screen from our neighbors while others in our backyard form a tight grove of three pillars. Finally, on to my favorite tree, Ginkgo! Ginkgo biloba “Goldspire� or “Blagon� has a dense columnar habit whose footprint reaches 15 to 20 feet tall and only five to six feet wide. A non-fruiting male French selection, this cultivar has the reliable golden-yellow fall color we’ve come to expect from Ginkgo.

Fan-shaped leaves provide an instant ID for this tree.

Don’t let your imagination and boundaries be dictated by your wallet. Buying a large tree because it is less expensive often means that it didn’t take as long to grow that tree. Think carefully about your plant choices and pay attention to the cultural tags offered on plant material. Be cognizant of your surroundings and understand that trees grow and in many instances quickly. Upright forms of plant material take up less space, are more architectural, are sleek in their design and won’t outpace their surroundings. Perhaps spending a little more upfront will give you the design you’ve envisioned all along.

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, the American Boxwood Society, the European Boxwood Society, a members of the Reeves-Reed Arboretum Buildings and Grounds Committee, a lifetime member of the Conifer Society, a member of the NJ Plants Trade Show Advisory Board, and past member of the retail council for Monrovia Growers. He can be reached at (908) 665-0331.

New farmers markets stamps 81,7(' 67$7(6 3267$/ 6(59,&( ʊ )UXLWV vegetables, cheeses, flowers, and other fresh products invitingly displayed on tables or bins — farmers markets invite us to share America’s agricultural bounty.

Four se-tenant stamps depict a table laden with typical farmers-market fare. The stamp on the far left has among its products various fresh breads such as baguettes and rolls, cinnamon buns, cookies, artisan cheeses, and both brown and white eggs. The produce on the second stamp includes vegetables and fruits: apples, eggplants, watermelons, peppers, grapes, potatoes, broccoli, and gourds. Cut flowers adorn the next stamp, with bouquets of bright flowers next to a bucket of sunflowers and a collection of celosia. The final stamp on the far right features live plants, with various herbs, tomatoes, and flowers like marigolds and nasturtiums. Most items bear handwritten labels that identify the product and its price.

The artist chose and arranged the products so that each stamp has a large focal point; each stamp is complete in itself yet forms a cohesive whole with the entire stamp strip. The stamp art was created using acrylic paint.

Text on the back of the 20-stamp sheet describes the appeal of farmers markets.

Farmers markets are an old idea that’s new again.

Markets were once the main way Americans shopped.

As towns and cities grew in the 19th century, farms were pushed farther from the population hubs, and new distribution systems and permanent in-town shops increasingly became the middlemen between consumers and farmers. However, in 1976 Congress passed the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act, and the number of markets has soared once more.

Farmers markets flourish in every U.S. state and territory. Some markets thrive in permanent locations that operate year round; others are open only once a week during the harvest season. There are markets that sell just produce and meats; others also offer seafood, breads, prepared foods, or dairy products. Markets might include locally sourced honey or artisan crafts like soaps and candles. Live plants or cut flowers brighten many markets, and some markets feature live music or children’s activities, voter-registration drives, or local master gardeners offering advice. There are almost as many different combinations of goods and activities as there are markets.

Considered by many to be the new town square, farmers markets offer, as they did in the past, a gathering place for diverse groups of neighbors to meet and mingle and to share news, recipes, and stories—in short, to create a new sense of community.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with illustrations by Robin Moline.

The Farmers Markets stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

Issue date is scheduled for August 7, 2014.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Proclaims August 3-9 National Farmers Market Week :$6+,1*721 ' & ĘŠ $JULFXOWXUH 6HFUHWDU\ Tom Vilsack has declared August 3 through 9, 2014, “National Farmers Market Weekâ€?. Throughout the week, USDA will celebrate our nation’s thousands of farmers markets, farmers who make them possible and the communities that host them.

The declaration was made via an official proclamation signed by Secretary Vilsack. This year marks the 15th Annual National Farmers Market Week recognizing the important role that farmers markets play in the agricultural and food economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began declaring National Farmers Market Week in 2000.

10 August, 2014

Gardener News

Honoring an Outstanding Retail Produce Manager

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Kings Food Markets, a 25 retail store based chain in Parsippany, Morris County, N.J., with stores in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, has a reason to celebrate. One of their associates has been nationally recognized.

John Spellman, the produce manager for the King’s Food Markets’, Livingston, N.J. location, who has worked at Kings for 34 years, has been named as a 2014 Retail Produce Manager Award Winner from United Fresh. This is the second time that a Kings employee has taken home this award. Spellman also has been honored as the Kings Food Market Produce Manager of the Year.

In Chicago at the United Fresh Annual Convention 2014, through the United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program, 35 top produce managers representing 32 supermarket banners, commissaries and independent retail stores in 20 states were honored during the Produce Celebration Dinner, Wednesday, June 11, at the Hilton Chicago.

Sponsored since its inception by Ready Pac Foods, the program pays special recognition to produce managers working every day to increase sales and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. In the past 10 years of the program, more than 230 retail managers, representing more than 80 retail banners, have been honored for their contributions to fresh produce merchandising. In its 10-year history, the program has received nearly 2,000 nominations.

“Connecting with consumers in the produce department is critical for the fresh produce industry, and we are so appreciative to Ready Pac for its longtime sponsorship of this program,” said United Fresh CEO Tom Stenzel. “As a way to recognize Ready Pac’s 10th anniversary of commitment to this program, we are honoring an additional 10 winners beyond our traditional group.”

“Produce managers across this country make a valuable contribution to the success of our industry,” said Tony Sarsam, CEO of Ready Pac Foods.

“These men and women work hard to make sure the produce looks the best on the front lines of retail produce merchandising by engaging and educating their consumers. Ready Pac is very proud to have sponsored the United Fresh Retail Manager Awards Program for the past 10 years to honor these ambassadors for our industry.”

The winners were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by retailers and produce suppliers across the industry. Nominations were evaluated on a number of criteria, including efforts to increase produce consumption through excellence in merchandising, special displays and promotions, community service and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Winners were selected by a committee of produce marketing experts.

The Produce Retail Manager Award winners were also featured in a panel discussion on the United Fresh 2014 trade show floor in the Fresh Marketplace Learning Center. A panel of the winners shared their perspectives on creative produce merchandising strategies during this special education session.

United Fresh Produce Association is the industry’s leading trade association committed to driving the growth and success of produce companies and their partners. United Fresh represents the interests of member companies throughout the global, fresh produce supply chain, including family-owned, private and publicly traded businesses, as well as regional, national and international companies. The association was founded in 1904 to represent the produce industry, and recently took the name United Fresh as a result of the 2006 merger of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association and the International Fresh-Cut Produce Association.

Pictured from left to right are Paul Kneeland, a featured columnist for the Gardener News, who is also known as the King of Produce, and the vice president of floral, produce, meat and seafood for Kings Food Markets; John Spellman, award winner and produce manager for Kings Livingston, N.J.; and the Kings Livingston, N.J., store manager, Joe Creaden.

Gardener News Paul Simon wrote a song that said, “August… die she must.” However, this does not have to happen to your lawn. As I write this article in early-July, it’s quite amazing how great the weather has been up to this point for picnics, gardening and lawns. My guess is that when you read this, some of you will be having trouble keeping your lawn growing healthy.

Hopefully you have been following my lawn tips this year to prevent disaster with your lawn this summer. What can you do with your lawn at this time of year? Let’s review what might be happening in your town. Crabgrass may be rearing its ugly head and starting to really establish itself. There are some decent sprays available on the market to control crabgrass. However, the larger and more mature the crabgrass plants are, the harder they are to control.

Do not apply crabgrass controls in dry weather with temperatures above 85 degrees; you may damage some One of the companies that I do outdoor environmental consulting work for told me that their workers, who install new power lines on the Eastern Seaboard, are being inundated with ticks as they create the corridor through primarily virgin woods and install the high-tension wire poles.

When it gets hot and humid, being plastered with bug goop and having to wear clothes that seal their bodies to any outside interference creates dehydration issues and makes them more clumsy, which is equally as dangerous as getting bit by a mosquito, black fly or a dog tick but, not the dreaded deer tick that transmits Lyme disease.

And, lo and behold, there are new “Lone Star” ticks in the area that add a whole new element of danger! But, before we get into this new tick, I put a message in all the paychecks for the employees that said if they find a tick on them please try and capture it and bring it to the office for identification.

One was a deer tick that was so small that we had to identify it looking through a magnifying glass. All the others were dog ticks and one was brought

August, 2014 11 Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

It’s a hot, dry August! lawn areas. Remember, crabgrass plants will die out in the fall with the first frost in your area.

The same guidelines apply to controlling broadleaf weeds. Avoid applications during hot, dry weather and be sure to read all label directions and cautions for best control.

If you have not raised your mower deck to cut at three inches or higher, do so now to preserve water in the tissue of the plants and increase your lawn’s drought resistance. Delay mowing if your lawn is suffering from drought stress until it needs to be mowed again. Do not cut off more than one-third of the blade height at each mowing.

This higher mowing will also help

reduce some weed growth in the lawn.

Watering can be difficult because many of us go away on vacation in summer. Our lawn needs about one inch of water per week from rainfall or irrigation to continue healthy growth. If you can’t water or are tired of your watering bill, that’s OK. If your lawn suffers from drought stress, but you have developed a decent root structure, your lawn should survive by going dormant. You can tell your lawn is suffering from drought stress if it starts to turn a blue-ish color and you leave foot prints in the lawn when you walk over it. A dormant lawn can come to healthy growth with the return of

cooler fall temperatures and rainfall.

If you have not fertilized your lawn yet this summer, consider a gentle summer feeding with an organic lawn fertilizer. Do not apply any fertilizer if the temperatures are over 85 degrees and be sure to water-in the fertilizer after application.

Are you still seeing brown?

Could you be suffering from fungus or insect damage? Refer to some of my old articles on these problems to help you identify fungus or insect damage. Grubs can be very active in sunnier areas of your lawn, particularly areas that have not suffered from drought stress. If you see brown patches, do some digging in that

The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

“Ticks, Ticks and More Ticks!” in alive in a sealed Ziploc sandwich bag. The day I was writing this article, the tick in the sealed bag was still alive after 32 days. Next month when I write my article, I will inform you of its condition, either way. Fascinating that it has survived this long, but an entomologist I know said ticks have been around since the dinosaurs roamed the earth and obviously are a very hardy survivor.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control & Prevention) released new information about a virus, possibly carried by ticks, that has sickened eight people in two states. The Heartland virus is a version of ehrlichiosis, another tickborne disease that causes fever, headaches, fatigue, appetite loss and muscle pain. Unlike ehrlichiosis, Heartland disease

is a virus, not a bacterial illness like Lyme disease and there are currently no known treatments or diagnostic tests for it.

The disease, first reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in August 2012, was discovered by Dr. Scott Folk, an infectious disease specialist at Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph, Mo. Two farmers in northwestern Missouri were hospitalized in 2009 with symptoms similar to ehrlichiosis, but treatments and testing proved it was a new and different ailment. Roger Nasci, chief of the CDC’s Arboviral Diseases Branch, said in a statement: “By gathering information about the disease Heartland virus causes, and about how it’s spread to people, we hope to better understand the potential impact on the public’s health and how we can

help protect people from this virus.” To date, a total of eight people, all white men over the age of 50, have contracted the disease. Five of the six newly reported cases reported tick bites days or weeks before symptoms began. A CDC study showed that the virus is carried by the Lone Star tick, which is primarily found in the southeastern and eastern United States. One of the patients hospitalized with Heartland disease has since died, but officials say the man had another health condition. The CDC said it’s unknown if the virus contributed to the man’s death or to what extent. While the CDC has developed blood tests to confirm new cases of Heartland virus, they also hope to develop a diagnostic test for public health laboratories to use. While there are no

area. Try to peel back the damaged turf for evidence of grubs. You may want to try to treat fungus damage or let the lawn grow out through the problem. If you apply fungus or insect controls, be sure to read the label and water them in after applying.

It’s not too early to be thinking of what repairs you may need to do to your lawn in early-fall due to summer damage. Once the kids are back at school is a great time to re-seed and renovate your lawn. But try to enjoy the summer since it does not seem to last as long as it did when we were young. Go to the beach, have a picnic, go to the park and enjoy some time on the deck with family and friends. Time flies, enjoy life now, your lawn can wait. Happy summer!

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 treatments or drugs to combat the virus, other therapies like IV fluids and fever reducers can improve symptoms.

The CDC offers the following tips to help keep people safe from diseases caused by viruses and bacteria carried by ticks: Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter that can harbor ticks (this tip does NOT help my guys). Use the pesticide permethrin on your clothing, not on your skin. Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors. Check your hair for hidden ticks. Conduct a full-body tick check. Examine your gear and pets, as ticks can ride into the home and attach themselves to you later. We also utilized a DEET based spray that so far, knock on wood, is working to keep all the bugs away from the exposed skin.

Buddies checking buddies on the jobsite is also effective.

Get the tick within 24 hours and that virtually eliminates the chance of getting Lyme.

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

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

12 August, 2014 With the abundant rainfall and changing temperatures of this year, we are seeing more and more insects in and around our homes and gardens.

This is nothing new, it’s just another sequence in what we call Jersey weather. So how do we deal with this year’s weather?

As we know, the best defense against insects and disease is a healthy plant.

Working the soil our plants are growing in makes a world of difference. Using soil testing to identify deficiencies and corrective measures can ward off many potential problems.

As we have said in the past, proper sanitation, drainage, weed eater and lawnmower damage and over mulching are all correctible problems which can have a negative impact on plants.

There are many environmentally friendly pest control measures which we can use to effectively reduce pest populations. Many times it’s not necessary to eradicate every single insect pest. When this is done, many beneficial insects are eradicated as well. The idea should be to keep pest populations below the point of damage to your plants.

A fascinating group of insect controls are the microbial insecticides. They are extremely attractive due to their degree of safety to the environment. Microbial

Gardener News The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

Is This Weather Bugging You? insecticides incorporate living microorganisms or the toxins derived from them to make mixtures which can be applied in liquid or dry formulations and by many application methods. Many of these applications are specific to a certain insect and will not impact the beneficial communities. It is important to identify the pest and to ascertain from the label which product will control these pests.

Different formulations may be effective against a certain stage in the insect’s development. Those which kill the larval stage may not be effective against the adults. Early detection is helpful as the smaller the insect, the easier control can be.

Perhaps the most common of this group is the Bacillus thuringensis (Bt) insecticides. These contain a toxin produced by the bacteria which disrupts the feeding of the insects by breaking down the gut wall and allowing toxins to poison the insects, causing death. It often takes a few

days for the insects to completely die. However, feeding stops as soon as the toxin is ingested. Since these applications need to be eaten by the target insects, a thorough covering of the host plant needs to be accomplished, including the underside of the leaves.

Bt insecticides are rapidly broken down by sunlight, so avoiding the most direct sunlight during the day is advisable for better control.

Often a follow-up spray is needed to affect more control. Some examples of insects controlled by the variations of Bt include Gypsy moth, bagworm, tent caterpillars, cankerworm and certain other moth and worm infestations. A check of the label will provide the best form of application for the target pest.

Other forms of bacterial insecticide include those which are derived from the bacteria Bacillus popillae and Bacillus lentimorbus. These formulations, often called milky spore disease, can be applied to lawns to control Japanese beetle grubs. They

must be watered-in well to ensure that the spores are carried into the soil. As the grubs ingest the spores, the internal organs are liquefied to a milky white consistency.

When these infected grubs disintegrate, more spores are released into the soil.

These spores can survive for many years under turf, given the right conditions. The down side to milky spore applications is that there are many forms of grubs which infest our lawns and these spores are very specific in the control afforded. If the only grubs needed to be controlled are Japanese beetle grubs, this could be effective.

Another bacterial form is Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, or Bti, which is effective against the larval stages of mosquitoes, black flies, and fungus gnats. It however has no effect on house flies and the like. The best deterrent for mosquitoes is eliminating their breeding grounds. Anywhere that stagnant water is allowed to collect will invite a mosquito infestation. When this

becomes almost impossible, the Bti application can be a help. Again, a check of the label will ensure that you are using the right product in the right way.

As with all pest applications, the label must be thoroughly read and understood. Cautions to the applicator as in the use of gloves, long sleeves and pants, respirators, face shields or similar equipment may even be necessary with some of the alternative pest controls. This will ensure that any allergies or reactions to the formulations are not found out after the fact.

Many people are allergic to or get a skin irritation when exposed to certain natural substances. Erring on the side of caution is always a good policy.

Bacterial controls may be the most common alternative methods, but there are pathogens, viruses, fungi and even nematode controls available for investigation.

Your local nursery or landscape contractor would be more than happy to help you with identifying these options.

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

Aerial Survey Shows Less Tree Damage Over Last Year 75(1721 1- ĘŠ 1HZ -HUVH\ 6HFUHWDU\ RI $JULFXOWXUH 'RXJODV + )LVKHU DQQRXQFHG RQ -XO\ WKDW WKH DPRXQW RI WUHH GDPDJH FDXVHG E\ J\SV\ moth caterpillars this year was less than half of what it was last year and was mostly concentrated in the northern counties.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s annual statewide gypsy moth aerial defoliation survey showed 1,330 acres of trees in 24 municipalities in 11 counties were defoliated, as compared to 2013 when 2,887 acres of trees in 51 towns in 17 counties were damaged. “For the last five years, New Jersey has experienced very substantially less gypsy moth damage through a combination of favorable weather conditions, an army of beneficial insects and intense surveillance,� said Secretary Fisher. “We will continue our work, along with the Department of Environmental Protection, to protect the state’s trees from being devastated by the gypsy moth caterpillar.�

The defoliation survey was conducted in late June and early July. Tree damage was centered in Morris, Passaic, Bergen and Sussex counties, which sustained 1,110 acres of tree damage. Minimal amounts of damage were seen in Burlington, Camden, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Ocean and Warren Counties. For more details from the survey, go to www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/pdf/2014gmsurvey.pdf Gypsy moth populations can be cyclical. Tree damage from the insects reached a high of 339,240 in 2008, but through the combination of the Department’s aggressive spray program, a number of beneficial insects and weather that supported a fungus that impacts gypsy moths, populations have collapsed over the last several years. There was a record low in 2012, when only 1,068 acres of trees sustained damage from the leaf-eating pests.

The Department of Agriculture will conduct an egg mass survey this fall to determine where spraying might be warranted.

Gypsy moth caterpillars lay their eggs on trees and emerge in May and early June. This year, no spray program was needed due to low populations of the bugs.

To qualify for the spray program, a residential or recreational forest must have an average of more than 500 egg masses per acre and be at least 50 acres in size. A single egg mass contains up to 1,000 eggs.

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

For more information on New Jersey’s gypsy moth suppression program, visit: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/gypsymoth.html. Also, for national gypsy moth material, visit www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/gm/.

Gardener News

August, 2014 13

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Gardener Gard rde dener News Newss

Apply Winter Survival in September, October or November, or six weeks after applying new grass seed.

ardden den ce cent nter ers a

store oress in in Ask for a FREE copy of my New American Lawn guide.

Be aware of state or local ordinance requirements concerning lawn fertilizers. They may limit or prohibit fertilizer applications from late fall to early spring in your area.

Gardener Gard rde dener News Newss New

New Jerseyy Department p of Agriculture g Chris Christie, Governor Douglas H. Fisher, Secretary of Agriculture

August, Aug ugust, usst, 22014 014 1155

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16 August, Aug ugust, t, 2014 2201 0144

Gardener Gard rde dener er News New Ne wss

Support NJ Agriculture JERSEY GROWN

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Gardener News

August, 2014 17

Lt. Governor Highlights the Importance of Agriculture

(Cont. from page 1) greenhouses erected. The current shop has expanded to 1,200 square feet and houses a gift and home decor department, silk plant and flower design center, containers and seasonal decorations.

During the fall of 2004, Barlow Flower Farm became Barlow’s and went through a renovation of the retail facility. The two original retail greenhouse structures were removed and replaced by a 10,000-square-foot European glass greenhouse. Along with the retail renovation, Barlow’s increased the number of growing greenhouses to 28 and the outdoor growing area to 1.5 acres. A new parking lot was also added that can now facilitate up to 110 vehicles.

Barlow’s organically grows vegetable plants and herbs.

Tom Castronovo/Photo Over the past three years, the family has made a strong Joe Atchison, agricultural marketing coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, congratulates the Barlow Tom Castronovo/Photo Stephanie Barlow Peduto and New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim effort to switch their growing family on having New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno visit practices away from harmful their family’s farm, nursery, and garden center.

Guadagno chat on the family homestead' s'" front porch. chemicals to the use of beneficial insects for their pest management practices. This includes using predator insects such as lacewings, Orius, spp. and Aphidius to tackle aphids, thrips and spider mites. The program has proven to be a huge success and the use of chemicals at Barlow’s has decreased by over 90 percent. Barlow’s also has a number of bee hives that are organically raised. The bees are used to help pollinate the flowers and the honey is harvested twice a year. They also use the bees as a teaching tool to both young and old about the importance of bees in our world.

The Barlow family farm also has an interactive garden where children can learn and enjoy the touch and smell of garden plants, play on Troll Bridge, make wishes on the Magic Stool in our Papoose Tepee or enjoy the Bubbling Boulders. Their Vegetable and Herb Garden, planted by our first garden visitors in the spring, at harvest time will benefit The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Brightly colored picnic benches are set up for children to rest, have a snack or enjoy coloring activities right next to their living Green Roof Hut, where beautiful plants flourish and provide a hideaway for kids.

Each year, the family proudly donates thousands of plants and gift cards to non-profit organizations throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties.

The historic Barlow family homestead and horticultural business was purchased in 1983 by Stephen and Leslie Barlow.

Today, Stephen and Leslie continue their involvement in the business, and have been joined by two of their children, Stephen Barlow III and Stephanie Barlow Peduto. Stephen is the president of operations and general manager.

Stephanie works on marketing and is the Holiday and Gift Merchandise Buyer.

There are more than 1,560 farms in New Jersey that focus on greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production, according to the most recent Census of Agriculture, In the five-year period since the last census of agriculture, square footage for nursery stock crops in New Jersey more than doubled, from Tom Castronovo/Photo 7.8 million square feet to 16 million. The horticulture industry is one of New Jersey’s top agriculture commodities. The industry includes nursery, greenhouse, sod and Christmas trees and generated $444.8 million in sales. The Dairy Industry also remains one of the state’s top agriculture commodities with active farms supplying 7 percent of the state’s fluid milk requirements and generating $24.2 million in farm sales. New Jersey’s wineries generate between $30 million and $40 million of revenue annually. And approximately 716,000 cases of wine were produced. There are more than 40 varieties of wine grown in the state, from Pinot Noir and Riesling in the North to Italian varieties such as Sangiovese and Barbera in the South.

A considerable portion of New Jersey’s wine sales are nongrape fruit wine, particularly apple, blueberry, raspberry and cranberry wines.

The latest census also reports that New Jersey has a total of 715,057 acres of farmland.

Lt. Governor Guadagno’s annual agribusiness tour has Tom Castronovo/Photo Tom Canete, president of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors also included stops at Halka Association, front left, and Kevin McLaughlin, back left, Nurseries in Millstone, the director of the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show, the NJ Fulper Family Farmstead in Plants Show, and the PANTS Show, both stopped by to wish West Amwell, Old York Cellars Tom Castronovo/Photo the Barlow family well during New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim in Ringoes and Alba Vineyard Stephen Barlow III and New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno discuss Jersey Grown annuals and perennials.

Guadagno’s agricultural tour. in Milford.

18 August, 2014

Gardener News

is Now Accepting Nominations for its 2014 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 2014 is November 1, 2014.

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

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

Thank you!

Summer, summer time is still here! One more glorious month of sun, fun, boardwalks, fishing, boating and just having fun whatever you do.

Unfortunately for a lot of the businesses down here, summer ends about a week too soon due to an early Labor day. This is OK, as long as you remember that the weekends in September are often some of the best times.

But back to summer, we are still in mid-summer, the peak of summer when the ocean is perfect for cooling down on a balmy summer day. Has everyone been out vegetable picking, by the way? The crops at DeWolfe farms in New Egypt, as well as the other pick-it-yourself farms are peaking right now. I say it every year, and I will say it again, this is a must-do trip for anyone who loves fresh produce and would love to see something a bit different on a relatively small budget and just a short ride. Also, be sure to check out Gardener News’s story on Jersey farmers

Gardener News

Schoolchildren help name apple industry mascot ),6+(56 1< Ę&#x160; ,WÂśV D JLUO 1HZ <RUN VWDWH VFKRROFKLOGUHQ KHOSHG QDPH WKH VWDWH DSSOH LQGXVWU\ÂśV QHZ mascot, meet Katie Crunch.

As New York Apple Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mascot, Katieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duties will include energetically promoting New York stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite fruit. She will also preside over all association outreach to children, including a new website kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; section coming later this year. Beautifully dressed in red, she sports a jaunty yellow bow tied to her stem, and matching flats.

NYAA launched the mascot-naming contest and a related sweepstakes contest earlier this spring; schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; entries were due June 2. New York School Nutrition Association was instrumental in distributing contest and sweepstakes information to their members. The winning mascot name was submitted by Victor Intermediate School in Victor, and chosen by an anonymous panel of judges. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We told schools they could submit a fun name, a healthy name, a creative name â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the kids from Victor Intermediate definitely went the fun route,â&#x20AC;? said NYAA Marketing Director Molly Golden.

In return for submitting the winning mascot name, Victor Intermediate School won $500 in New York state apples and a commercial apple slicer for their cafeteria. In addition, twelve schools selected from among sweepstakes entrants will also receive apple slicers for their cafeterias: Â&#x2021;%HUQH .QR[ :HVWHUOR &HQWUDO 6FKRRO 'LVWULFW $OEDQ\ &RXQW\

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Katie Crunch artwork can be downloaded from NYAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flickr site â&#x20AC;&#x201C; look for the album named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Logos and Artâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at https://www.flickr.com/photos/nyapplecountry/sets/ About New York Apple Association, Inc. A nonprofit agricultural trade association based in Fishers, N.Y., NYAA represents the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial apple growers. The association supports profitable growing and marketing of New York apples through increasing demand for apples and apple products, representing the industry at state and federal levels, and serving as the primary information source on New York apple-related matters. For more information, visit www.nyapplecountry.com.

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Greetings from the Jersey shore! markets, another good way to support locally grown produce, as well as getting a deal on the freshest stuff around including peaches, lettuces, herbs, all types of peppers, eggplants, squashes, and of course tomatoes and corn, to name some.

Well, in the past few years the hot food trend seems to be the mixing of the five different taste sensations, which include sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and the newest one, umami. Umami is considered savory, such as ripe tomatoes, cured meats, shellfish and certain cheeses such as parmesan.

You may have noticed the dessert trend of pairing together salty and sweet foods such as salted

caramel chocolate, to name but one. Another pairing or â&#x20AC;&#x153;mixingâ&#x20AC;? of great flavor contrasts is sweet and hot, which is all the rage this summer. Hot peppers of all varieties have been gaining immense popularity over the past couple years, especially with high-end chefs looking to push the food envelope with new and exciting ideas. I have loved hot peppers and sauces for years. I tend to â&#x20AC;&#x153;overdo itâ&#x20AC;? quite often when it comes to heat. Nnot to worry, this is mostly at home when I over-sauce my own food or plate.

I was actually going to do a recipe on sweethot but instead will do a nice summer fig appetizer wrapped in prosciutto with blue cheese and drizzled

with balsamic in order to demonstrate a umami taste for people to identify with and try to understand umami a bit. Next month, I will tackle the sweet-hot thing. This is actually my wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipe, similar to one I did years ago in which the fig was stuffed with blue cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and puff pastry dough and baked. This one is grilled and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any dough, which makes it lighter and gives it a more warm-weather feel. Enjoy and see you next month!

Figs stuffed with blue cheese, with prosciutto and balsamic(serves 4 as an appetizer) 4 fresh figs, washed and halved About 4 tablespoons blue cheese of your choice,

Maytag rules!

About 4 slices of good quality prosciutto ham, cut in half length-wise 2 oz. good quality balsamic vinegar for drizzle Method -heat grill on medium while preparing figs -press blue cheese into cut side of figs -wrap 1/2 slice of prosciutto around each fig in a snug fashion - grill cut side up for about 4-5 minutes until cheese just starts to melt -serve with balsamic vinegar drizzled over top -easy and delicious with a great combination of flavors that all work together!

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Gardener News

August, 2014 19

The importance of a healthy breakfast is underestimated by most people. Most of us are on the run and in a hurry. Even our children seem to get rushed through breakfast in most cases, leading to a poor start to the day and hunger pangs between meals. Breakfast can be intimidating for some because they may not want to cook or take a moment to eat in fear of being late or missing the train or bus.

There are no one-size-fitsall solutions, but maybe a few tips would help get people going in the right direction. As we wrap up our summer vacations, this is a great time to practice before school and work interfere in September.

For years since its inception in the 1980’s, the produce industry has been pushing fivea-day; that is five servings of fruits and vegetables should be consumed every day for a healthy diet. Well, a few problems sprung up. First, consumers had no idea what a serving actually was for each of the fruits and vegetables available at any given time.

Second, while grower-shippers and retailers pushed the fivea-day logo – a sun with fivea-day written across it – it did

Passionate About Produce

By Paul Kneeland The King of Produce

A Great Start not resonate or mean anything to consumers. This increased in Canada to five-to-nine-a-day and was poorly accepted in the U.S. That message morphed into the food pyramid in 1992 and into “Fruits and Vegetables, More Matters” a few years later.

Again the message was simple but not very clear and not very specific. If I am eating three apples and two bananas a day, do I need more as the message decrees? If I am eating no fruits and vegetables daily, how much should I be eating because in reality one bite of one apple is more than what I am eating today?

In 2011, MyPlate was introduced. This was a much clearer message. Simply put, anytime you sit down to eat a meal, half your plate should be vegetables or fruit. Clearly

understandable but not widely circulated. However, when discussing MyPlate alone, consumers will not know exactly what is meant. The produce industry could adapt the message to HalfMyPlate and get the message to be more specific and understandable to the goals of eating more fruits and vegetables.

In 2014, the industry will take on additional subrole of growing consumption among kids. The program is in partnership with Sesame Street and the Produce Marketing Association and is called the Eat Brighter program, using the characters from Sesame Street.

The idea is to start good routines in younger ages that, hopefully, they will bring through their lifetime of eating.

The school nutrition programs start with breakfast in

the morning for some students.

As stated on the New Jersey Department of Agriculture website, many students come to school without breakfast.

This is prevalent in teenagers and crosses all socio-economic situations. It also states that children that eat breakfast are better behaved, pay more attention in class, have higher test scores and are more engaged in education.

What makes up a great breakfast? If you have ever been to a New Jersey diner, you have seen all sorts of calories and goodies on people’s plates.

According to WebMD, it is better for your health and your weight to eat breakfast than skip it. It recommends five grams of protein and five grams of fiber at each breakfast. This goes back to the five-a-day program of the 1980s. More information is

needed as to what a gram looks like and what falls under fiber and what falls under protein.

According to WebMD, proteins include milks and cheese, yogurts and cottage cheese, bacon, peanut butter, sausage, ham and lox. Fibers include whole wheat or whole grain breads, barley, oats, quinoa, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, and flaxseed and pecans.

When in a rush, a highfiber granola bar will fit the bill as well as a banana. If you feed your system early, it will work to burn the calories you put in, thus resulting in better weight management and a healthier you. Eat breakfast and make half the plate fresh fruits and vegetables!

Editor’s Note: Paul Kneeland is the Vice President of Floral, Meat, Produce and Seafood for Kings Food Markets, President of the Eastern Produce Council, and a board member of the Produce Marketing Association. He holds degrees in Business Management from Boston College as well as Northeastern University.

He can be reached at pkneeland@kingssm.com

Finding Native Plants

By Kathleen Salisbury As I contemplated this month’s article, I tried conjuring up a list of Augustblooming native plants. I thought to myself, “Where can I go see what native plants are blooming now?” First answer – any wild space in New Jersey. Woodlands and wild areas are great places to see native plants, but they aren’t presented in a landscape situation so it can be hard to know what plants will grow well with each other, which will do well around the house, how they will look blooming next to one another and which plants are native and which only look like they are.

My recommendation for viewing native plants is visiting your local botanical garden or arboretum. You may be familiar with the formal and meticulously maintained highly cultivated areas of these public horticulture spaces.

But did you know many of

these gardens also have natural meadows and woodlands where native plants abound?

There are a couple benefits of visiting a botanical garden to learn about New Jersey natives. First, the plants are likely to be labeled, which will certainly help you figure out what they are and where they come from. Second, you have an opportunity to view them at mature sizes next to houses or in a landscape setting. Third, the plants are in a designed setting. Some people do not care for the seemingly random way Mother Nature throws plants together and prefer a more cultivated look. Many public gardens offer just such a view.

Where can you find native plants in a public garden setting? Check out Garden State Gardens Consortium.

This organization has a mission to “increase public awareness of and appreciation for New Jersey’s public gardens by promoting their horticultural, educational, historic and artistic value...”

Visit their website, www. gardenstategardens.org, and click on the “Amenities” tab at the top of the page. You will find a chart listing all the great options on offer at public gardens throughout the state. You will notice one of the amenities listed is “Native Plant Garden.” All but two of the 23 member gardens have native plants on display. While I have not gotten around to all of them yet, I certainly plan to and suggest you get out and do the same.

One of the gardens that doesn’t list native plants as part of their display is Presby Memorial Iris Garden in Montclair. Famous for their magnificent iris collection, their primary bloom time and busiest season is around Memorial Day when the “Rainbow on the Hill” is in full bloom. Whenever you decide to visit, be sure to check out their trees. Presby has one of the largest Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) trees I have ever seen. I did a double take when I realized what it was, I had

never seen one grow that large.

In addition to the stunning Sassafras, they have been adding trees to the lawn area above the Iris beds and have included a number of native trees from Redbud (Cercis canadensis) and Fringetree (Chionanthis virginiana) to Dogwood (Cornus florida) and Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana).

Another New Jersey public garden not to miss that you will not find on the Garden State Gardens website is the Cross Estate Gardens in Bernardsville. I recommend visiting in spring for the fantastic display of springblooming natives including Trillium, native Rhododenrons and even a Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) allée.

Some fantastic native gardens to visit aren’t in New Jersey but happen along our borders, showcasing native plants that are native to and will thrive in New Jersey gardens.

The New York Botanical Garden’s Native Plant Garden in the Bronx features more

than 100,000 native plants artistically arranged and beautiful in every season.

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope, Pa., is the go-to location for spring ephemerals, but don’t miss the summer-blooming meadow complete with the Augustflowering Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos).

So whether it is into the woods, along a meadow trail or through the gates of one of this state’s great public gardens, there are many resources in New Jersey to learn about our native flora.

Editor’s Note: Kathy Salisbury is a Horticulture Educator and the President of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey (NPSNJ). The NPSNJ is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation, protection and study of NJ’s native flora. To learn more about the Native Plant Society please visit www.npsnj.org or contact Kathy directly at president@npsnj.org.

20 August, 2014

Gardener News

This month is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Remember to doâ&#x20AC;? month in the garden and landscape. Remember to keep everything hydrated.

Remember to keep feeding plants and flowers regularly, particularly plant material that is planted in pots or baskets. Remember that in August, plant material should be grown maturely now in containers by this time so there is more plant to water.

What I mean by this is that the plants have grown, both in roots and in body, so they will require more water and food. Also with the heat of the summer, water transpires faster in the heat and the wind, causing the soil in containers to dry quicker. What is water transpiration? According to Wikipedia, â&#x20AC;&#x153;transpirationâ&#x20AC;? is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts. such as leaves, but also from stems and flowers.

Ever wonder why your plant once in full bloom requires more water than another one that may

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cool enough, they will be fine when you get back.

Just make sure when you get back to give them a good water. If you are going away for a longer period of time, ask a trustworthy friend or a neighbor to come over to water for you. It is still a good idea to be considerate and place all your plant material, if they are potted or hanging baskets, in one location in a cool area. This way, it helps your helper to know that they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss somewhere on your property. It also helps to bribe whoever you ask to perform this for you. Offer to do their house when they are out, or leave some milk and cookies, or some beer or wine. Something to sweeten the offer is always a good rule of thumb.

See you next monthâ&#x20AC;Ś

The Professional Grower

By Tim Hionis Greenhouse Specialist

A Stressful Time for Plants not have many blooms?

Transpiration. Ever wonder why you watered everything as thoroughly as possible without drowning them, and you got back but a mere few hours later and they seem like it never happened?

Transpiration. It poured buckets and buckets of rain all night long only to go out all day long and come home to find plants withering and begging for water?

Transpiration. This month of August is a prime culprit for plant material to this.

So if and when possible, constant monitoring and adjusting your watering requirements is crucial to the success of the landscape this time of year.

This month can be one of the most stressful months for the trees,

plants, shrubs and flowers in landscapes. Yes, plants and flowers get stressed much like us. They have stresses to battle against.

For instance, they can get environmentally stressed, like excessive heat, or economically stressed, like lack of water and necessary nutrients, predatory stress, like animals or bugs, and even health-related stress, like diseases or fungal problems.

Heat, humidity, and the constant need for watering also bring other undesirables in the landscape. One thing is certain, weeds grow at what seems to be an accelerated rate, so make sure to clean thoroughly around the beds. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best to try to pull straight up as to pull up the root system

of the weeds. You would like to avoid just snapping the stems of weeds, this can actually cause them to split and break into multiple stems, making them thicker.

This will also cause you to have to go back sooner to clean the beds. Weeding beds is a necessary evil in the garden. Weeds can crowd your plants, restricting air circulation which is needed especially this time of year where the air can remain stagnant. Also, weeds can strangulate the root system of your plant material and rob the much-needed nutrients and water.

Going away for a while?

If it is only for two or three days, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tip. Take down all your baskets and put them in a cooler area. Give them a good soak. Hopefully, if

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Tim Hionis has been growing plants for over 20 years, and is co-owner of Hionis Greenhouses and Garden Center in Whitehouse Station, NJ. He can be reached by calling (908) 534-7710.

USDA/NASS: Floriculture Release +$55,6%85* 3$ Ę&#x160; 7KHUH ZHUH JURZHUV LQ WKH 1RUWKHDVW LQ compared to 2,030 growers in 2012. The 2013 wholesale value of sales by commercial flower and foliage producers in the region was $653.5 million. There was a slight increase in 2013, with 2012 total wholesale value of sales reaching more than $648.7 million.

All values in the following tables are wholesale equivalent value of sales; they were derived by multiplying the average wholesale price by the total quantity sold.

The value of sales at wholesale of total bedding or garden plants for operations with over $100,000 in sales in 2013 was $399.8 million, and for 2012 sales were $385.4 million.

The total covered growing area for operations with more than $100,000 in sales in the Northeast region in 2013 was 61.3 million square feet. Covered growing area included: glass greenhouses, 11.3 million square feet in 2013 and 11.5 million for 2012; fiberglass and other rigid greenhouses, 3.9 million square feet in 2013 and 3.8 million in 2012; film plastic (single/multi) greenhouses, 45 million square feet in 2013 and 45.9 million in 2012; and shade and temporary cover, 1.1 million for 2013 and 2012.

Growers also used 2,927 acres of open ground in 2013 as well as 2,651 in 2012.

About the Survey: The Commercial Floriculture Survey is conducted annually by USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in 15 states. It is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;censusâ&#x20AC;? of all known operations with more than $10,000 in floriculture sales. For operations with more than $100,000 in sales, detailed data is collected about specific varieties.

Data summarized in the tables showing grower numbers and growing area represent all growers having sales of $10,000 or more.

The results of the survey are available to the public.

Associations use these statistics when working with policy makers at the state and national levels. University extension specialists justify research grants and other activities with statistics that describe the size and importance of the industry in each state. Banks and other lending institutions often use the data when evaluating loan applications. Individual producer data is kept strictly confidential and used only in combination with other reports to prepare state and national statistics. Individual information is exempted from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. The Northeast Region was represented in Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania for the purposes of this survey. Fifteen states were included in the national release.

Gardener Gard rde dener News Newss New

August, Aug ugust, usst, 22014 014 21 21

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22 August, 2014 Jamie Durie’s Edible Garden Design--- I had the pleasure of meeting Jamie last month and he signed a copy of this, his newest book. His inspiring approach is to create gardens for people to “live in”, and not just “look at” which encourages the concept that gardens should also be living spaces. The book follows this same principle of making edible gardens also liveable. In each chapter there are creative ideas for vertical, raised, rooftop, backyard and container edible gardens. He gives us a simple message---“we nurture nature, and nature nurtures us”. www. jamiedurie.com

Gardener News Garden Shopping

By Leslie Barlow Garden Educator

fruit. They have an antique look and would be attractive around rustic birdhouses in your garden retreat.

10” H. Ancient Graffiti Available at Barlow’s

summer afternoon and be creative!

Magnetworks. Available at Barlow’s Candle Tunes-- I had to share this from the Atlanta Gift Market but it will not be available until next year…LED Hand Poured Wax Candle with Bluetooth Speaker! It has a rechargeable lithium ion battery that fully charges in 3.5 hrs and plays music for 3-7 hours depending on volume. The candle will stay lit for 50 hours. Wow! We ordered some for 2015. Gerson Company

Beach Life Mini Garden Kit- Fairy gardens continue to be fun for kids and adults alike and here’s an easy way to get started. This kit includes an adorable mini shell garland, tiny stepping stones, sand castle, Adirondack chairs and table plus directions on how to plant a mini garden. So, enjoy a fun Palladian Window Estate Lantern--- These lanterns are available in two sizes, extra large and most grand and are adorned with washed metal tops. The design is inspired by classic and vintage

Wild Bird Hanging Fruit Feeders---Hang several of these novel feeders under a tree and watch the songbirds land and enjoy the

window architecture. 13” x 29” & 18” x 41” Park Hill Designs.

Available in Fall at Barlow’s

I hope you are enjoying summer and your flower and vegetable gardens are thriving. My vegetables have been plentiful all season beginning with the sweet peas in early spring to the tomatoes we are enjoying now. I really appreciate New Jersey for all of her natural resources and can fully realize how she got her name as the “Garden State”. I feel so blessed to have been “planted” here!

Agriculture Remains Key to the Garden State The most recent Census of Agriculture results are out and New Jersey remains true to its nickname. The Garden State’s greenhouse industry keeps blossoming.

There are more than 1,560 farms in New Jersey that focus on greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production. In the fiveyear period since the last census, square footage for nursery stock crops in New Jersey more than doubled, from 7.8 million square feet to 16 million. And greenhouse tomatoes went from 162,000 square feet to 275,000 square feet.

Speaking of vegetables, that’s another sector of New Jersey agriculture that bears mentioning. With more than 50,000 acres of farmland dedicated to vegetables, our farmers grow nearly every vegetable included in the census. Tomatoes, New Jersey’s state vegetable,

lead this charge, with 688 vegetable farms, more than half of the total, growing this crop. Other key crops grown locally include bell peppers, cucumbers, sweet corn and snap peas.

New Jersey farmers also make a strong effort to see that their produce reaches consumers, which is why nearly 1,800 farms sell their products directly to their clients and 88 farms participate in community supported agriculture marketing arrangements.

In fact, many of the more than 100 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs grown locally are not available in supermarkets.

For example, 80 percent of all apples grown in New Jersey are available only through farmers markets, roadside stands and pickyour-own farms.

Some other interesting tidbits about New Jersey farming are that it: 5DQNV IRXUWK LQ WKH nation in the value of market products sold per acre at $1,408, which is

more than three times the national average; +DV WKH KLJKHVW percentage of farms with horses east of the Rockies; and 1LQH RI 1HZ -HUVH\ counties rank in the top 10 percent in the nation in agritourism sales.

As you can see, farming is a key part of New Jersey and our farmers have proven to be great stewards. To date, we have preserved about 207,000 acres of farmland under the state farmland preservation program – or about 29 percent of available agricultural lands (the highest percentage of any state in the nation) according to the State Agriculture Development Committee. In addition, 591 New Jersey farms now produce energy on their own operation. There are also 85 certified organic farms and handlers in New Jersey, highlighting even stronger commitment by our producers to the environment.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of our local agriculture. Our farmers and ranchers work day and night to ensure that New Jersey keeps living up to its Garden State moniker.

The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

Every Thursday, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture.

Editor’s Note: The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Bruce Eklund is the New Jersey State Statistician for the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. He can be reached by emailing Bruce.

Eklund@nass.usda.gov

This month we have requested our customers to share with us photos of their gardens and we will proudly display them on our website. I am constantly inspired by gardeners both new and experienced and enjoy seeing the creative ways they landscape their spaces of earth.

Many are also enjoying vegetables and herbs from their gardens and are delightfully rewarded by the delicious harvest. Everyone has a different approach and it is fun and interesting to share ideas.

I would really enjoy seeing photos of Gardener News Readers too, so if you are inclined to send a photo I would love it! Send to lbarlow@barlowflowerfarm.com Enjoy the rest of the summer, relax and savor the warm weather and your gardens.

Til next time, Leslie Editor’s Note: Leslie Barlow is co-owner of Barlow Flower Farm in Sea Girt, NJ, one of the largest retail growers in NJ since 1983. She has appeared on News 12 NJ and has been a guest speaker at local garden clubs. She is a Certified Staging Professional™ with a specialty in Curb Appeal. She has been gardening for many years and is always at trade shows hunting for useful accessories for the home garden. For product information she can be reached at 732-449-9189 or lbarlowbytheshor@aol.com.

Gardener News Nothing says summertime more than baseball, and nothing feels better than giving back to New Jersey communities. So it seems perfectly fitting that the NJLCA selected a baseball field renovation project as this year’s volunteer service project.

About three months ago, we were contacted by Jeffrey Ware, the DistrictAdministrator of New Jersey’s Little League District Six, asking if we could help renovate one of their Little League fields. The Charles Mastik Field, to be precise. Jeff explained to me that at the end of July, Little Ferry would be hosting the 9-10-year-old Little League State Championships and that the field was in no shape to be played on. The field had not been well maintained and suffered significant damage from Superstorm Sandy over a year and a half ago. Like most towns in New Jersey, Little Ferry was tight on funds and really needed a helping hand.

Our members immediately rose to the occasion and began sourcing materials, donating equipment and contacting other NJLCA members to provide laborers.

Many people may not realize that members of the NJLCA are not just good

August, 2014 23 The NJLCA Today

By Jody Shilan, MLA Executive Director

Let’s Play Ball landscape contractors but they are also good community citizens. They have proved this time and time again through their generous donations of time, materials, labor and equipment. For the past five years, the NJLCA and its members have donated over $500,000 in goods and services to The Eisenhower Middle School, The Ho-HoKus School, The Boy Scouts of America, The Fairview 9/11 Memorial and Schultheis Farm. This does not take into account all of the individual projects that our members have undertaken on their own, including Arbor Day tree plantings and landscape and snow removal services for our troops.

The renovation of the Charles Mastik Field in Little Ferry fits our member’s talents perfectly and I have a personal attachment to the Little League

system since I played for them back in the late ’60s and early ’70s. The scope of the work is not too difficult, but is both labor and equipment intensive and does require some technical expertise. The outfield is in pretty good shape and will be treated for weeds and later seeded as needed.

The warning track needs to be weeded as well, then edged and re-raked to give it a significant freshening up. If we are able to get additional burgundy chip stone donated, we will increase the width of the warning track from three feet to five feet, giving the outfielders another step or two to adjust their speed prior to reaching the fence.

The infield is another story.

The existing lawn in the infield needs to be completely stripped so that it can be properly graded. The clay areas of the infield have the consistency of

dried out concrete and need to be roto-tilled, reconditioned and re-graded. The bases themselves also need to be removed and properly aligned.

Home plate and the pitchers mound need to be removed and reinstalled at the proper elevations and locations.

Finally, there is also a significant hump all along the area where the infield clay meets the outfield grass. This needs to be shaved down to the proper grade, preventing “singles” from becoming inside the park home runs as the 9- and 10-year-old outfielders chase the easy grounder that bounced over their shoulder, rolling mercilessly towards the fence, finally throwing the ball back to the pitcher but not before the score keeper flashes a giant “E” on the scoreboard.

Once the infield is properly graded, the warning tracks re-established and the bases,

home plate and the pitchers mound are properly set, topsoil will be imported and oversized rolls of sod will be installed.

The sod will be cut to the proper dimensions and pinned into place. From that point on, we just need to water everything for a few weeks, give it a nice cut before the first game, line the field and then sit back and watch the kids play America’s favorite pastime.

And remember, the next time you need landscape maintenance or landscape construction services, don’t just hire any contractor, hire an NJLCA landscape contractor.

Editors Note: Jody Shilan is the owner of Jody Shilan Designs in Wyckoff, where he provides landscape design and consulting services for homeowners and landscape contractors. He earned his bachelors degree in Landscape Architecture from Cook College, Rutgers University and his masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Currently, he is Executive Director of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA). He can be reached at 201-783-2844 or jshilan@gmail.com.

A Fruit of Millennial Proportions Each summer there are numerous seasonal fruits that I look forward to sampling. For the home gardener, fruits – or at least those commodities such as apples and peaches that we consider as fruits – are more challenging to grow due to the bevy of insects and disease issues and the consequential use of “chemical warfare.”

Fortunately, there are several fruits that can be grown with relative ease without the weekly donning of a gas mask. One such fruit has been in cultivation for at least 11,000 years – the Common Fig! Botanically known as Ficus carica, figs are a member of the Moraceae or Mulberry Family.

It was officially described by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1758) in 1753 when he published Species Plantarum.

The genus name Ficus originates from the Latin for fig, which was derived from the Hebrew “Pag” or “Feg” to describe an

unripened fig. The species epithet Carica refers to the ancient region of Caria, which is now Southwest Turkey. This region was a center of fig cultivation for many centuries. Due to the length of human cultivation, its native provenance is merely speculation, but it is thought to have originated in Western Asia.

Figs produce fruits several times a year. The initial crop is produced on the previous year’s growth during July into early-August, which is called the Breba Crop. The larger and often sweeter crop is produced on the current season’s growth in September and October. If the plant has experienced a cold winter and the previous year’s wood has suffered severe die-back, the Breba Crop will be lacking.

The “fruit” of the fig is a fascinating structure. If you have ever grown or witnessed a fig growing over the course of a season, you will notice that a flower is never visible.

Hidden from sight, the 50 to 7,000 flowers actually grow within a modified hollow

appendage that appears like a small, immature fig called a syconium. By growing within this structure, the flowers are totally protected from any environmental or predatory pressures, Most figs are either dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on separate plants, or are gynodioecous, with female flowers appearing on one plant and bisexual flowers on another. The plants are pollinated by a specialized wasp that enters through a small hole or ostiole at the base of the syconium and through its movements inside the structure, pollination transpires. Interestingly, not all plants require fertilization for the development of fruit. Many forms produce parthenocarpic “fruit,” whereby the fruit develops without fertilization and without seeds. In regions where the wasp is absent, these parthenocarpic selections are obviously the selections of choice.

In mild winter climates, figs can grow to small trees, with heights reaching 10 to 30 feet, although they can

grow taller where conditions are ideal. The plants typically sucker and colonize, covering a relatively vast expanse, as I once witnessed in South Carolina, where the plant was easily 35 feet across! Plants require a full day of sun and well-drained soils to do their best. They can also be espaliered against a wall, but a root boundary is helpful in order to reduce the potential of suckering. Figs are also an ideal container plant and can survive for many years in a given container – provided they receive proper fertilization and water.

Of the figs available for New Jersey climates, the cultivar “Brown Turkey” has proven to be hardy for the New Brunswick area and received a Royal Horticulture Society Award of Merit. For a Breba Crop, the plants definitely need to be protected by placing straw around the stems and wrapping them with white poly during the winter. At Rutgers Gardens, we do not provide any protection and typically get a fantastic yield in the fall. Another

hardy form is “Chicago Hardy.” although the fruit is reportedly not as sweet.

“Fruit” plants are certainly very diverse in nature. If you are adverse to weekly sprays and seek a plant with ornamental foliage of Biblical reference and fruits that are high in calcium and antioxidants, do not overlook the Common Fig – it is an easily grown fruit worthy of great consideration.

Editor’s Note: Bruce Crawford is a lover of plants since birth; is the managing director of the Rutgers Gardens, a 180-acre outdoor teaching classroom, horticultural research facility and arboretum; an adjunct professor in Landscape Architecture at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; regularly participates in the Rutgers – Continuing Education Program; and the immediate past-president of the Garden State Gardens Consortium.

He can be reached at (732) 932-8451. For more information, please visit www.rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu

24 August, Aug ugust, t, 2014 2201 0144

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Gardener News

August, 2014 25

A floral celebrity

Our Monarchs are in Trouble!

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Lilies are a great addition to any floral garden, as Dan Smith of New Providence, Union County, N.J., can attest, seen here in his backyard with one of his giant Stargazer lilies, which measures seven feet, two inches, to be exact. While some varieties of lily are more fragrant than others, the Stargazer lily is possibly the most aromatic, with its dazzling appearance and seductive scent. These plants have strikingly unique and unusually large flowers that seem to defy gravity. They have a fast growth rate and should be planted in full sun in well drained, loamy or sandy soil. Stargazers are known for their striking pink and white blooms. The ASPCA reports this plant as being toxic to cats. They are said to cause vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, kidney failure, and even death. Cats are the only species known to be affected.

The beautiful monarch butterfly is at the top of a sad list of species that are in precipitous decline and it befalls all of us to change this dynamic before it becomes irreversible.

Last summer marked the absence of monarchs across our nation with the figures from last year putting the monarch’s population at 60 million, to this year’s dismal 33 million, down from hundreds of millions in preceding decades. The monarch is just one piece of a continuing downward spiral of our pollinator population and is an indicator that our own health may be at risk.

We see alarming increases in autism, cancers, eating disorders, and Alzheimer’s, and my guess is that there is a common denominator at play.

What is unhealthy for our insects, birds, animals, and eco-system is undoubtedly unhealthy for us. Hence, my gardening friends, a plea to change the way we care for our land is in order.

Many of us understand that the overuse of pesticides and systemics is continuing unabated. Everyone leads a hectic lifestyle and as a result we want a quick fix for a nagging weed problem, not realizing that the quick fix can have long lasting, harsh and unforeseen consequences.

Just a visit to your local big box store filled with Roundup to take care of that one problem weed, be it poison ivy, poison oak, ragweed, etc. is what I hear from gardeners and homeowners, time and time again. “Oh, I don’t use pesticides except for-------this one problem.” I can’t tell you how unsettling this is because the poison does leach into the ground, and is causing more problems than it’s worth.

Think about it. Please don’t make any exceptions and stop using toxic sprays and

pesticides period.

Now, I’m hoping this summer is not a repeat of last summer, where I only saw one lonely monarch butterfly all summer long, and two chrysalises that are jewel boxes rimmed in gold. They remind me of the Faberge eggs made for the Czarina.

The good news is that all of us, working together, can establish Monarch Waystations in our yards, public gardens and community gardens, ultimately stemming the tide of monarch losses by providing them with the various milkweed species their caterpillars need to survive. I was delighted to attend the dedication of a Monarch Waystation at the invitation of the Junior Gardeners of the Rake & Hoe Garden Club at their Butterfly Garden in Shadowlawn Pocket Park in Westfield with the unveiling of a monarch sign indicating they have created a monarch waystation through the auspices of Monarch Watch and are contributing to monarch conservation.

I’m happy to say that this is a project that received one of our GCNJ Community Gardens/Jersey Fresh/Jersey Grown Grants we were awarded from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture through a USDA 2013 Specialty Crop Block Grant.

We can follow their lead by creating monarch waystations all over our great state and encourage our neighbors to do the same. Please go to: www.MonarchWatch.org for all the pertinent information and start your own monarch habitat.

We have applied for monarch certification and expect to erect our monarch waystation sign this summer here in the Raritan Township Community Garden. The garden has 32 plots, eight plots in four rows, with the fourth row dedicated as a “pollinator teaching garden” and monarch waystation. We received a

grant of 32 milkweed plugs from Monarch Watch and they sent 32 swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnate) plugs in June. We have added 12 butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) plants, goldenrod, holly hocks, day lilies, cone flowers, mountain mint and have a diverse planting of zinnias, cosmos, lantana, morning glory and all kinds of vegetables growing in our community garden plots.

Nearby, the township’s Green Team put in a rain garden that features both the above mentioned milkweed species plus common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), liatris and cone flowers.

We also put in two bluebird houses and have families of bluebirds nesting all season long. It’s especially fun to see the bluebirds sitting on top of our bean teepee. We just installed our first native bee houses and will send for summer alfalfa leafcutter bees from Crown Bees, and/ or bumblebees that they have now begun to carry. I want to apply for monarch waystation certification for my own yard, too, so my neighbors may be inspired to do the same.

Don’t forget our beautiful black swallowtail butterflies as we continue to work for their designation as New Jersey’s official state butterfly.

They overwinter here in our Garden State and can inspire our citizens to grow our pollinator population. Get Out There and Garden!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Community Garden Chair and the Butterflies & BeeGAP Chair for the Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc., and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc., Accredited Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie can be reached by emailing jeannieg42@earthlink. net Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www. g a r d e n c l u b o f n e w j e r s e y. com and phone number is 732-249-0947.

26 August, 2014

Gardener News RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PHONE DIRECTORY

Rutgers Alumnus (GSNB ’12) Named Executive Director of U.S. Botanic Garden The Architect of the Capitol, the unit that administers the United States Botanic Garden, announced the appointment of Ari Novy, Ph.D., as executive director of the Garden.

Novy’s connection with Rutgers goes back to 2006 when he began working as a graduate research fellow. He received his doctorate in 2012 from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences’ Department of Plant Biology and Pathology. His dissertation director was Jean Marie Hartman of the Department of Landscape Architecture, where he also served as a teaching assistant.

In his new position, Novy is responsible for leading and planning day-to-day operations and major programs at the U.S. Botanic Gardens.

“Dr. Novy is a plant biologist with a wide range of expertise in plant science and an amazing passion to educate people about the importance of plants,” said Stephen T. Ayers of Architect of the Capitol and acting director of the U.S. Botanic Garden. “His vision and leadership will move the Garden’s mission forward in exciting ways.”

Novy came to the Garden in 2012 as the public programs manager and was promoted to deputy executive director in 2013. He also holds an appointment as research collaborator with the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Botany Department.

At Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Novy conducted research on plant population genetics, invasive species, plant conservation, horticultural improvement, agronomic risk assessment, beekeeping management, plant evolution, and agricultural economics and policy. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in plant science and horticulture and received several awards for research, teaching and outreach excellence. He received his bachelor of arts degree from New York University in 2000, and he currently resides in Arlington, Va. The U.S. Botanic Garden describes itself as “a living plant museum that informs visitors about the importance, and often irreplaceable value, of plants to the well-being of humans and the Earth’s fragile ecosystems.” It originally was envisioned by George Washington and was established in 1820 by the U.S. Congress, which continues to support it. It is administered through the Architect of the Capitol.

According to its website: “For the 21st Century, the U.S. Botanic Garden has committed itself to sustainability, educating the public about ways to live by supporting the interconnected web of life that is the environment, and in particular, by nurturing the plants that support life on our planet.”

Source: Rutgers Office of Alumni and Community Engagement

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TIP OF THE MONTH

Tomatoes keep best unwashed at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. It is not recommended to refrigerate, as this can harm the flavor. Tomatoes that are not yet ripe can be kept in a paper bag until ripening. Storing stem down can prolong shelf life. Peaches and nectarines will continue to ripen after they’ve been harvested if you leave them at room temperature. They should never be refrigerated until they are fully ripe. Chilling them before that will result in fruit that is mealy and flavorless. All produce should be thoroughly washed under running water before eating, cutting or cooking. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended. Enjoy!

Gardener News

August, 2014 27

THE 2014 NEW YORK APPLE CROP

BEST

THE

IS YET TO COME

We’re more than halfway home on our journey from blossom to (even more) awesome! The New York Apple Crop is looking mighty fine and we’re on schedule for an impressive harvest.

This is great news for you and your customers because before long, you’ll have the pick of the freshest, tastiest, crispiest apple varieties in your stores. And there’s more good news: new, sales-boosting tools and programs to help you create greater demand and move more apples.

E-mail Molly at the New York Apple Association to learn more and get all the advantages: molly@nyapplecountry.com.

Contact your New York apple supplier now to set up your fall program because New York Apple Growers are getting ready to deliver big time on our fresher, faster commitment.

Photos courtesy of Mark Seetin, US Apple Association

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