Gardener News July 2014

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July, 2014

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TAKE ONE No. 135

The Royal Beauty of London

Paul Kneeland/Photo

Temperate House in England’s Royal Botanic Gardens, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is the world’s largest surviving Victorian glass structure. It covers 52,528 square feet, rises to a height of 63 feet, and contains plants and trees from all the temperate regions of the world.

By Paul Kneeland The King of Produce The weather in London is neither perfect nor fantastic consistently. Overcast skies are the norm and rain bothers the tourists more than the residents. As they say, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. Most days have a combination of overcast and rain and sun. This makes a unique growing area. Much like New Jersey, Londoners had a winter that

wouldn’t end. Temperatures in the 60-degree range were prevalent into June.

London proper, city-like and filled with history, is made up of 32 boroughs and more than 13 million people.

Traffic is heavy during the week and into the evenings as people get to and from work. I liken it a bit to Manhattan, sans the many tall buildings. Construction in the city is apparent, with more than 30 construction cranes at present count.

The rich history that

permeates the city reminds one of Rome, where modern meets historical. Easily walkable, London’s tourist attractions are spread out amongst the city. A favorite, Buckingham Palace, home to the Queen of England, is in fact majestic and carefully placed and protected amongst parks and tree-lined streets that allow Her Majesty quick access up the street to Parliament.

In fact, stretching from Buckingham Palace to the west side of Westminster

Abbey is a stunning park, meticulously cared for and filled with beautiful flowers and magnificent plantings.

Duck Island inhabits the east end of the pond and is home to hundreds of ducks and pigeons living together without noticeable conflict.

London is admirably clean. Despite all the construction and the everyday wear and tear of thirteen million inhabitants, the city is beautifully kept.

From the West End theatre area, through Kensington

and Westminster, the city almost looks manicured.

About halfway between London on the Thames and Heathrow International airport lies a wonder that needs to be seen. It is the Royal Botanical Garden in Kew, otherwise known as Kew Garden. Protected by a 12-foot stucco wall and the residents that surround the area, Kew Gardens is a place that can take a full day or two to get through.

Entering through Victoria gates, our (Cont. on pg. 22)

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July, 2014 3 Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Legislators Rock…

Hello, again I am a huge fan of agriculture, farming, gardening, and landscaping, as you may already know by reading some of my past columns.

From time to time, I rant and rave about several topics. Some might be interesting to you, some may not.

This month I’m on a legislative kick.

Below is some recent legislation that I think might be of interest to all of you.

The first is Assembly No. 2400.

This bill prohibits harassing, bothering, or otherwise interfering with a farmer engaged in farming operations for the purpose of hindering or preventing the lawful farming of agricultural products. For the purposes of this bill, agricultural products include, but are not limited to, crops, dairy animals, livestock, fur-bearing animals, poultry, bees, aquacultural products, trees, and forest products.

A person who harasses a farmer would be guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense, the penalty for which is imprisonment for up to 30 days, a fine of up to $500, or both imprisonment and a fine.

For a second or subsequent offense, the violator would be guilty of a disorderly persons offense, punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both imprisonment and a fine. A violator would also be subject to a civil penalty of between $250 and $500 for each violation. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues would constitute a separate offense. The Secretary of Agriculture would be authorized to seek injunctive and other relief against a violator.

The bill also provides that a person who is adversely affected by a violation would be able to bring a civil action for injunctive and other relief as well as for damages, including punitive damages and special damages, against the violator. Special damages would include, but need not be limited to, lost profits and the cost of damages to farmland, supplies, equipment, and agricultural products caused by the activities of the violator.

In my opinion…if you don’t like animal noise, animal odor, farm tractors, farm hands, wind machines, low-flying helicopters in the early-spring, and agritourism activities, don’t move next to a farm. The way I look at it, No Farmers, No Food. The same thing holds true for moving in next to a firehouse with a whistle that sounds every time there is an alarm of fire. If you don’t like what happens at a firehouse, don’t move next to one and complain.

The second is about a school garden week. It is Assembly Joint Resolution No. 56 and Senate Joint Resolution No. 49.

This joint resolution designates the school week immediately following the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day, each year as “School Garden Week” in order to recognize and promote the benefits of gardening in schools and to further encourage students to eat fresh fruits and vegetables regularly. The joint resolution, as amended, also directs the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling upon school districts to observe “School Garden Week” with appropriate activities and programs, and to coordinate their activities and programs with those annually planned for “Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week” in September each year.

This joint resolutions also designates the Wednesday of “Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week” as “School Garden Day in NJ” in order to recognize and promote the benefits of gardening in schools and further encourage students to eat fresh fruits and vegetables regularly. The joint resolution also directs the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling upon school districts to observe “School Garden Day in NJ” with appropriate activities and programs, and to coordinate their activities and programs with those annually planned for “Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week.”

Let’s now talk about butterflies. This would be Senate No. 939 and Assembly No. 2913.

This bill designates the Black Swallowtail butterfly as the official State Butterfly of New Jersey.

This large, black, yellow and blue butterfly is indigenous to New Jersey and can be found in each of the state’s 21 counties. The Black Swallowtail is both beautiful and beneficial, pollinating many cultivated flowers and crops. For generations to come, New Jersey school children can raise Black Swallowtails and other butterflies in their classrooms as they have done for years, thus gaining a valuable appreciation for natural science. By designating a State butterfly, New Jersey joins a majority of states that have made such a designation. It also recognizes the important role that butterflies and other pollinators play in agriculture and the ecosystem.

Senate No. 939 and Assembly No. 2913 have plenty of sponsors and co-sponsors on them. They are both waiting for committee hearings. It sure would be nice to have an official State Butterfly.

If you happen to have a close friend or know a legislator, or know someone that knows a legislator in the great Garden State, please ask them to vote in favor of the above pieces of legislation.

I hope you see why I am a big fan of agriculture, farming, gardening, and the landscape communities. There is always lots of cool stuff happening. You just need to know where to look.

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.

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4 July, 2014

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There are hidden opportunities in every county across the Garden State for residents and travelers alike to venture onto working farms. I have mentioned numerous times in my role as Secretary of Agriculture my understanding of how every farm in the state of New Jersey has something special about it.

Recently, I was driving down a local road in Gloucester County and came upon a sign that just said, “Asparagus, pull in.” I did.

It was the beginning of the season. There were workers out in the field cutting asparagus as fresh as the morning dew and bringing it in to a packing shed across the way where people could just pull up and purchase anywhere from one bunch to one pallet of the delectable green spears. Then I found out that not only did I visit that day but scores of other people purchased the cuttings that hours before were in the field – restaurateurs, grocery store buyers and individuals alike waited their turn to partake in this annual spring culinary treat.

Agriculture is very meaningful to so many who have grown up in the Garden State. It is important that every generation gets to experience that magical time when they ventured onto the farm where they can learn so much about where their food comes from, how it’s grown and how we can nurture our agriculture industry.

I would love you to share your hidden gems with the Department of Agriculture.

You can e-mail us through the contact form on the state website or post it on our Jersey Fresh Facebook page.

NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Finding New Jersey’s Hidden Gems of Agriculture Besides asparagus, which is that farm’s main crop, I was informed that in just two more weeks strawberries would come onto the scene.

Once again, I headed my car in the direction of this very special farm with just the wooden sign on the side of the road that announced, “They’re here.” Of course, when I pulled in there were tables laden with the brightest, juiciest berries that proved to be the sweetness that I was hoping to enjoy.

One of the first farm visits I had as Secretary of Agriculture was to a pickyour-own blueberry farm deep in the Pinelands of Cape May County. Again, there was a small sign at the beginning of a long dirt road, which I followed into the woods. It eventually opened

up to a blueberry farm with an old farm house and I found out that the owners had been picking berries at that farm for years, buying the farm when the former owners decided to sell it. I spent a relaxing morning picking plump, juicy berries and left the farm with a giant bag which was easily devoured at home.

Those are just two farms in two counties that can be found off of our local roads.

These stories multiply by the thousands and anyone, anywhere in the state, in a short time can experience for themselves. That is the amazing thing about New Jersey’s intense agriculture industry. We have farms that are 1,000 acres growing one crop and we have others that grow 20 crops on 10 acres of

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Shirley Jones, an American singer and actress of stage, film and television, and best known as “Shirley Partridge” in the ABC television sitcom series The Partridge Family (1970-74), looks over the Gardener News at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, N.J.. In her six decades of show business, she has starred as wholesome characters in a number of wellknown musical films, such as Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962). She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a vengeful prostitute in Elmer Gantry (1960). In February 1986, Jones unveiled her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street just around the corner from Hollywood Boulevard.

land, all within a short drive from the urban centers. I encourage you to take time to seek out these gems.

People tell me all the time as I go around the state of their special farm, roadside stand, farmers market, or store where they get the best Jersey produce, the nicest plants, the freshest fish, the sweetest honey, the tastiest meats, eggs and milk and it’s all Jersey. There are many wonderful opportunities to enjoy New Jersey agriculture near where you live. Visit our agriculture websites to find them. Go to the new version of the www.visitnjfarms.org website, which highlights farms that people can visit.

Get out there and give your business to these venues and partake in the diversity of agricultural products.

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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One reality show on television that I get a kick out of watching is called “Tattoo Nightmares.” On this show, people who are unhappy with some form of “artwork” that they bestowed upon themselves seek help from a professional tattoo artist who then attempts to cover the old tattoo with something new and better looking.

For me, the intriguing part of the show is not the tattoo artist coming up with a new and better looking design, which in my opinion will probably look just as hideous in a few years, but rather the start of the show where the person describes the chain of events that led them to get the tattoo in the first place.

You have to wonder what in the hell these people were thinking. I realize that we are not dealing with America’s best and brightest here, but come on! Did they really believe that a nude portrait of an ex-girlfriend on their back was not going to cause some serious explaining at some point in the future?

I know, I know, the guy was in prison for seven years and did not have the benefit

an example, on our farm, we have some very latematuring varieties that ripen in early-November, which means that they are not ready for our prime picking season in October.

Conversely, Honeycrisp and Galas, which mature in late-August, are not the greatest choices for “Pick-Your-Own” either.

As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider when planting a new orchard.

And by the way, if you are going to get an apple tattooed on your body, make sure it is one you will be happy with in 20 years!

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

How to Avoid Orchard Nightmares of a mirror, but still, did he not think of the consequences down the road? I mean, it is not like he was serving a life sentence.

But anyway, planting an orchard is like getting a tattoo. You had better be prepared to live with it for a long, long time.

There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when planning an orchard.

First, there is the variety to consider. What variety do your customers want? What variety will your customers want 10 or 15 years from now? What variety will you be able to grow and sell and still be able to realize a profit?

Varieties come into favor and they go out of favor. Just ask some of the growers who staked their livelihood on Red Delicious apples about

20 years ago. I bet that now, they wished they had planted Honeycrisps instead. And while Honeycrisps are the hot apple to have now, who is to say that they will be in great demand 10 years from now?

There is also the planting system to consider. The planting system is basically defined as the density the trees are planted and the system in which they are trained to fully utilize the available land and sunlight.

If the trees are planted too far apart and do not fill in their allotted space, then the orchard will not reach its full yield potential and will likely be unprofitable.

Unprofitability is also the result if the trees are planted too close together. The trees will crowd each other out

in competing for too little sunlight and will likely produce inferior quality fruit. And as a further point of information, these systems will vary in their productiveness from region to region. A system that works in eastern Washington may not work so well here in the Northeast where we get much more rainfall and much less sunlight.

Labor is another factor to take into consideration.

Will you have enough labor to harvest this crop? Will ladders or harvest aids be needed? Do you have too many varieties that ripen at the same time? Do you have a gap in your season where you do not have enough work to keep your pickers busy?

Will this orchard be used for “Pick-Your-Own?” As

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.

Elephants Among Us “Tropicals” were once a group of plants found only in southern regions of the United States or in locations where the temperatures never came remotely close to freezing.

Fortunately, during the 1970s, gardens such as Wave Hill in New York City started to look at tropicals in a new light and began to incorporate them into more conventional displays of annuals, container gardens and even mixed borders.

One group of tropicals that are readily available for the temperate garden, yet still garner comments of “Wow, look at that!” is the Elephant Ear. Elephant Ear is the common name that actually describes plants in three different genera: Alocasia, Colocasia and Xanthosoma. All three genera have large sagittate or arrowshaped leaves that – growing upwards of three feet long and two feet wide – resemble the size and shape of an Elephant’s Ear. Elephant Ears are members of the Araceae or Arum Family,

and initially most of these plants were grouped under the genus Colocassia. The name Colocasia originated from the Greek Kolokasion, originally the name for the edible root of Water Lotus, Nelumbo nucifera.

It was the Greek physician and botanist Pedanius Diosorides (40-90 AD) who first used Kolokasion to describe the edible corm of Colocasia in addition to the Lotus root.

In 1753, Carl Linnaeus first penned Colocasia as a species epithet when he described Arum colocasia and Arum esculentum.

In 1832, the Austrian botanist and Arum specialist Heinrich Wilhelm Schott (1794-1865) reclassified these two species as Colocasia antiquorum and Colocasia esculenta, respectively.

Colocasia esculenta, also called Tarro, was originally native to the wetlands of Malaysia and has been renowned for its edible root and leaf for over 7,000 years. In fact, the species epithet comes from the Latin Esculentus, meaning edible.

Oddly, all the species of Colocasia, Alocasia and Xanthosoma are poisonous

if eaten raw due to high concentrations of calcium oxalate.

The plants are rendered palatable by boiling or steaming the tissues, significantly reducing or eliminating the chemical.

Colocasia consists of around 25 species that are native to tropical Polynesia and Southeast Asia.

Of the numerous cultivars available, “Black Magic” has wonderfully attractive, powder-purple leaves, while “Teacup” has the most intriguing, cupshaped foliage available for the Garden.

Alocasia is also native to tropical and subtropical Asia and Eastern Australia, and is composed of roughly 70 species. It too can have foliage of an imposing size and many of the species are also edible when properly cooked. Although this genus initially resembles Colocasia, there are several noteworthy differences. Alocasia prefers well-drained soils, shade, and the leaves are typically oriented upwards. Colocasia thrive in full sun, especially in moist soils or even standing water, and the leaves are pendant.

The etymology of Alocasia is suspected to simply be a variation on Colocasia.

The third member of the trio, Xanthosoma differs from the previous two in that it is native to Central and South America, with one of the more common species being Xanthosoma sagittifolium.

Originally named Arum sagittifolium by Linnaeus, it was once again Schott who reassigned it to its present status. The name Xanthosoma comes from the Greek xanthos, meaning yellow and soma meaning body, referring to either the stigma coloration or the yellow inner tissues, while the species epithet once again refers to the arrowheadshaped foliage. Just as with Colocasia esculenta, both the roots and the leaves serve as a popular food source. For the garden, “Lime Zinger” and “Chartreuse Giant” are two selections that provide large, lime-green leaves that both enhance the texture and brighten a garden. For all three genera, additional fertilizer with an even moisture supply will guarantee rapid summer growth. All three can also

be overwintered by bringing the container in for the winter and reducing the watering to impose dormancy. Or, simply allow the plants to be frosted, dig the corms, wrap them in newsprint or lightly moistened peat and set in a cool basement for the winter.

This arum trio is all about the fun of adding bold Tropical Texture to your garden – after all, who would not crave having some resemblance of an elephant in their garden!

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

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

Gardener News Rinse veggies under running water before preparing or eating them to remove dirt and microbes on the surface.

PA: Agriculture Department Seeking Producers to Market Local Products to Turnpike Travelers (HARRISBURG, PA) – Farmers who want to sell their locally-grown products at farmers markets along the state’s busiest highway can apply to be part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Plaza Farmers Market program.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission organize farm markets at the Allentown Service Plaza in Lehigh County, Sideling Hill Service Plaza in Fulton County and New Stanton Service Plaza in Westmoreland County. Markets are open from April 1 through Nov. 30.

“Our turnpike farmers markets help encourage travelers to eat fresh, healthy snacks while they’re on the road,” said Agriculture Secretary George Greig.

“Producers can take advantage of this unique opportunity to give the 526,000 daily turnpike drivers a taste of our state’s agriculture industry without leaving the toll-road.”

Markets open at 10 a.m. on Saturdays, Mondays and holiday weekends, and at 11 a.m. on Fridays and Sundays.

They close at dusk.

At least half of gross sales must be products grown or produced in Pennsylvania. Value-added items like canned goods, candles, soaps, preserves and baked pies may not exceed 25 percent of sales.

Farmers who want to sell products at the service plaza farmers markets should contact Samantha Snyder at samasnyder@pa.gov or call 717-787-1429.

For more information, visit www.agriculture.state. pa.us and search “turnpike.”

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Yum! Jersey Fresh Rules!

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey Jersey Fresh!

How sweet it is after such a long, cold winter and spring!

Community gardens and home gardens have come to life in a fever of activity awaiting the jewels to come and to savor after months of deprivation and withdrawal.

We have already enjoyed with keen rapture, the tender lettuces, kale, spinach, sweet young peas and arugula that have benefitted from the cool spring days with the right amount of moisture.

Now as we finish our laterthan-normal strawberries, combined with their soul mate, rhubarb, we are onto blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, followed by yummy tomatoes, beans, squash, corn with accompanying herbs and edible flowers that add sparkle to our salads.

The great good fortune for Jersey guys and gals, that if we don’t have it growing in our own gardens, we have easy access to organic and “Jersey Fresh” produce in our local farmers markets, both indoor and outdoor, and our grocery stores that realize that featuring Jersey Fresh is the ticket for attracting satisfied customers.

Our Garden State Jersey Fresh produce is worthy of gracing the tables of the Ancient Greek Gods, so enjoy all you can eat, then freeze the rest to sustain us during those long months ahead so we can still partake of all this heavenly ambrosia.

It never fails to amaze and thrill me to see my gardens seemingly devoid of life – barren, brown and boring, when, as if, orchestrated from some unknown conductor, they start their rebirth. I’ll tell you, my gardening friends, it never, ever gets old. I don’t care how my sinuses rebel, I

have to be out there, soaking it all in, and surveying every nook and cranny for some little breathtakingly beautiful plant that has somehow, mysteriously, made it to my yard.

This spring it was a gorgeous, stately, Painted Trillium that popped up in my rear yard where I’m finally allowing blackberry brambles to have their way.

A pollinator-friendly yard and gardens is my goal and I’m well on my way. I do have to cut back the invasive honeysuckle that’s going for broke over my monster “New Dawn” rose bush. I think the honeysuckle is winning this one, but we’ll see.

The bees that are abounding in my yard have been hard at work from early on, including the Blue Orchard Mason bees that I bought from Crown Bees.

I was delighted to see that they started pollinating, then laying eggs immediately.

I will put the wood trays into a mesh bag in another few weeks to protect them from predators, where they will develop into adult bees by summer’s end. I’ll then harvest them in about midNovember and keep them in a HumidiBee container that I purchased from Crown Bees to overwinter in their cocoons in my refrigerator.

I could leave them in our storage shed, too, in the mesh bag, so we’ll see.

The Garden Club of New Jersey’s Butterflies & BeeGAP Project has six speakers at present, and we’re all trying out our native bee houses in our yards, so I’ll have lots to tell you this autumn. Meanwhile, I’m sending for the summer Alfalfa Leafcutter bees and maybe the new Bumblebee cocoons that Crown Bees just offered. Many of my honey beekeeper friends are thinking of adding native bees to their repertory as the

combination of honey bees (Jersey Grown honey, Yum!), and native bees just enhances pollination and increases harvests. Just remember that all bees and pollinators need an adequate source of pollen.

Think about adding a “wild section” to your yard, with a diverse selection of plants and weeds with native plants as the “mainstay.” Also plan your garden for bloom from early season (late-winter) to late-fall as bees have to overwinter and on mild days will come out to forage.

We are also setting up Monarch Way Stations to help our seriously declining Monarch butterflies, by planting all kinds of milkweed. I hope you’ve planted lots of parsley, fennel, dill and rue for our beautiful Black Swallowtails. Three chrysalises overwintered in my gazebo with two hatching out by Mother’s Day. They were the female Swallowtails, and we bid them a fond adieu, but my little male is reluctant to emerge from his chrysalis.

Here it is after Memorial Day, and he shows no sign of entering the world in his butterfly finery. It is a tough world out there, and I guess he knows it.

I’ve got robins tending to their young, two sets of wrens deciding on housekeeping and the everpresent cat birds looking for a meal. Enjoy!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Garden Club of New Jersey’s Butterflies & BeeGAP Chair (Gardeners Adding Pollinators), GCNJ Community Gardens Chair, and a National Garden Clubs, Inc. Accredited Judge for the Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. Contact her at jeannieg42@earthlink.net and/or get more information on the Garden Club of New Jersey website at: www. gardenclubofnewjersey.com.

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Rutgers Collaborates on National Farmland Preservation Conference The often seen bumper sticker “No Farmers, No Food,� conveys a clear message about the importance of farmers. But what about the farmland they – and we – depend on? Preserving farmland everywhere provides abundant local food supplies and many public benefits: ecological services, wildlife habitat, land and soil conservation and open space.

Nationwide, 28 states have programs in place, but not all are actively purchasing and preserving land, and other states without programs are only now realizing the need for preservation. And although 2.2 million acres of farmland have been preserved, there are still many challenges for new and continued preservation efforts, from lack of funding to shifting priorities.

That’s why, for the first time in seven years, a two-day national conference was held on May 12-13 in Hershey, PA. Saving America’s Farms and Farmland: Celebrating 40 Years of Farmland Preservation gave state, county, local, non-profit and academic farmland preservation practitioners the chance to share information, experiences and successes; to learn from well-established and well-subscribed programs; and an opportunity to network with like-minded professionals.

The event, attended by 125 representatives from 18 states ranging from Washington to Ohio to Maine, was a collaboration among Brian Schilling, extension specialist at Rutgers University, Deborah Bowers, Carroll County, MD preservation specialist and publisher of the nationally recognized Farmland Preservation Report, and the Farmland Preservation Roundtable Conference Steering Committee. Schilling’s current USDA-funded work on farmland preservation issues – focused, in part, on keeping the land affordable and accessible to farmers – partially funded the conference.

Successes in New Jersey – and a Long Way to Go Having felt the threat of urban encroachment and development far longer than other areas, the northeast has some of the most active and wellestablished preservation programs in the country. In fact, about a third of the 2.2 million acres preserved nationwide are found in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. These states, along with Pennsylvania, have had preservation programs in place for 30-40 years and are considered leaders in these efforts.

In New Jersey, 207,000 acres – about 29% of the farmland base – has been preserved. That’s the highest percentage of any state in the nation.

And current plans in 16 counties are ambitiously aiming to preserve another 240,000 acres. It wasn’t always this way.

As the most urbanized state in the nation, New Jersey has lost about two-thirds of its farms and about half of its farmland since the 1950s.

Efforts to curb the trend began in the 1970s, and the current program was established in 1983 under the Agriculture Retention and Development Act. Like most states, paying for preservation is a major issue in New Jersey. Part of the funding comes from the state via the State Agriculture Development Committee, while the counties and municipalities typically cover the remainder through taxes (sometimes with support from non-profit preservation organizations). The good news for New Jersey preservation efforts: this issue is popular among the voting public. “We’ve spent about $1.6 billion over the last 30 years to protect farmland in New Jersey,� explained Schilling. “Eleven times since 1960, policymakers have put farmland preservation referenda on the ballots for voters to decide. Even in down economic times, voters continually support them.�

But even with voter support, lack of funding still limits what can be done. This and other challenges facing New Jersey’s efforts are also felt elsewhere. The national conference helped by bringing stakeholders together to share their experiences and collaborate on new ideas.

Learning from the Best Representatives of new, fledgling programs obviously have a lot to gain from attending a national conference, but even mature programs have a long road ahead and much to learn.

For example, one challenge faced is the struggle to keep pace with shifting priorities and an evolving agricultural industry. When the programs were designed 40 years ago, preserved farmland was intended for agricultural purposes only. “Non-agricultural use’ meant something to us in the 1970s when these discussions started,� said Schilling. In recent years, wineries, agritourism, greenhouse construction, equine businesses and other non-traditional operations have developed on preserved farms. “Are these violation issues or do we need to adjust our regulations?� poses Schilling.

The well-attended conference gave all participants the chance to share solutions for funding pressures, discuss the growing challenge of monitoring and fulfilling stewardship obligations as the number of preserved acres increases and debate concerns over how land is used and whether policies and regulations need to be amended.

To learn more about the Farmland Preservation Conference, contact Dalynn Knigge at Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education at 732-932-9271, ext. 622 or by email at knigge@rutgers.edu.

Source: Rutgers SEBS Office of Communications

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Gardener News

July, 2014 9

$31.5 Million Being Allocated to Test Various Ways to Combat Disease Threatening U.S. Citrus Industry :$6+,1*721 ' & ĘŠ 8QLWHG 6WDWHV $JULFXOWXUH 6HFUHWDU\ 7RP 9LOVDFN DQQRXQFHG WKH DYDLODELOLW\ RI PLOOLRQ LQ IXQGLQJ IRU UHVHDUFK DQG Cooperative Extension Service projects to combat huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening disease. The funding comes from the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA allocated another $6.5 million, for a total of $31.5 million, to several other projects through its Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group (HLB MAC). “USDA is committed to the fight against citrus greening, including making major research investments to counter this destructive disease,â€? said Vilsack. “The citrus industry and the thousands of jobs it supports are depending on groundbreaking research to neutralize this threat.â€?

Today’s announcement provides funding to the Citrus Disease Research and Education Program (CDRE) and is a supplement of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI). The 2014 Farm Bill provides $25 million per year for a total of $125 million of the USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative funding toward citrus health research over the next five years.

Because there are wide differences in the occurrence and progression of HLB among the states, there are regional as well as national priorities for CDRE. These priorities fall within four categories: 1) priorities that deal with the pathogen; 2) those that deal with the insect vector; 3) those that deal with citrus orchard production systems; and 4) those that deal with non-agricultural citrus tree owners. Priority will be given to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary and include clearly defined mechanisms to communicate results to producers. Successful applicants will be expected to engage stakeholders to insure solutions are commercially feasible. Projects should also include an economic analysis of the costs associated with proposed solutions. A letter of intent to apply is due to NIFA by June 27, 2014. Full applications, to be invited based on relevancy review, are due September 29, 2014.

Also today, USDA’s Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group (HLB MAC) announced funding allocations for three new projects to combat HLB. The first project will commit approximately $2 million to field test antimicrobials that have shown promise in combating HLB in laboratory and greenhouse studies. The second HLB MAC project, also funded for up to $2 million, will support the deployment of large-scale thermotherapy since studies have shown heating a tree to 120 degrees for approximately 48 hours can kill the HLB bacterium in the upper part of the tree, allowing the tree to regain productivity. This funding will address the challenge of identifying a quick and practical way for growers to use the technology on a large scale. For the third project, the MAC Group is providing about $2.5 million to establish several model groves in cooperation with Florida Citrus Health Management Areas. A model grove would use best management practices—including systematic surveys, timely chemical treatments, new planting strategies, and the removal of dead and abandoned groves – so growers can produce healthy citrus crops even in the presence of HLB. Secretary Vilsack created the HLB MAC Group last December to foster greater coordination among federal and state agencies in responding to citrus greening. The Group includes representatives from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), as well as State departments of agriculture and the citrus industry. The HLB MAC Group serves to coordinate and prioritize Federal research with industry’s efforts to complement and fill research gaps, reduce unnecessary duplication, speed progress, and more quickly provide practical tools for citrus growers to use. Additional information on the activities of the HLB MAC Group, including regular updates on activities, can be found here.

The Farm Bill, which provided funding for today’s investment in HLB research, builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which administers the Citrus Disease Research and Education Program, focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

A friend of mine called me up the other day and asked my advice. He found a rather large, around six feet long, black snake in his barn, took a number of photos of it and texted them to me.

He and his wife have two horses, chickens, a few cows and a couple hogs, are in their late 50s and all the children are gone, but he was concerned for his wife’s safety around the rather large - ominous looking black snake. Based on the photos I told him it was a non-venomous black racer and probably in the barn because of a food supply available to him. I asked my friend if he stored feed in the barn and he said yes.

I then asked him if he saw mice in his barn and he said yes again. I responded with, “Pretty soon you will be seeing less mice and the snake will not hurt you, your wife or anyone else and will most likely be very hard to approach let alone pick up due to their very fast ground speed, ergo the name black racer. The only effective predators the snake has are

The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

What Animals Help Your Garden? the large raptors that attack from the sky, negating the snake’s ability to flee quickly.�

I then asked him if he and his wife had a garden, and he said yes. I told him that the snake would keep rodents out of there as well due to the fact that a sixfoot long snake would be able to eat a medium-sized rodent. Well, my friend went from being afraid of the stigma, simply because he was uneducated as to the benefits and harmless nature of his ally, to being truly excited that the black racer had made their property his home. I myself have had black racers on my property and welcomed them with open arms, even going as far as to make one a house pet for a while to get rid

of some rats that decided to invade the crawl space, chew through a wall and get into the pantry to cause utter havoc amongst our boxed goods.

Snake in the house goes right through the rat hole, that no cat could pass through, and rat problem is solved‌ boom! Same as outside, the snake can pretty much get into any burrow and again, the garden-eating pests are gone. Another extremely beneficial creature with a bad reputation is the bat.

Did you know the average brown bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour?

And what bigger carrier of diseases in the world is there? None, the mosquito is it, hands down. That is why I had a local guy, who knows exactly what to build,

install a custom-made belfry on the top of my garage/ barn. It is a hoot at dusk to see the little mosquito eaters swarm out of the belfry I had built just for them. My neighbor had one built as well after seeing the effect they had on my backyard mosquito population.

Other backyard friends are frogs who eat bugs and toads who eat slugs.

That is why I have a small pond out back, and seeing the strings of frog and toad eggs attached to the underwater branches in the spring is a welcome sight.

I always walk the yard before mowing to hop any of the amphibians back into the pond. This lesson was learned by me the hard way once. I am a gentle soul, care deeply for all of God’s

creatures, except bugs who try to extract blood from me, and work hard to maintain a good, safe, happy relationship with my backyard buddies.

All our bird feeders have a dual purpose as well.

Small birds like chickadees also feed on aphid eggs and other assorted insect pests that eat plants. The blue jays up in the trees seem to warn the squirrels when the errant hunter cat sneaks around, and vice versa. We also have hummingbird feeders because they will help to pollinate plants with the butterflies and bees. For this reason, I never use Roundup or any type of pesticide that most surely will kill the butterflies and bees. Could pesticide-laden yards and gardens be a reason for their recent decline? Look what DDT did to the bald eagle and other raptors that eat fish. Hmmmmm, that is another article entirely.

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

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

10 July, 2014

Gardener News Name that tool…

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

Thank you!

Summer weather can play havoc with your lawn.

Sometimes, many brown spots appear and it is hard to identify just what has gone wrong. It is important to use a logical process of elimination when trying to identify lawn problems. Let’s explore some of the possibilities.

The first possibility of brown spots on the lawn could be the result of heat and drought stress. Obviously, during summer months, if we experience several weeks with little rainfall or supplemental irrigation, along with excessive temperatures, your lawn can be forced into a “dormancy” stage, like a hibernating bear in winter. Cool-season grasses will “shut-down” in an attempt to survive these stress periods in order to stay alive. The grass tends to stop growing and stops the photosynthesis process in order to put all of its energy into surviving. The way to prevent this is a sound fertilizing plan in the spring along with a proper watering program to develop a deeper root system. Less frequent watering that goes deep into

Tom Castronovo/Photo

When customers stop by Rt. 34 Landscape Supply Yard, Mike Baldasare, the location’s proprietor, is constantly asked about this tool, which stands in the corner near the yard’s front counter. Hint: The name of the tool and use are the same. And this tool can be used to make your landscape look stunning. It can also give you a sense of personal accomplishment. For the answer, please turn to page 26, or stop by his Wall Township, Monmouth County, N.J. location.

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Brown spots in the lawn; what are they? the soil drives grass roots deeper to help aid in survival periods of drought.

Do you have a dog or frequent dog walkers on your street? The heat and drought of summer enhances the effect of dog spots even more. The solution, water the spot after “Number 1” and apply some gypsum on the area to neutralize the salts in the urine. Re-seed if necessary. Clean up after “Number 2” and try your best to keep the neighbors’ dogs off your lawn.

Did you or your mowing service spill any gasoline on the lawn? This surely will kill the grass. Scratch out the dead grass, apply some new topsoil and re-seed these areas. Did you mow your lawn too short for the hot, summer weather? It is best

to raise your mowing height in summer to three inches or more to preserve water in the grass blades. The higher cutting height correlates to deeper roots to help the lawn survive stress periods better.

Mowing the grass too short can stress the grass plants.

Remember to mow just onethird of the blade height off each time you cut.

If you have not fertilized your lawn this year or only one time since spring, your lawn may start to turn “offcolor,” since it is hungry for some food. It is best to not fertilize the lawn during hot and dry periods, but consider feeding with an organic lawn fertilizer for a slow, gentle feeding and water-in after application. Sometimes lawns turn brown when too much broadleaf weed

controls are applied or when it is too hot and dry. Whether you are applying a granular weed-and-feed or liquid weed control, read the label and do not apply if temperatures are over 85 degrees, during drought periods or in times with excessive humidity.

Lawn fungus can be expressed in many different “brown-spot” ways. During summer months, diseases like Summer patch, Brown patch and Dollar spot are most prevalent. Rather than try to describe what these look like, it is best to “Google” lawn fungus to look at pictures to best identify what fungus you may have and then apply the appropriate fungicide for control. Be sure you have a lawn fungus before you apply a treatment or you are wasting money.

What about grub and chinch bug damage? Chinch bugs suck the juices out of the crown of grass plants causing the grass to die.

They can be identified by opening the top and bottom of a coffee can and pushing it one inch into the grass where chinch bugs may be present.

Fill the can with three to four inches of water, and if chinch bugs are present, they will float to the top of the water line. Grubs are easier to identify, particularly when the lawn rolls back easily, exposing the grubs in the soil. Monitor your lawn and landscape beds for grubs and apply the appropriate treatment. Like fungus above, do not apply controls unless you have identified that grubs or chinch bugs are present.

Now it’s time to go the beach or in the pool. Enjoy 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

Gardener News

July, 2014 11 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Remarkable Women At the end of May, I had an opportunity to listen to and meet some extraordinary women. An event marked on my calendar for months, it was The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) that afforded me an unforgettable experience. It’s not often that I can peel myself away from our business in May. However, an event like this could not be missed. Along with my dear friend and colleague, Tony Maiello from Metropolitan Plant & Flower Exchange, we crossed the Hudson River and ventured to the Arthur & Janet Ross Gallery & Lecture Hall in the Bronx. Introducing the guest speakers for the evening was Gregory Long, President and CEO of the NYBG. The event, Weird, Wild & Wonderful: An Evening of Women, Art & Botany, was standing room only. Garden scientist Barbara Thiers profiled “Wonder Women of Science.” Her part of the evening discussed the contributions of such notable greats as Agnes Chase, Barbara McClintock and Elizabeth Gertrude Britton, to name a few. A quick yet thorough synopsis of women who took on ideas and in turn made massive contributions to the botanical world. Chase, with her work on grass studies, McClintock, an American scientist and distinguished cytogeneticist, and Britton, an American botanist and bryologist. Bryology is the scientific study of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts).

The highlight of the evening for Tony and me was a conversation between Elizabeth Gilbert and Amy Stewart. Elizabeth Gilbert’s literary contributions are deep. Her most notable, thus far, is her 2006 memoir EAT PRAY LOVE, which sold over 10 million copies and was even made into a film starring Julia Roberts. Time Magazine even named Elizabeth Gilbert as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Amy Stewart was someone I was more familiar with and eager to meet. Stewart is an “award-winning author of six books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world, including four New York Times bestsellers, The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Bugs, Wicked Plants, and Flower Confidential” (www.amystewart.com).

The Drunken Botanist, Stewart’s literary great, was a gift I had given out to my inner circle of plant-geeks last Christmas. “A dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries. This fascinating concoction of biology, chemistry, history, etymology, and mixology--with more than 50 drink recipes and growing tips for gardeners” (The Drunken Botanist back cover).

As the evening went on, the two authors, Gilbert and Stewart, sat casually on stage.

Both storytellers writing about the natural world, they were playful, engaging, witty and thoughtful and it all led to a very intimate experience. Elizabeth Gilbert read aloud a passage from her novel, The Signature of All Things, and it was at that moment that I became a huge fan! Her ability to put into words a description of moss and her characters’ willingness to learn had me in awe. “A desperate need to understand the workings of this world, and the mechanism behind all life” (www.ElizabethGilbert.com) affirmed my beliefs. Her words are so beautiful, so well written and so slightly seductive, she captivated my attention from just one small passage. It was also here that I recognized why Barbara Thiers cited Britton’s work in her talk. Stewart spoke of an experience she had at the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, Washington. A 150-acre forest garden, Stewart’s experience and story was one that intertwined eeriness and humor. Finding her way through the various gardens, she found herself at the Reflection Pool. A large, quiet, geometric garden that keeps the forest at bay with its precise coniferous hedge. Anchored at the end of the pool is a bench where Stewart felt a presence. After her brisk walk back she later found out the Bloedel’s final resting place was near there. Her reference to the movie The Shining added levity to what clearly was a tense moment for her.

Indeed it was a privilege to sit in the audience that night. Both Gilbert and Stewart seemed to almost gush over each other’s work. Clearly respectful of one another, they were appreciative of their bodies of work. Elizabeth Gilbert bestowed a few goodies about her views on life and writing. Raised to be curious, self-accountable and not to be a “candy-ass” was something that had us all laughing. “Done is better than good” was also something that she preached. Put your work out before it’s perfect, she said, and just finish it! Finally, her advice about writing: Know who you are talking to! Words that I hope resonate through my own work.

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.

12 July, 2014

Gardener News

And an interesting question when most folks seem to believe that new growth on shrubs is a blight on our landscapes. To ponder the question properly, we should think about what type of plant we are talking about and what is the mature version of that plant supposed to look like?

Yes, many formal hedges and topiaries should be sheared but most of our ornamental plants need to be systematically pruned with hand cutters and loppers.

These are the tools of the trade when we talk about proper pruning or horticultural pruning as we like to refer to the process. Pruning needs to be considered a horticultural practice, meaning you should only make cuts that will improve the health and look of the plant. Too often, the hedge shears are used to sculpt plants to fit the location.

Let us then take a step back and determine whether the plants in question should have been used in these locations. Many times, transplanting to a better location or simply

of this material back to the trunk will allow new growth to prosper. This type of renewal pruning is especially helpful with multi-stemmed plants such as forsythia, which produce flowers on new growth quickly.

Timing of pruning is important with most plants.

Spring flowering material should be pruned when the current year’s flowers have faded. Deciduous plants grown primarily for their foliage can be pruned almost any time, with care taken to avoid their growth spurts in the spring. Evergreen plants, while not needing much pruning if properly planted, can be pruned almost anytime as well. Knowing the growth habit of your plants will help reduce the amount of pruning that is needed.

This planting season was as anticipated – late and all at once.

I equate this season like a sling shot. Plants kept holding back! Farther and farther and farther back, it felt like the band was going to snap and then, BOOM! It went from where everyone was going to plant to everyone coming all at once to get the planting done. So it went from being way behind to slingshotting to way ahead of everything.

The good news was that, although things didn’t get going till about midMay, the weather stayed calm and mild, which was another bonus for plantings to get a good established root system in everyone’s landscape. The key to a good landscape is to get plant material established before there are other environmental stresses to put harm on them. For instance, extreme heat or drought. Luckily, there was no frost to damage freshly planted material once the planting season got underway. Everyone made the right choice and

The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

To Prune or Not to Prune? That is the Question removing the plants from the landscape will offer a chance to install a plant which will better suit that location.

Be careful of the time of year, as many transplants will now need to wait until the cooler temperatures of early-fall. Some plants may even have to wait until very early next spring. The use of plants with dwarf or lower growth habit may offer an opportunity for the plant to mature in a specific location and minimize the amount of pruning necessary.

When making a careful inspection of your property, take time to identify what problems are visible and what practices are needed to correct them. This should be done well in advance of bringing out the pruning tools. When analyzing your

landscape, a professional’s help may be needed to diagnose problems which are not obvious.

After you eliminate any problems inherent in the landscape, the pruning can begin. Look for dead wood, crossing or branches touching others, branching which is circling back to the trunk and, in some plants, old, woody branches which detract from the plant’s beauty. Get a mental picture of the plant before you attack with the pruners.

Again using hand held bypass pruners and either a lopper or through the use of a saw, just about all of your woody as well as green branches can be pruned.

When doing any pruning, care must be taken to work properly and safely.

Dead wood should be the first consideration. This year specifically, there may be an abundance of small annoying dead branches left behind by our cicada friends.

Much of this will fall off naturally, but you may want to prune it out of your ornamentals. By removing these parts of the plant which are not viable, you can then prune for size and shape. Cuts need to be made in a way which will promote a healthy appearance. These need to be just above a bud which is facing in the direction you want the new growth to follow. This is true on almost all of your ornamental plants. Many times plants produce an overabundance of interior branching. Cleaning out and thinning by pruning some

The Professional Grower

By Tim Hionis Greenhouse Specialist

It’s finally time to sit back and smell the roses waited it out until the right time to plant. Due to the calm and cooler temps that lasted throughout May and into June, in fact many of the planting were done after Memorial Day. The only challenging part to that was that because of a late start, many growers in the industry didn’t want to risk or didn’t have the space to plant new crops for late or extended season sales. So, many contractors had to scramble to find material to get their jobs done. But in the end, hopefully everyone was able to get their needs fulfilled.

By now, everyone should be caught up and things should be growing nicely. The summer months are upon us. Summerblooming annuals such

as geraniums, flowering vincas, zinnias, petunias, begonias and marigolds are boldly providing the color needed for the landscape.

The new flower of choice for this year is the SunPatien.

The SunPatiens were first introduced to the market a few years ago. As with many new introductions, it takes a while for it to hit mainstream and catch a foothold. This year it has really taken its foothold nicely on the New Jersey landscape. The number of requests for this sun-loving annual has really jumped by leaps and bounds.

What is a SunPatien?

It looks just like New Guinea impatiens. The only difference between the SunPatien and the New Guinea impatiens

is that the SunPatien can handle the blistering hot sun better than its brother the New Guinea Impatiens can. They come in many vibrant colors: red, orange, different shades of pink, white and different shades of purples. They have compact varieties and vigorous ones as well. Just like its brother the New Guinea Impatiens, it likes to drink water. So make sure it is planted in an easy-to-irrigate area of the landscape.

Some professionals use Impatiens as an indicator to irrigate the landscape as well. The impatiens are one of the first plants to show signs of thirst. They will start to wilt and can show signs of severe thirst.

When this starts to happen,

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 throw some water their way, they will reward you by bouncing right back to attention. These sun-loving plants can help complement other varieties of plantings as well. Feel free to plant SunPatiens with other complementary plants like lantana, petunias, calibrachoa (million bells), scaveola, geraniums, sweet potato vines, to name a few. Don’t get me wrong – SunPatiens also do well as a mass planting.

Mass plantings make a bold statement, especially when the view of them is from a distance. I believe the breeders have done a fantastic job with the creation of this new variety of plants. I believe this new introduction of plant species will be around for a long time to come.

Editor’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.

Gardener News

July, 2014 13

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14 July, 2014

Gardener News

A few extra inches of deck can save a lot of mowing time. That’s exactly what you get with Toro’s new TurfMaster™ 30 " commercial walk-behind mower. It covers more ground in less time than smaller models, yet it’s easy to handle. OUR TOUGHNESS IS YOUR STRENGTH.

© 2013 The Toro Company

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July, 2014 15

16 July, 2014

Gardener News

Toro Company Kicks Off Centennial

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On July 10, 2014 the Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) will celebrate a rare milestone – achieving 100 years in business. To mark this special occasion, Michael J. Hoffman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, joined by other company executives and channel partners, rang The New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell on May 28.

From the start, Toro built its legacy by understanding the needs of its customers and developing products and services to help them succeed. This commitment to innovation is reflected in the more than 1,500 patents its employees around the world have earned over the years.

In addition, Toro has developed strong networks of professional distributor, dealer and retailer partners across industries in more than 90 countries to provide local, expert, professional customer service. For example, in 1922, Toro created the golf industry’s first national distributor network.

And, in 1934 as the business grew, Toro encouraged its distributors to establish dealers in areas the distributors’ staff could not effectively cover, providing local customer service that proved to be a competitive advantage.

This commitment to customer service has been instrumental in Toro’s development of longterm relationships with golf courses, homeowners, professional contractors, agricultural growers, construction and rental companies, government and educational institutions – in addition to many premier sporting events, venues and historic sites around the world.

On May 29, Tom Boglioli, director of sales from the Storr Tractor Company in Branchburg, Somerset County, the local Toro distributor, and Michael Happe, group vice president, residential landscape contractor division from the Toro Company in Bloomington, Minn., toured the Garden State. The pair made several stops at power equipment dealers that offer Toro products to consumers. Pictured from left to right are Tom Boglioli, Michael Happe, and Shawn Lipani from the Mower Shop at Central Jersey Nurseries in Hillsborough, Somerset County.

The Toro Company has recently expanded its zero-turn mower lineup with an 8000 Series Direct Collect Z mowers, offering a new solution for landscape professionals to maintain the most manicured properties. Toro’s 8000 Series mowers feature a high-capacity hopper with a powerful blower to capture clippings efficiently, so operators can spend less time emptying and more time mowing. These new models also have a rear-discharge design that allows for trimming on both sides of the deck, so operators can control the discharge to keep planting beds and sidewalks clipping-free.

Designed to deliver a pristine after-cut appearance, the 8000 Series Direct Collect Z is equipped with a large-diameter blower that generates more airflow for better vacuuming and clippings collection. Patented adjustable flow control baffles help fill the 9.5-bushel (76-gallon) hopper evenly from back to front for maximum efficiency. In addition, the two-blade cutting system has a higher blade tip speed to cut grass into finer particles for a high-quality cut. For added versatility, the 8000 Series fill-reduction system lets operators choose between 100-percent bagging, 50-percent bagging/50-percent mulching, or 100-percent mulching.

Toro’s 8000 Series Direct Collect Z mowers are available with tough, durable 42-inch or 48-inch cutting decks that are 4 and 5/8-inches deep and constructed of welded 7/10 gauge steel.

The height-of-cut can be adjusted from one inch to four inches in quarter-inch increments. Models are equipped with either a 20.5 hp* Kohler Command Pro or 23 hp* Kohler Command Pro EFI engine. The 8000 Series offers a number of optional accessories, including a light kit, powered dump, snow blade or snow blower, mulch kit, dump tubs, suspension seat and more!

The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) is a leading worldwide provider of innovative turf, landscape, rental and construction equipment, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions.

With sales of more than $2 billion in fiscal 2013, Toro’s global presence extends to more than 90 countries through strong relationships built on integrity and trust, constant innovation and a commitment to helping customers enrich the beauty, productivity and sustainability of the land.

Since 1914, the company has built a tradition of excellence around a number of strong brands to help customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties and agricultural fields. More information is available at www.toro.com.

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Gardener News

July, 2014 17

Milkweeds – Not just for Monarchs

By Kathleen Salisbury July is the time to enjoy summer-flowering natives.

Consider taking a closer look at the Milkweeds (Asclepias sp.). When hearing the word milkweed, you may immediately think of the Monarch Butterfly.

Seems that black-and-orange butterfly is permanently linked to the pink or orange flowers of milkweed. Most of us know about the link between monarchs and milkweed. Monarchs only lay their eggs on milkweed, the eggs hatch into caterpillars which feed on the toxic sap of milkweed, making them poisonous to potential predators. Monarchs NEED milkweed. They will not survive without the plant. Please visit the Xerces Society’s Project Milkweed website for more information on the monarch/ milkweed connection.

But monarchs (and the other dozens of insects using the flowers as a nectar source) need not be the only residents in your yard enjoying the blooms. They GRILL, GRILL, GRILL!!!!

That’s what time it is.

This month’s recipe is so easy, my 8-year-old daughter Marley could do it. Although easy, it is sophisticated and will surely impress your friends.

Some may have heard of grilling lettuce before while some may say “huh?” Either way, it utilizes the grill as well as locally grown Jersey Fresh produce. Tis the season of the grill as well as the season for superfine Jersey Fresh produce.

Becoming increasingly popular, due to our amazing farmers and our very effective New Jersey Department of Agriculture, our Jersey produce is getting more and more attention, as it much deserves.

I used some amazing Jersey “grass” or asparagus over the past month at the restaurant. It was honestly some of the nicest I have seen in years. Lettuces, corn and Jersey tomatoes are predicted to be great this year as well. Something else people may not be aware of is our peach harvest, I definitely plan on doing a few grilled Jersey peach recipes at the restaurant this summer. One more thing of mention is the great crop of blueberries we have going on. Check on line as to where the nearest farmer’s markets are located. There are more

make great garden plants as well.

Did you know there are 12 different species of milkweed native to New Jersey? They come in a rainbow of different colors and are suitable for a variety of growing conditions. In other words, there is a milkweed for every landscape. (To see photos of some of the species mentioned, visit the summer photo gallery at www.npsnj.org). You are most likely to come across the following three species in retail centers and while exploring New Jersey nature.

Hot/Dry/Sunny/Poor Soils - Try Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa). This milkweed blooms bright orange, thriving in neglected conditions. Give this perennial good compost and it WILL NOT be happy. But with full sun, some gravelly soil and a little TLC to get it established, this plant will reward you with year after year of cheerful blooms atop stout 12- to 36-inch tall stalks.

I have seen colonies of them blooming along roadsides behind the protection of guardrails.

Moist to Wet Soils/ Sun to Part Shade – Swamp Milkweed

(Asclepias incarnata). Plant these and get your nose up close – the flowers smell fantastic! A bit taller than the Butterfly Weed, these four-foot plants show off bright pink flowers.

Full Sun/Open Dry Fields/ Rich Soil - Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). This milkweed requires some room to roam. It is fairly notorious as an aggressive spreader where it is happy. But just think of all the butterflies (and other beneficial insects) you will attract with its mauve pink flowers and large oval leaves.

Less common milkweeds exist as well. Though you may not be able to find them in your local garden center, you may happen across these while exploring New Jersey’s many natural areas.

Dry Sandy Soils/ Open Woodlands - Blunt-leaved Milkweed – (Asclepias amplexicaulis) Maroon Flowers.

Well Drained Rich Soils/ Hardwood Forests and Edges – Tall Milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) Greenish-white flowers.

Coastal Plain Soils - Smooth Orange Milkweed (Asclepias

lanceolata). Rare. Northernmost limit, found primarily in the southeastern counties of the state.

Well drained/Dry-to-Moist Soils/Upland Woods/Shaded Edges – Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurescens). I have seen this blooming at a road intersection at the edge of an unmown field.

Well Drained/Mixed Deciduous Woods/Shaded Edges – Four-leaved Milkweed (Asclepias quadrifolia). Pink and white flowers. I found this blooming along a road-cut in a Morris County park.

Coastal Plain Bogs and Swamps/Wet Pinelands/ Ditches – Red Milkweed (Asclepias rubra). Rare.

Dry Sandy Gravelly Roads/ Open Edges – White Wilkweed (Asclepias variegata) and Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). Both rare in the wild.

Rocky Slopes/Limestone Cliffs/Open Disturbed Ground - Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora).

I encourage you to look past the “weedy” name and explore the essential value milkweeds

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Greetings from the 4th of July Jersey Shore! popping up every year, with a vast array of Jersey Fresh products available. And not just produce; you can find items such as locally made honey and cheeses to name a few. This is just the beginning of what should be a great season for locally sourced produce, so do yourself a favor and ask for it at your local store or market, and if they don’t carry more Jersey Fresh, tell a manager that you would like to see more of it.

Why buy lettuce that is picked from California and shipped all the way here when you can be supporting your state’s farmers and at the same time getting the best possible product? Think about it. DO IT! I know that every summer I mention the pick-it-yourself farms, such as Hallock’s and DeWolf farms in New Egypt, which have an amazing variety of everything such as tomatoes, squash, beans, herbs, okra,

potatoes, onions, lettuces, eggplant and a tremendous variety of peppers to name a few. This is a great day with the kids as well, without spending a fortune. The other amazing thing is the amount of produce you get for the price. You honestly will be shocked once you get it home and are like, “What am I going to do with all of this?” I end up giving some away to friends and family and doing some home canning/ pickling as well. When you’re out on the farms, you feel like you are in another state. It’s awesome.

As far as the recipe goes, grilled lettuce?!? It actually became popular several years ago, I believe in California first, and then kind of trendy for a while. It’s just kind of a cool thing to try. By grilling the lettuce, you impart a smoky char-like taste to it. Romaine is the most popular lettuce

to do this with because of its firm, hearty characteristic. The vinaigrette is a nice way to get rid of the hundreds of grape or cherry tomatoes that seem to come all at once in your garden, although a nice ripe standard size tomato works just as well.

Have fun with this and enjoy!!!

Grilled hearts of romaine with cherry tomato vinaigrette and shaved parmesan cheese (serves 4) 2 heads of romaine lettuce, outside leaves removed and split in half length wise 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, or even a nice, ripe Jersey variety will work 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. of good olive oil 1 tsp. sugar Salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup of red wine or sherry vinegar 1 small block of hard Italian grating cheese, such as parm, romano or asiago

hold in our environment. Planting these beauties in your yard will not only add summer color in the form of a variety of flowers, but will attract many colorful butterflies as well. Start with the common ones. If you can’t find the rare ones, consider creating a milkweed-friendly yard. Look at the list above – many thrive in the gravelly wasteland of roadsides, so often mowed and maintained to the detriment of diversity. Native milkweeds grow in every corner of this great state.

Perhaps, if you foster the right environment, they will come and the butterflies will follow.

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.

Method- using a food processor or blender, puree tomatoes until very pureed, like juice - add sugar, vinegar and a touch of salt and pepper - turn blender back on and slowly drizzle olive oil (1/2 cup); vinaigrette should thicken up a bit - season to taste with additional salt and pepper - turn grill on to high and heat for about five minutes - using 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, gently rub all over the halved romaine until lightly coated - grill cut side down until lightly charred on just one side - remove, place on plate and drizzle liberally with tomato vinaigrette and shaved parm cheese (*use a vegetable peeler to produce large strips/curls of cheese) Enjoy!

Editor’s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette, New Jersey. He has an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University.

For more information visit www.TheCrabsClaw.com or phone (732) 793-4447.

18 July, 2014

Gardener News

Ag Official Meets Nursery, Garden Center, Greenhouse and

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, left, discusses the Jersey Fresh program with Alan Bauerle, president and general manager of the Colorado Café, in Watchung, Somerset County, in the restaurant’s vegetable garden.

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray toured the northern part of the state on Wednesday, June 4, to promote the Jersey Fresh and Jersey Grown brands.

Jersey Fresh is an advertising, promotional and quality grading program launched in 1984 to help farmers inform consumers about the availability and variety of fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey. Through the many years of the program, consumers’ awareness has increased, and it has become the benchmark for other states to initiate their own stategrown agricultural marketing programs.

When a commodity is featured as Jersey Fresh, it is guaranteed to meet a certain

quality standard for the size, shape and coloring of that commodity. New Jersey grows more than 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs.

A Jersey Fresh commodity is grown right here in New Jersey and because of the obvious geographic proximity to local distribution centers, the commodity can be picked/ harvested at its peak tree or vine-ripened stage and offered to retailers in a much shorter amount of time. Additionally, when commodities are picked at their peak of flavor and freshness, more of the very important vitamins and minerals each commodity offers are retained within the commodity.

With its 9,071 farms and

Tom Castronovo/Photo Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, right, hand delivers Jersey Fresh marketing material to Rob Bardy, owner of Bardy Farms in Warren, Somerset County.

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, right, stopped by Peony’s Envy, a nursery display garden in Bernardsville, Somerset County, to discuss the Jersey Grown program with Kathleen Gagan, the farm’s owner.

Gardener News

July, 2014 19

Restaurant Owners as well as Food Market Store Managers 715,057 acres of farmland, even though New Jersey is a very densely populated state, the program is working to keep our state green and growing.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has continually worked to bring Jersey Fresh to all who want it, by working with restaurants, schools, colleges, big box stores, local communities, hotels, hospitals and more. When shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, look for the Jersey Fresh label.

Based on the popular and successful Jersey Fresh program, Jersey Grown is New Jersey’s brand for locally grown plants, trees, shrubs and flowers, which certifies the item was grown in New Jersey so it is accustomed to the state’s soil and growing

conditions, checked for quality and is disease- and pest-free.

When shopping at an area garden center, nursery, greenhouse or farm stand, look for the Jersey Grown label on the plant’s tag or on a sign among the plants.

New Jersey growers who are certified by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to sell or distribute nursery stock, plant material, turf grass, cut Christmas trees, firewood and sunflower seeds (for feed) are permitted to apply for the use of the Jersey Grown logo in marketing their materials.

Standards have been set up by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture in order to use the Jersey Fresh and Jersey Grown labels and marketing material.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, left, while sipping on fresh squeezed lemonade, discusses agri-tourism, and fresh-baked pies, in the new kitchen at Hamilton Farms in Boonton ,Morris MorrisCounty, County,with withco-owner co-ownerDoreen DoreenDeckenbach.

Deckenbach.

Denville,

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, right, visits with May Biondi, co-owner of Biondi’s Florist and Greenhouses in Middlesex, Middlesex County. The two discussed the Jersey Grown marketing program in one of the business’ greenhouses.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, right, chats with John Westerman, general store manager for Kings Food Markets in Warren, Somerset County, about the 24-Hour Just Picked Promise program featuring Jersey Fresh.

20 July, 2014

Gardener News

When you think about a landscape association, or really any association, the concept is completely illogical. Why on earth would direct competitors in the same industry want to have anything to do with each other? After all, isn’t the basic concept of business to try to run a tight and profitable ship and do everything that you can to beat your competition?

Obviously, this not true, otherwise associations wouldn’t exist and I’d be out of a job. That’s why this month I’d like to explore this concept and share some insights that I have learned over the last several years working as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.

If no man is an island, then no business can be either.

In other words, for any of us to be successful, personally or professionally, we need the companionship and help from others. We need this to get different business perspectives and experienced advice to grow our network.

Sometimes we just need to be around others who understand what we go through so that we can commiserate about our successes and failures or just blow off some steam as we tell each other frustrating,

and make sure that you are running a legitimate business, associate members are there to do the same thing.

In addition to the wealth of knowledge and experience available to you through our members and the amazing educational opportunities we provide for you, we can also save you money through our exclusive NJLCA member “vendor discount program� as well as our health benefits plan.

So if you’ve ever wondered why you should become a member of the NJLCA, I think I’ve made a pretty good argument.

The NJLCA Today

By Jody Shilan, MLA Executive Director

Why Should I Join An Association? yet humorous, stories that all seem to begin with “You gotta’ hear this one.�

The better that you run your company, the more work you are going to get. The worse, the less work you are going to get. Unfortunately, the work that you do contract for is only because you are the cheapest guy in town, which is usually a recipe for failure.

This means that in three to five years, you are going to go out of business, but not before you’ve done your share of damage to yourself and the industry. Time and time again, I hear our members say that they don’t mind losing work to other companies as long as they play by the rules.

Or as Sy Syms would say if he were a landscape contractor, “an educated contractor is our best competitor.�

An educated competitor is one who is not only properly

insured, but has all of his licenses and registrations required by the state, and also knows his true costs of labor, material and overhead.

Because if he doesn’t, he is going to underprice his work, get the job and go out of business. Or overcharge, not get the work and go out of business.

An educated competitor also operates his business safely and legally when it comes to properly maintaining his trucks and equipment and his hiring and general business practices. Things that cost an employer a lot of money, which raises their overhead. But at the same time, his ethical practices are protecting his customers, his employees and the health, safety and welfare of the general public. Things that many homeowners don’t even consider when trying to

get the “best price.� These are exactly the types of open and honest discussions that NJLCA members have at our membership meetings, either indirectly through professional speakers or directly speaking with other contractors (a.k.a. your competitors) at dinner.

Now think about the fact that not all of our members are contractors. As a matter of fact, 25 percent are associate members. Associate members provide all of the goods and services that landscape contractors need. From nursery stock and hardscape material, including lighting and irrigation, to truck, trailer and equipment sales/service, to professional services such as insurance, banking, legal advice and landscape design services. This is a very important point, because just like contractor members who want to give you advice

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.

Landscape Association Partners with Police

NJ Ag Secretary Highlights 4-H Equine Clubs

+$:7+251( 1 - ĘŠ 7KH SROLFH KDYH D UHVSRQVLELOLW\ to keep the roads and highways safe for everyone. For the second year in a row, the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) held one of their June monthly meetings at FDR Hitches/ Hawthorne Hitch & Trailer in Hawthorne, featuring speakers from the Bergen County Police. On a damp and wet June 12 under a big white tent, Bergen County Police Chief Brian Higgins, and Bergen County Police Lieutenant Vincent DeRienzo spoke to the contractors about the rules of the road, expenses associated with moving violations, truck lettering, proper insurance, weight issues, and how to operate trucks and trailers safely. Bergen County Freeholder Maura R. DeNicola was also on-hand to show her support of the educational session. “Road safety truly is everybody’s business. You know what else?

Road safety is also good for business,� said Jody Shilan, executive director of the NJLCA. “If you’re operating trucks and trailers safely, you have nothing to worry about. However, if you are an accident waiting to happen, rest assured you run the risk of being pulled over and ticketed. Our association is all about education and safety.�

Pat Donovan, a member of the NJLCA, a licensed Commercial Vehicle Operator in New Jersey, and a retired Port Authority of New York & New Jersey police officer, performed a hands-on roadside truck and trailer inspection showing the contractors how easy it is to be safe and compliant, instead of unsafe and non-compliant. Donavan taught the group about some of the obvious “red flags� that make them a candidate for costly roadside inspections by the police. He also explained to the group how they can do their own “pre-flight� safety checks before they leave the yard in the morning. Donovan owns Classic Landscaping, LLC., a forward-thinking landscaping company in Edison, Middlesex County.

The association’s second monthly meeting was held on June 19 at EP Henry in the Ledgewood section of Roxbury, Morris County.

NJLCA is a group of professional landscape contractors dedicated to advancing the integrity, proficiency and continued growth of the landscape industry. Members receive valuable information and benefits indispensable to the ongoing success of their business. Learn more at NJLCA.org.

08//,&$ +,// 1- ĘŠ 1HZ -HUVH\ 6HFUHWDU\ RI $JULFXOWXUH 'RXJODV + )LVKHU NLFNHG RII -XQH as the Month of the Horse in New Jersey on Friday, June 6 by highlighting the state 4-H equine clubs.

He observed a demonstration by the Gloucester County Equine Science Team at the Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds in Mullica Hill, organized by New Jersey Equestrian of the Year Angela Howard, a student at Kingsway Regional High School in Woolwich Township. “New Jersey’s equine industry is extremely diverse, providing residents with many ways to interact with our state animal, the horse,� said Secretary Fisher. “I encourage people to venture out this month and enjoy a horse show or a race at one of our harness racing or thoroughbred tracks, take a trail ride, or drive through the countryside of our state and visit farms and equine operations.�

Angela Howard of Mullica Hill joined 4-H and started riding when she was 6 years old. In January, she won the Equestrian of the Year competition run by the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board. As Equestrian of the Year, Howard attends functions hosted by the Equine Advisory Board and represents the Board at functions.

During the presentation for Secretary Fisher, Howard’s equine science team traced the skeletal system of a horse on a live horse and then gave a presentation on horse judging. “The Equine Science Program develops skills that will last a lifetime, in and out of the ring,� said Howard. “Through this program I have become an accomplished scholar with communication and presentation skills that will no doubt help me in my future goals. I want to share this opportunity with younger riders.�

Gloucester County 4-H offers 21 different clubs for youth interested in horses. Other New Jersey counties also offer 4-H equine clubs, all of which are open to all children whether or not they own a horse.

New Jersey is home to almost 28,000 pleasure horses, show horses, race horses and ponies. In 1977, to honor the important place horses play in New Jersey’s economy and quality of life, the horse was named the official State Animal. This is the fifth year Governor Chris Christie has proclaimed June the Month of the Horse in New Jersey.

New Jersey has many top equine centers, facilities, and events. The Equine Science Center at Rutgers University, a valuable resource for everything equine in the Garden State, is dedicated to better horse care through research and education. The United States Equestrian Foundation headquartered in Gladstone funds programs that train and support top athletes and horses to compete at the Olympics, World Championships, Pan American Games and other top international competitions. The Horse Park of New Jersey at Stone Tavern in Allentown hosts the Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event, which has become one of the world’s top eventing competitions. And, the Gloucester County Dream Park is a state-ofthe-art equestrian complex created to provide opportunities for horse owners to participate in shows and competitions and for the public to experience horse events firsthand. “In New Jersey, we are lucky to have so many beautiful horses, horse farms and horse organizations you can participate in and benefit from,� said Howard. “Take time to appreciate and explore the best of what horses have to offer in our state. After all, our state animal is the horse.�

Gardener News

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(TRENTON, NJ) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher toured two organic farms in the state on Tuesday, June 17 to highlight the organic agriculture sector and the many opportunities for consumers to purchase organic produce.

The 2012 Census of Agriculture showed there were 72 organic farms in New Jersey with more than $3.04 million in product sales. Of the farm operators, 49 said their primary occupation was farming. Atlantic County had the most organic farms with 11 and Hunterdon and Morris counties each had eight. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is an accredited certifying agent for the National Organic Program and currently certifies 85 organic producers and handlers. Products certified include produce, coffee, tea, and cookies.

“Having a thriving organic farming industry in New Jersey satisfies the demands of our state’s highly diversified marketplace,” said Secretary Fisher.

“Some of these organic operations produce strictly for wholesale, some sell directly through their own farm stands, at farmers markets or by community supported agriculture.”

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a group of people who pledge to support a farm operation in advance of the growing season. In return, they receive shares of the farm’s bounty throughout the season.

Secretary Fisher visited Chickadee Creek Farm in Pennington operated by 13th generation farmer Jessica Niederer, who offers community supported agriculture (CSA). She also sells through farmers markets and direct to restaurants. She grows her organic produce and flowers on 17 acres of her family’s 80-acre hay farm.

“I have a three-pronged goal – to make a sustainable living off of the family farm, supply the community with healthy and flavorful food and be efficient and keep costs down,” said Niederer.

Secretary Fisher’s next stop was Savoie Organic Farm in Williamstown, where Barry and Carol Savoie grow a variety of organic produce on their 15-acre farm. They are second-career farmers; Barry, a former U.S. Navy nuclear submariner, resigned on April 18th from his job at the Salem Nuclear Power Plant to farm full-time. Carol has a Ph.D. in marine studies. They met at Oregon State University where Carol had a post-doctoral fellowship.

Carol’s father and uncles bought the farm in Williamstown in 1955 and raised and trained horses.

Barry grew up on a 550-acre hay farm in Michigan.

They moved to Carol’s family farm in 2005 with the goal to become certified organic.

“We live here on the farm, we have well water, we were growing our family at the same time we were starting our farm,” said Carol Savoie. “For many personal reasons, we decided that organic farming was safer and more nutritious for our family.”

The Savoies have had a CSA for four seasons and now have 55 members. They also sell at weekend farmers markets and to fine restaurants in the region.

They produce a variety of vegetables.

For more information about the Department’s organic certification program, visit www.nj.gov/ agriculture/divisions/md/prog/jerseyorganic.html.

22 July, 2014

The Royal Beauty of London (Cont. from page 1) eyes are cast upon the Palm House, a magnificent, rounded glass house with a seasonal garden in front. Statues of Griffins and Dragons line the front of the glass structure, seemingly to protect the insides from intrusion. These are symbols of royalty past and present.

The Palm house has a tropical atmosphere that will make visitors remove light jackets and sweaters. High above is a perched walkway that can be used for a bird’s view. Below ground, subterranean life is explained and exotic fish and algae are on display.

In the glass house, one can find large clay pots near tropical plants. Inside those pots, everyday and medicinal uses of the plants are explained. The Royal Botanical Garden plays host to Plantasia this summer and will host many events and programs explaining the medicinal and therapeutic uses of the entire property.

One area of the property has a place that visitors are encouraged to go barefoot, feeling the different textures physically and emotionally. A meditative, healing experience. Sure to be part of the Plantasia program.

The property also houses England’s only tree-top walkway. Two hundred and ninety five steps bring you to perch just at the top of the canopy. Sweeping views of the grounds and parts west of the city are phenomenal. From here we have a great view of the Japanese pagoda, built as a surprise present for a princess. It took eight months to build and was done in secret while the princess lived on the property.

Since royalty once lived on the property, of course there is a palace on site. Although plain in comparison to Buckingham Palace, it is stunning in its setting against the blue tag trees of England. Blue tag trees are the best and biggest in the country. Each tree is tagged green, black, or blue. The palace is painted in a kind of copper and is pristine.

West of the Japanese garden lies the largest glass house in all of England. Majestic and expansive, this glass house has a stucco-like façade with endless glass on all sides and the roof. Additional glass houses extend off both sides and are shaped like a rotunda. The look is absolutely stunning and the size breathtaking.

Kew Gardens also is home to the largest collection of holly trees and plants in the country. The dense trees are along a pathway that is used for motorized tours using a trolleytrain that gives one a half-hour overview of the site with commentary from the driver. The trolley makes eight stops around the property allowing visitors to jump off at any time and jump back on at any time also.

The tour brings visitors past a narrow part of the Thames River where another vacation home castle is kept for royalty. The property has a clear sight to the Gardens past an expansive lawn.

The Princess of Wales Observatory is the newest glass house in the gardens. As the name suggests it is named after the still beloved Princess Diana. This glass house seems to reflect her personality as it blends in more with the property and is more modest than the other two glass houses.

Predominant wildlife on the property appears to be ducks and geese. This day, a mother goose nests on a planter as workers put up barriers protecting her privacy and important task.

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London was an unbelievable experience and one of our favorite attractions on the trip. There is no doubt that only the surface has been scratched here and there is much more to explore. The healing effects of trees, plants and environment were easy to absorb and quite brilliant! Cheers!

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

Northeastern regional winter wheat production as of June 1 +$55,6%85* 3$ ʊ 7KHUH DUH VWDWHV LQ WKH 1RUWKHDVWHUQ 5HJLRQ WKDW IRUHFDVW WKH production of winter wheat. As of June 1, Maryland is forecast to harvest 255,000 acres in 2014, a decrease of 5,000 acres from the previous year. There is a forecasted yield of 65 bushels per acre, up 2 bushels per acre from the May 1 forecast, and down two bushels from 2013. Expected production is 16,575,000 bushels which is a decrease of five percent. The New York forecast of 95,000 acres of winter wheat is 20,000 fewer acres than last year. There is a forecasted yield of 66 bushels per acre which is up three bushels from May 1 and two bushels less than last year. Production would total 6,270,000 bushels which is down 20 percent. Pennsylvania’s forecasted winter wheat acres of 160,000 bushels are unchanged from the previous year. There is a yield of 60 bushels per acre which is unchanged from May 1. However, this is down eight bushels from the previous year. The total production is forecasted at 9,600,000 bushels which is a 12 percent decrease from June 2013.

The U.S. winter wheat Production is forecast at 1.38 billion bushels. This is down 2 percent from the May 1 forecast and is down 10 percent from 2013. Based on June 1 conditions, the United States yield are forecast at 42.4 bushels per acre. This is down 0.7 bushel from last month and down 5.0 bushels from last year. As of June 1, thirty percent of the winter wheat crop in the 18 major producing States was rated in good to excellent condition. This is 2 percentage points below the same week in 2013. Nationally, 79 percent of the winter wheat crop was headed by June 1 which is slightly ahead of the 5-year average pace.

Source: USDA/NASS

Gardener News

Gardener News

July, 2014 23

Coneflowers have always been one of my favorite summerblooming perennials. However, 20 years ago you could only get them in purple. There has been so much breeding work done with coneflowers that they are now available in an amazing array of colors.

The botanic name for coneflower is Echinacea. The name coneflower comes from the large conical seed head in the center of the flower, which is similar to the spines of an angry hedgehog. (Echinos is Greek for hedgehog.) The seeds that the Echinacea produce are a perfect food source for gold finch, and I’ve seen many of them feeding off of the plants at our nursery.

These perennials do best in full sun, and they are fairly deer resistant.

Echinacea is the most popular herb in America. For the past 400 years, Echinacea has been used as a general “cure-all.�

It has been used as a treatment for scarlet fever, syphilis, malaria and diphtheria. Today is used to shorten symptoms of sore throat, cough and fever. It is also recommended to boost the immune system and help the body fight infections. For more medicinal information, see

their flowers. The single-flower varieties tend to be better suited to those who are planting butterfly gardens, as it seems that the open flowers allow the butterflies easier access to their pollen. “Cleopatra� has single lemon-yellow blooms on compact plants. It is named after the Cleopatra butterfly from Europe. “Orange Skipper� has neon-tangerine blooms. “Purple Emperor� has bright magentapurple blooms.

There have been so many exciting varieties that have been introduced, that it’s worth taking a trip to your local garden center.

July is a great month to become a cone-head.

The Great Plant Escape

By David Williams Plant Enthusiast

Cone-heads love Echinacea UMM.EDU. It is an amazing medicinal plant; however the focus of this article is going to be on the beauty elements and some of the dazzling new varieties that are just coming on the market.

The Echinacea breeders have been working not only on color varieties, but also on plants that have sturdier stems. It is important to check the tag before purchasing them, so that you find one that is suited for the right size for your garden. The smallest grow only 12 inches tall, with the tallest growing up to four feet tall.

One of my favorite plant breeders is Terra Nova Nurseries.

They created some of more amazing varieties of perennials that we carry. Their prairie pixie series is their smallest growers.

The prairie pixies have a great tight habit, and are very vigorous.

They can work in mixed containers, or they can be planted

in the garden for a beautiful border. “Chiquita� has very large, pale yellow flowers that surround a central cone. “Rosita� has soft pink flowers with reflexing petals. Both grow only 12 to 16 inches tall.

Terra Nova’s Prairie Pillars series grow three feet tall and are great for background plants. They have long, strong stems that make excellent cut flowers. They start blooming in early-summer and continue until a hard frost. “Flame Thrower� is a two-toned orange and yellow. “Maui Sunshine� has large, bright-yellow flowers, and is sweetly scented. “Ruby Giant� has pure deep-purple flowers that are almost seven inches across.

I’m a big fan of the color orange. “Tiki Torch� has pumpkin-orange colored flowers.

Everyone loves a secret, and Terra Nova’s Secret ™ Series is a double-blooming variety with

NY: Agricultural Producers Security Law Protects Farmers from Nonpayment $/%$1< 1< Ę&#x160; 1HZ <RUN 6WDWH $JULFXOWXUH &RPPLVVLRQHU 5LFKDUG $ %DOO UHPLQGV farmers to only sell to licensed farm product dealers this growing season. Article 20 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law, more commonly known as the Agricultural Producers Security Law, requires dealers to be licensed and contribute to a security fund in order to offer financial protection to farmers in the event of a default in payment.

Farm product dealers are required to be licensed with the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; licenses expire on April 30 of each year and must be renewed for the license year beginning May 1. The Department maintains a current list of licensed dealers on its website and will provide a hard copy upon request.

Article 20 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law provides financial protection for farmers against nonpayment for their products sold to licensed dealers. This financial protection consists of security in the form of a bond or letter of credit furnished by the dealer, and supplemental financial coverage from the Agricultural Producers Security Fund, which is funded by licensed dealers. In order to preserve a producerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eligibility for the financial protections available under the Agricultural Producers Security Law, producers must: Â&#x2021;6HOO RQO\ WR OLFHQVHG GHDOHUV 2QO\ VDOHV WR OLFHQVHG GHDOHUV DUH FRYHUHG XQGHU $UWLFOH The dealer must be licensed at the time of the transaction. Â&#x2021;(QVXUH WKDW WKH VDOH RI IDUP SURGXFWV EHWZHHQ WKH SURGXFHU DQG GHDOHU IRU ZKLFK D FODLP is made, has occurred within 120 days from the earliest unpaid transaction date at the time the claim is filed. Unpaid transactions that occur after the 120 day period will not be eligible. Â&#x2021;&ODLPV RI QRQSD\PHQW PXVW EH ILOHG ZLWK WKH 'HSDUWPHQW QR ODWHU WKDQ GD\V DIWHU WKH sale and delivery of the farm products. In the event the Department has issued a notice to file claims, claims must be submitted by the date specified in the published notice.

A producer can also take advantage of Article 20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trust provision, a legal mechanism that holds a dealer responsible for the full amount owed to a producer. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Article 20 Trustâ&#x20AC;? is established upon delivery of the producerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm products to a dealer and ends once the amount due is fully paid. The trust assets are the farm products and the proceeds from the sale of those farm products. To take advantage of the Article 20 Trust, a producer must provide a written notice to the dealer within 60 days from the date when payment is due informing the dealer that the producer is electing the trust benefit. The written notice must provide details of the transaction, including the dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name, transaction date, product sold, quantity, price per unit, amount owed and the date payment is due. As a practical matter, a producer may wish to provide written notice to a dealer on the invoice itself. The Department recommends that producers consult with their attorney concerning matters involving preservation of their trust benefit, or to enforce the trust.

For up-to-date information about the law, a copy of the brochure or a list of licensed dealers, please visit the Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.agriculture.ny.gov/TheDepartment.html or call the Department at 1-800-554-4501.

strong, sturdy stems. They have a compact, multi-branched habit that produces many flowers.

They grow about 18 inches tall. The double, anemone-like flowers have super long-lasting color. They have been selected to not fade like some of the other double ones on the market.

They make a great cut flower, too. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Secret Affairâ&#x20AC;? has double, rich, mauve-lavender blooms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Secret Desireâ&#x20AC;? has double, pink and orange, bi-colored blooms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Secret Loveâ&#x20AC;? has double scarletred blooms with green centers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Secret Romanceâ&#x20AC;? has large, double medium pink flowers.

Another of my favorite plant companies is Plant Nouveau.

They have brought some great Echinacea introductions into the market. Their Butterfly Series have all been named after different species of butterflies that are similar to the colors of

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: David is a fourth generation partner at Williams Nursery in Westfield.

He is a member of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, and the Union County Board of Agriculture. He has served as a board member for the Friends of Mindowaskin Park, the International Garden Center Association, and the Rutgers Board of Managers.

He recently finished a two year term as President of Garden Centers of America (GCA). He can be reached at (908) 232-4076.

24 July, July Ju uly, ly, y, 2014 2014

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Gardener News

July, 2014 25

Representing State Departments of Agriculture The Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA) members gathered June 1-3, 2014 to discuss issues facing the Northeast states, such as dairy, food safety, GMOs, and water quality, during the NEASDA annual conference in Boston.

Pictured left to right are: Commissioner Walter Whitcomb, Maine; Secretary Douglas H. Fisher, New Jersey; Deputy Secretary Jay Howes, Pennsylvania; Secretary Chuck Ross, Vermont; Secretary Ed Kee, Delaware; Chief Kenneth Ayars, Rhode Island; Commissioner Steven Reviczky, Connecticut; Commissioner Lorraine Merrill, New Hampshire; Commissioner Richard Ball, New York; and Commissioner Greg Watson, Massachusetts.

NEASDA is an affiliate organization of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). NASDAmembersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;titles vary from Commissioner, Secretary, Director, Chief, Chairperson and Executive Director, but generally the members are referred to as Commissioners, Secretaries and Directors of Agriculture for the 50 states and four territories.

NASDA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(C)(6) association whose members consist of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Departments of Agricultureâ&#x20AC;? of all 50 states and four territories. The associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office is located in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to represent the state departments of agriculture in the development, implementation, and communication of sound public policy and programs which support and promote the American agricultural industry, while NEASDA/Photo protecting consumers and the environment.

Woodstown Program Features Academically-Infused Agriscience Courses :22'672:1 1- Ę&#x160; 1HZ -HUVH\ 6HFUHWDU\ RI $JULFXOWXUH 'RXJODV + )LVKHU YLVLWHG :RRGVWRZQ +LJK 6FKRROÂśV DJULFXOWXUDO HGXFDWLRQ SURJUDP on June 4 to learn more about the ways the program is preparing its students to move on to college and eventually science and technology-based agriculture careers.

Woodstown is one of 44 approved agricultural education programs in 32 New Jersey school districts. Since 2009, 30 teachers from 19 New Jersey Agricultural Science Education programs have transformed their traditional horticulture or agriculture programs to academically infused agricultural science programs using the national Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). Woodstown teacher Sara Cobb is one of those teachers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While traditional agricultural courses are still offered in high schools around the state, students now have a wonderful opportunity to take rigorous academic agriscience courses in both plant and animal pathways,â&#x20AC;? said Secretary Fisher. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We applaud the school administrators in the state for supporting these courses, positioning their students well to start choice careers in the agriculture industry.â&#x20AC;?

Secretary Fisher toured Woodstownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new state-of-the-art agriscience laboratory and saw demonstrations from some of the students who have taken these CASE courses.

Woodstown has more than 100 students enrolled in agricultural education courses. Cobb, a graduate of Woodstown High School, teaches Introduction to Agriculture Food and Natural Resources and Principles of Agricultural Science â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plant. She will be one of the teachers participating in a CASE Institute, hosted at Woodstown High School, to field test the newest CASE course, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Food Science and Safety.â&#x20AC;? Thirteen teachers, including Cobb, Nichole Carroll from Cumberland Regional High School, Dan Delcher from Essex County Vocational School and Keely Ditizio of Salem County Vocational Technical School will participate. Another New Jersey teacher, Jennifer Wilson of North Warren Regional High School, will also be field testing but will attend a CASE Institute in another state, being held in Minnesota and Texas. The teachers will field test the course this fall and after reviewing it, refinements will be made so it can be offered throughout the country.

In addition to the new CASE course in the fall, Woodstown High School agricultural education students will have the opportunity to gain college credits at Rutgers University and Cumberland County College for successfully completing CASE courses. Woodstown is one of 8 high schools in the state to reach agreement with various colleges and universities to give students college credits for CASE courses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a former student of agricultural education and FFA, I know the importance of a quality program and course offerings that prepare students for their future,â&#x20AC;? said Cobb. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The CASE program and the ability to grant college credit for high school courses offers students excellent opportunities to prepare for a career in the science, business and technology of agriculture.â&#x20AC;?

There are more than 2,600 students enrolled in agricultural science education in New Jersey. More than 1,000 of those students will be enrolled in CASE courses during the 2014-15 school year. All 2,600 students are members of FFA with 37 chapters throughout the state. FFA is a national youth organization that uses agricultural science education to develop studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; potential and help them discover their talent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The CASE program â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;raises the barâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for agricultural science education in our schools,â&#x20AC;? said Nancy Trivette, New Jersey Department of Agriculture Agricultural Education Program Leader. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) infused agriculture curriculum that delivers academics through project /inquiry based learning. The increased academics prepare students for post-secondary and career success in the agriculture, food and natural resource industry. It is our hope the CASE programs will attract more students to the industry so that we begin to fill the employment gap and are more prepared to feed and clothe 9 billion people by 2050.â&#x20AC;?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports 54,400 annual employment opportunities in Food, Renewable Energy and the Environment, yet only 29,300 annual agriculture and natural resources college graduates.

26 July, 2014

Gardener News RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PHONE DIRECTORY

Tree Planting Marks 100th Anniversary of Smith-Lever Act 1(: %5816:,&. 1- Ę&#x160; 2Q -XQH D 5HG 3\JP\ÂŽ dogwood tree was planted in the Foran Conservation Garden on the George H. Cook Campus of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey to commemorate 100 years since the signing of the Smith Lever Act and the creation of Cooperative Extension in 1914.

Larry Katz, director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) began the ceremony by reading the letter from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie proclaiming May as Cooperative Extension Month and commending Rutgers Cooperative Extension on the milestone of the anniversary.

It is a rare tree planting ceremony where the actual breeder of the tree is present. Rutgers Professor Emeritus of Plant Biology and Pathology Elwin Orton, who bred the dogwood variety used in the planting was on hand to participate in the ceremony. Orton, who has enabled dogwoods to thrive in the U.S. by developing new strains of hardy, disease- and pest-resistant hybrid dogwoods, introduced the Red PygmyÂŽ as a rare dwarf red dogwood tree. Orton described for attendees the features of the dwarf dogwood and how its diminutive stature will complement the garden plantings. Bearing deep pink-red flowers in late April into May, this tree will offer color throughout the year with dark green foliage during the summer, turning to shades of orange and brown coupled with attractive bright red fruit in the fall.

Following his brief remarks, Orton introduced his successor, Rutgers breeder and assistant professor in the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology Tom Molnar, who is breeding varieties of disease resistant hazelnut trees. Katz, Orton and Molnar performed the ceremonial tree planting of the Red PygmyÂŽ dogwood. A plaque reading â&#x20AC;&#x153;Celebrating 100 years of Rutgers Cooperative Extensionâ&#x20AC;? and the name of the dogwood variety marked the spot.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Agent and chair of the RCE 100th anniversary of Cooperative Extension committee Jeannette Rea-Keywood was very pleased with the ceremony, which was well attended by campus and off-campus staff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is very exciting to have the opportunity to plant a tree to recognize the 100th anniversary of Cooperative Extension. This Red PygmyÂŽ dogwood developed by NJAES will continually remind us of the impact of Rutgers Cooperative Extension on the lives of New Jersey residents and beyond.â&#x20AC;?

The Foran Conservation Garden, which is located between Foran Hall and the Cook/Douglass Lecture Hall, includes native plants while the surrounding courtyard contains rain gardens that serve to recharge rainwater to underground aquifers.

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TIP OF THE MONTH

Keep your vegetable garden well watered during hot, dry spells. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best to give most plants about an inch of water a week. When you irrigate, avoid doing so in late-afternoon or evening. Give the moisture a chance to evaporate before the temperatures start to drop. Also: Avoid getting foliage wet whenever possible, especially on disease-prone species such as tomatoes and squash. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t DOORZ YHJHWDEOHV WR URW RQ WKH YLQHV Ę&#x160; RU IDOO RII DQG GHFRPSRVH LQ WKH VRLO )DOOHQ IUXLW DWWUDFWV pests and can harbor disease.

Gardener Gard rde dener New News Ne wss

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

July, July Ju ly, y, 2014 27 27

jerseyfresh.nj.gov

28 July, 2014

Gardener News

Have you ever tasted corn that’s fresh off the stalk? Juicy, sweet blueberries that were just harvested by hand? With our 24 Hour Just Picked Promise, ]SY´PP ½RH XLIWI OMRHW SJ HIPMGMSYW GLSMGIW all summer long. These fruits, vegetables ERH LIVFW KS JVSQ PSGEP ½IPHW XS SYV stores in one day or less.

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