Gardener News August 2014

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Gardener News

September, 2014

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

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GARDENERNEWS.COM

No. 137

An Excellent Time at the Fair

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

Tom Castronovo/Photos

On a warm sunny day in the beginning of August, I decided to visit the New Jersey State Fair, located in the heart of Sussex County.

I took a beautiful ride on State Highway Route 206 north for about an hour to reach the Sussex County Fairgrounds. This location serves as a hub for year-round entertainment and education for the residents of New Jersey and the surrounding states.

The fairgrounds sit on 136 acres, with 15 permanent building in Augusta.

The actual State Fair covers 50 acres.

The official name of this fair is the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show, Inc. The New Jersey State Fair name has a long history. The original New Jersey State Fair name was trademarked with the State of New Jersey by George Hamid in 1936. The name was then sold to Rick Reithoffer in 1994. And in 1999, the name was trademarked with the State of New Jersey by the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show Inc. This fair is also officially recognized as an agricultural fair by the Sussex County Board of Agriculture and the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey.

The fair is a volunteer-based, 501 (c) (3) non-profit Organization that offers annual scholarships to equine and agricultural students.

Let’s get deep into some of the fair’s history.

According to the organizational historian and a director of the NJ State Fair Sussex County Farm and Horse Show Association (NJSFSCFHS) Lois Pellow, the year 1923 was the beginning of what is now the Sussex County Horse Show. A small group (Cont. on pg. 6)

2 September, 2014

GARDEN CENTER DIRECTORY

Gardener News

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

Saturday, September 20 10AM to 1PM

Gardener News

September, 2014 3 Around The Garden

HARDY BARDY MUMS

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Thousands to Choose from!

Gravel to Asphalt During the last several months, I had the pleasure of working with Dan McCoy, owner of McCoy Paving & Excavating.

The paving project was at my parents’ house. I think my parents had a gravel driveway so they could hear me and my siblings coming home at night by simply leaving their bedroom window open. They were pretty clever, making sure we met our curfews. I’m sure it gave them a good peace of mind as well.

Now you are probably wondering why I said several months. And that’s because of the prep work needed.

The project was supposed to be completed in the spring. With all of the snow melt and the unusually extra-wet ground, we had to address the project differently. The driveway also has a spring under it and a clay substructure. And 35 plus years ago, the house gutters were piped under it. As a former landscape professional, this was a challenge.

After several discussions with Dan and my father, we all decided that this project was going to have to be done in phases.

The first was to dig up the old piping to see what kind of shape it was in. I’m glad we did. The 35-plus-year-old pipe was barely intact. It turns out that it was the old Coal Tar Impregnated Wood Fibre Pipe. Over time, this type of pipe has a tendency to deform when subjected to concentrated pressures. And it did. I’m so glad that we decided to check on the pipe. The other reason for checking on the pipe was that the gutters on the house are six inches and we found that the piping was four inches. New piping was installed. We used six inch schedule 40 PVC. Schedule 40 PVC is capable of handling impressive pressure. And by increasing the pipe size, we also stopped water from overflowing in heavy rain storms.

Dan then graded the driveway and removed all the loose gravel.

Next, at the bottom of the driveway, near the road, was digging down to remove eight inches of wet clay. Dan chose to add two inches of three-quarter-inch road stone in the excavated area. He then added and re-graded the entire driveway with the road stone mixture and rolled it with a heavy roller. The final prep step was adding five inches of asphalt to the newly excavated area. The base prep was going to sit this way and harden for two months.

Over the course of the two months, Dan stopped by to check on things, especially the problem area at the bottom of the driveway.

In mid-August, it was paving time.

Dan and his crew arrived at 7:30 a.m. sharp. Two dump trucks, two rollers, the paver, and lots of tools. The crew consisted of five guys.

The first order was installing another one to two inches of three-quarter-inch road stone and rolling the driveway again. I think Dan wanted to make sure my parents’ driveway would hold up forever.

As both dump trucks headed to the asphalt plant, the rest of his crew pounded metal stakes into the ground and tied string around them to outline the driveway. After that was completed, one of the guys started up the paver to get it nice and hot. The other guys made sure the rollers were full of water and check them over thoroughly.

As soon as the dump trucks returned, the paving began immediately. It was a good thing it was one of those cool days. As the asphalt was dumped into the paver, I felt the extreme heat of it.

Dan moved that paver around the driveway like an artist. His crew paid every attention to detail as possible. One crew member even walked the outside edges and tamped the asphalt edges firm.

After the first dump truck was emptied, Dan immediately sent it back to the asphalt plant so there would be no seems as the second truck backed into the paver. Dan knew timing was of the essence. Three truckloads of asphalt in total.

As he approached the area that was prepped with blacktop two months ago, he dressed it with a product call tack. The tack coat helps bond the new asphalt to the existing asphalt.

The driveway was rolled to perfection. The crew even put a large level on it to make sure water would drain properly when it rained.

After it was all done, a crew member installed a yellow caution ribbon at the bottom of the driveway. I took it one step further and put out three small traffic cones. I wanted to make sure no one walked or mistakenly decided to turn around or drive on the fresh asphalt.

I asked Dan how long before the driveway should be sealed. He said to wait at least three years.

As I’m typing out this column the driveway has rested for seven days now. The time has arrived to take down the caution tape and remove the cones.

I guess the new electronic motion sensor will now alert my parents when someone cruises up the driveway.

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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2014 NJ Flower and Garden Show Award Winning Water Display Garden

4 September, 2014

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New Jersey residents understand why this is the Garden State. We have more than 9,000 farms on almost 716,000 acres, which accounts for more than 15 percent of the state’s landmass.

As Secretary of Agriculture, I’m very proud of the agriculture industry and our family farms. We are a true agricultural powerhouse, with many crops ranking in the top 10 in the nation for production, such as cranberries, bell peppers, spinach, peaches, blueberries, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, apples, sweet corn and snap beans.

While fruits and vegetables make up almost half of New Jersey’s agriculture, the top sector is horticulture, with $444.8 million in nursery, greenhouse, sod and Christmas tree sales. Driving around the state, you can find hundreds of garden centers to purchase plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, bedding and house plants.

Many of those grow their own stock, either in greenhouses, on-site or at off-site farms.

These plants are used to beautify homes, businesses, government complexes and parks.

If you want to get some

and purchase Jersey Grown items to beautify your homes, neighborhoods and businesses and ensure a healthy and robust spring garden. Fall is the best time of year for planting new trees and shrubs, as well as establishing new turf grass and planting bulbs for spring impact.

Whether you visit one of New Jersey’s public gardens or arboreta or plant your own, there is no doubt that this is the Garden State – one of the most beautiful and diverse states in the nation. To find local garden centers and nurseries and locate garden or arboretum, visit the Jersey Grown website at www. jerseygrown.nj.gov.

NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Visit New Jersey’s Gardens ideas for your own gardens, New Jersey is home to more than 65 public gardens, located in 15 counties. When searching for things to do with your family this fall, why not stop in and visit one of these public gardens? The Jersey Grown website (www.jerseygrown. nj.gov) has a listing of these gardens. Some are located on old estates. There are gardens in parks, on college grounds, at historic sites and on farms.

Each public garden and arboretum in New Jersey is unique and distinct. At the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, you will find statues and artwork amidst the gardens.

In Boonton, Morris County, you can follow the Emilie Hammond Wildflower Trail.

And in the heart of Newark, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms

at Branch Brook Park in the spring.

When in one our gardens or arboreta, you can find not only beautiful and interesting plant life, but also a multitude of birds, animals and insects.

There also are several butterfly gardens throughout the state.

Some of these gardens feature native New Jersey flora and fauna and Jersey Grown items. The Jersey Grown program was developed by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to identify plants, trees, shrubs and flowers as grown in the Garden State. A Jersey Grown label certifies the item is accustomed to the state’s soil and growing conditions and is disease- and pest-free.

When shopping at an area garden center or nursery, look for the Jersey Grown sign or tag.

Any New Jersey grower who is

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Richard Norz, a Somerset County, New Jersey hay, grain, soybean and vegetable grower, and the newly named president of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture, looks over the August Gardener News featuring Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno’s cover story about Highlighting the Importance of Agriculture. Norz is a fourth-generation farm family member who was also named the New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmer for 2010, and was named one of four National Outstanding Young Farmers by the U.S. Jaycees in Raleigh, N.C., that same year.

certified by the Department to sell or distribute nursery stock, plant material, annual bedding plants, turf grass, cut Christmas trees, firewood and sunflower seeds (for feed) can be part of the Jersey Grown program. All plants must be maintained free of injurious insects and plant diseases, and any nursery stock grown under the program must be propagated or grown in New Jersey for at least six months prior to sale. Plants must meet or exceed the plant standards developed by the American Nursery and Landscape Association. Annual bedding plants are eligible to be part of the Jersey Grown program if they were grown in New Jersey and meet or exceed the Department’s standards.

Now is a great time to visit a nursery or garden center, or call your local landscaper

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

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September, 2014 5

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I am sure that most of you have heard the chart topping song by John Legend “All of Me.” For those that have not, it is a fairly simple-sounding traditional sappy love ballad that has gotten plenty of play on the radio. But, anyway, in the song’s refrain, there is a rather oxymoronic line in which the writer refers to his love interest’s “perfect imperfections.”

And judging by the use of the phrase in the song, it is fairly easy to infer that what he is getting at is that what makes the object of his affection so special to him are the ways in which she differs from all of the other women out there. In other words, her imperfections are what make her so desirable.

So what does this halfassed attempt at dissecting the lyrics of modern popular music have to do with fruits and vegetables? At least to me, anyway, the similarities are very clear. Just as with women, when it comes to selecting a favorite type of fruit or vegetable, there are plenty of options out there to choose from. But there

ever be.

We are blessed to live in an age where, generally speaking, we have an abundance of produce that is available to us all year long. And the quality and diversity of these fruits and vegetables produced and sold here in the United States is second to none.

But with all of the choices that are out there, we can still find some room at the top. We are all different and we all have our favorites.

And that is what makes us who we are. Enjoy!

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Perfect Imperfections is always that special one that grabs our attention and levels us; that catches us off guard and stops us in our tracks and makes us say “This is the one for me.”

There are thousands of varieties of tomatoes out there to choose from. And a lot of them actually taste pretty good. But maybe one night you happened to get a Brandywine that was at the perfect stage of ripeness. It would have been too messy for a sandwich and too ugly in shape for a magazine cover, and way too watery for sauce. But sliced thick, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with some coarse sea salt, this tomato was able to stop you in your tracks and show you what you have been missing for all of these

years. A day earlier and the tomato’s flavor would not have been developed yet. A day later and it would have been a breeding ground for fruit flies. But on this one day, it was able to convert its weaknesses into strengths and turn itself into the perfect tomato.

Or maybe apples are more your type. In this day and age, apples are available all year long. And with all of the advances that have been made with post-harvest treatments, refrigeration, transportation and supply chain management, the overall quality of the apples that are available year-round is much better than it was 20 or 30 years ago. But just because the standards have been raised does not mean

that there is still not room at the top.

Nothing is going to compare with an apple that is picked and eaten right off the tree. Maybe this apple was left to hang and grow a little too long, which would increase the sugar content in it and make it unsuitable for long-term storage. Or maybe something happened during the growing season and caused a little bit of russeting on the skin or perhaps it was a tiny bit of sunburn that caused it to stand out from all of the others. But today, with a cool autumn breeze blowing and the sun slowly disappearing in the west, this becomes the apple that will set the standard for all of those that have ever been and all those that will

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.

An Excellent Time at the Fair (Cont. from page 1)

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Tammie Horsfield, president of the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show, Inc., looks at a Black Swallowtail caterpillar on a dill plant, with Jeannie Geremia, a featured columnist for the Gardener News, the Community Gardens Chair, and the Butterflies & Bee Gardeners Adding Pollinators Chair for the Garden Club of New Jersey, in the fairgrounds conservatory.

of people, mostly farmers, decided to take a Sunday pleasure ride to Dingman’s Ferry, Pa. They were met at a church by relatives who brought refreshments and they watered their horses at a nearby brook. It was such an enjoyable experience that they met again on succeeding Sundays to ride locations like Swartswood Lake, High Point and Mashipacong, all in Pennsylvania. They soon named themselves the Branchville Riding Club.

A local horse show was then planned for a level field at Ross’ Corner in Sussex County, New Jersey, in 1924, and the show’s long relationship with Frankford Township was begun.

A show was held the following year at the same site. In 1927, it was moved to the William Bass farm on Route 519, just outside Branchville, and held there the following year. The first Sussex County Horse Show was held in 1932.

The year 1936 was also an important one as well with the move to Daniel L. B. Smith field in nearby Branchville at the invitation of Smith himself. Smith was a horseman and founder of the Selective Risks Insurance Company, now known as Selective Insurance Group, Inc. The show stayed at that site for the next 39 years. It moved to the present Augusta Fairgrounds in 1976.

In 1940 the Rutgers Sussex County Agricultural Extension Agent Francis Morrow suggested that all agricultural pursuits come together to join into one show. As a result of the agent’s recommendation, the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show formed, and was incorporated on April 26, 1940. And the rest is history.

After the short history lesson Pellow also said, “These fairgrounds are built on the heart and soul of a whole host of volunteers, past and present.”

“The Sussex County Fairgrounds has provided a venue for tourism for almost 70 years.And the Fair, through its mission of giving back to the community, has generously donated (Cont. on page 14)

Gardener News

September, 2014 7 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

“Things That Make You Go Hmmm” Back in June of 1991, there was a song released by American dance artist C+C Music Factory. “The song was inspired by a running gag on The Arsenio Hall Show, whereby Arsenio, while on an alleged long drive, ponders certain thoughts and refers to them as “things that make you go hmmm….” (Wikipedia).

Being in retail for nearly 30 years now, I have heard and seen almost everything the industry has to offer. Much of it comical, some of it is serious and all of it is noteworthy.

The following is a collection of thoughts, in no particular order, that has me sometimes scratching my head. Meant to be informative foremost, passionate gardeners and plantsman alike should understand the material that follows.

Deer resistant vs. deer proof! Deer, as far as I have seen, cannot read! There is no such thing as deer proof. Just because the Internet, a book, brochure or label says it is “Deer Resistant” does not mean they cannot eat it. Deer resistant is an educated choice that many have had success with before you. I use this analogy all the time, if you don’t like tuna fish and you are starving for food, you’ll eat tuna fish to survive. Nature finds a way and adapts.

I can’t tell you how many times, over the course of years, people price shop plants over the phone. The aesthetics of an individual plant are defined by its structural integrity and color. What has contributed to its makeup, in part, are pruning practices, advanced fertilizers, organic soil companions like mycorrhizae, tissue culture, grafting, air layering, soil content, patent costs and overall handling to name a few. Do all Cabernet Sauvignon’s taste the same? There is an art form to growing quality plant material and the ability to produce healthy, well-developed plants should be appreciated and supported by those extra dollars. Not to mention an appreciation for the nursery professional who can guide you through the decision making process thoughtfully.

Is your time worth anything to you? I have done countless house calls where I see plants planted out of scale. Too big a plant for too small a space! Aggressively tending to these plants, year after year, should suggest rethinking the space. An opportunity to plant something more appropriate is warranted. This in turn will give you more time to garden thoughtfully in other areas of your property. That brings me to my next suggestion…

Unless you are developing a knot garden, “a very formal design in a square frame, consisting of a variety of aromatic plants and culinary herbs” (Wikipedia), it is best to leave the geometric shapes out. My friend and colleague, Eileen Ferrer, says, “cubes are for drinks and meatballs belong on your plate.” How many times have we seen Barberry and Mop Cypress butchered into these forms? Drowning in mulch, looking as though they need to be rescued with a life preserver… you could do much better. Try planting fewer varieties and more of them. Three groups of 10 instead of 10 groups of three will help pull your landscape together.

Understanding cultivars seems overwhelming to some. Think of BMW cars. There is a 2,3,4,5,6,7,x, I and hybrid series to name a few. The same goes for plants. Shopping for a blue spruce you might come across “Bonny Blue,” “Fat Albert,” “Gail’s Skyline,” “Iseli Fastigiate,” “Hoopsi,” “Kosteri” and “Shilo-Weeping.” And that is just a smattering of the upright types, not to mention dwarf or spreading varieties. The point is, it is important to know specifically what you are asking for so the nursery professional can best help you.

After all, all models of BMW are priced differently. And bigger cars can cost less than smaller ones. This is true with plants too.

What guarantees do we have in life besides death and taxes? Apparently nursery stock falls into this category too. The idea of guaranteeing life has always seemed absurd to me. Does an obstetrician guarantee the life of a newborn? Plants are not dissimilar to people in that they too have circulatory systems that need to absorb nutrients in order to survive. Plant material, grown for the retail market, takes years to become marketable. I don’t know anyone who has ever spent his or her money on a dying plant, so what could go wrong so quickly? Gardening is not an exact science and there are no short cuts to understanding part sun/part shade, soil composition or wet and dry sites. One of the most brilliant horticultural minds on the planet, Dr. Michael Dirr, once told me that he has killed plants, lots of them. That’s how you learn.

In closing, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener, gardening is a challenge and isn’t that part of the fun after all?

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.

8 September, 2014

Gardener News

Support NJ Agriculture JERSEY GROWN

Nursery Stock JERSEY GROWN

Sunflower Birdseed

JERSEY GROWN

Firewood

JERSEY GROWN

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

Annuals & Perennials Made With JERSEY GROWN

Wood Birdhouses & Bird Feeders

Governor Chris Christie Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher

jerseygrown.nj.gov

Gardener News

September, 2014 9

Native Plants for Autumn Show

By Kathleen Salisbury First we have a couple of dates for you to save.

Saturday, November 1, 2014 is the date of our Annual Fall Conference. This year’s theme is the mission of the Native Plant Society: Appreciation, Protection and Study. Join us for a day of learning what is going on with native plants around the state. Presenters will be sharing their favorite plants with us, telling us what they are doing to protect and promote New Jersey native plants and sharing their latest native plant-related findings.

This informative and inspiring program will surely help you create a list of new must-have plants for your garden and leave you wanting to learn more about the lesser known and appreciated aspects of New Jersey native flora. We will be hosting this program at Kean University located in Union, N.J., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fall is the season of harvest. An easy way to add a feeling of harvest to your fall containers and gardens is by adding ornamental peppers.

Ornamental peppers are in the same genus, capsicum, as the peppers we plant in our vegetable gardens in the spring. However, the ornamental peppers have not been selected for the taste, or heat of the pepper. They have been selected for fruit size, fruit shape, different growth habits and foliage colors.

The pepper fruit can range in color from green, to cream, to yellow, to orange, to red, to almost black. The fruit shapes can range from round, to conical, to short pointed, to long and wavy. The fruit size can be from one-quarter-inch up to several inches long. The foliage can range from green, to white, to purple. The plants can grow from four inches tall up to several feet tall. I find it amazing that there can be such a large array of shapes and sizes.

Ornamental peppers are considered an annual. This means that they will last until the first killing frost.

That is quite a few months

Saturday, March 14, 2015 is the date for the Native Plant Society’s Annual Meeting.

Though we are still working on the speakers and topics, we know the location. Please meet us at the lovely setting of Medford Leas in Medford, N.J., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The program will include a stunning virtual tour through the native plant collections of public gardens throughout the state.

Please keep an eye on our website and Facebook pages for registration details. Or go to our website www.npsnj.org and join our mailing list to make sure you don’t miss out on the announcement.

Now that the business is out of the way, let’s talk plants.

When September rolls around, some of us lament the end of summer, some of us groan about the beginning of a new school year, and some of us can’t wait for the cool nights and bright colors of fall.

When planning your native landscape, don’t forget fall fruits and leaf colors to add dimension and value to your landscape.

Making sure the plants you purchase will ensure an interesting landscape year round and will also ensure diversity in both plant materials and the wildlife it supports. After all, we are planting native plants for the wildlife too, right?

Since fall is a terrific time for planting most things, here are some plants with autumn interest to consider adding to your landscape.

Sumacs! Yes Sumacs! Not the Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) relative Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) but the substantial shrubs and small trees you see in waste areas along roadsides and growing between fences. These droughttolerant and generally pest- and disease-resistant plants offer spring flowers, summer fruits and amazing fall colors, not to mention attracting dozens of wildlife species, including moths, butterflies, bees, gamebirds, songbirds and mammals. In New Jersey, you will find Fragrant Sumac (Rhus armoatica). The cultivar Gro-Low has become popular in the landscape trade

for its small stature and ability to thrive in harsh conditions.

You will also find the very bold Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) named for its furry branches.

Winged and Smooth Sumacs are also options for your landscape.

In general, they all need full sun and thrive in poor soils.

For those of you without the space for a large suckering Sumac, perhaps grasses are more to your liking. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) all offer fall color as well as food and shelter for a variety of wildlife.

If plants with showy flowers are what you are after, Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum),White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) White wood aster (Symphyotrichum divaricatus), Blue wood aster (S. cordifolius),New England Aster (S.novae-angliae),Wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia) and Rough-stemmed goldenrod (S. rugosa), will all bloom in your garden in September.

Sneezeweed (Helenium

The Great Plant Escape

By David Williams Plant Enthusiast

Spicing up Fall of ornamental interest. Some varieties’ fruit change color as they are ripening. This means that you can have several different color fruits on one plant at the same time. One variety I particularly like is Medusa. It has small, slender fruit that to the breeder must have resembled clusters of snakes on Medusa’s head. The colors start green, then they ripen to ivory, then to yellow, then to orange, then to red.

Black pearl is a variety that has dark purple foliage. Its fruits develop into perfectly round marble-like fruit. This one works great inter-planted with yellow chrysanthemums.

The Salsa series of pepper have short, pointed fruit. They have been selected for specific colors, and only change from green to orange, purple, red, or yellow. The colors of this

series are more consistent than some of the other varieties.

Maya Uchu is a variety that was developed in Denmark.

The leaves have white splashes of colors mixed with the green leaves. The fruit goes from green to orange to red.

If you were planting these out in the spring, you would need to plant them in full sun for optimum fruiting. However, since they are already starting to set fruit in the fall, you can plant them in areas that get some sun, but part shade would be OK as well. They like to be kept moderately moist and do not like to dry out completely. They are great to mix in fall containers.

Consider combining them with fall mums, pansies, ornamental grasses, millet or crotons.

They come in pots from four inches up to nine inches. This

means you can be very creative with how you use them. A four-inch pot as an individual place setting, for a dinner, or a large pot as a table centerpiece.

They can be kept indoors for several weeks as a bright, colorful table decoration. They also make great accent pieces for the fall garden.

They are considered edible; however they can be extremely hot. Some can be far hotter than a jalapeno, so you need to be cautious in any tasting.

Since the colors are bright, and appealing to children, care should be taken if you have young kids. There are a few varieties that are considered child friendly because the peppers have little or no heat.

Some of these that come to mind are Chilly Chilli, Medusa, and Sweet Pickle. If you want to test the pepper first, cut it in

autumnale) and Turtleheads, both pink and white (Chelone lyonii, C. glabra) will do well in your damp soils. Of course, don’t forget our native shrub Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana), which provides spidery flowers in October.

There are a lot of native plants out there to add seasonal interest to your landscape while providing habitat essentials to a great diversity of wildlife. Add a couple, or more, to your garden this fall!

What is your favorite native plant with great fall color? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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. half and shave an extremely small piece off. Touch it with your finger, and then touch your tongue with your finger.

Have a glass of milk at the ready, in case it is extremely hot. Never touch your eyes after touching the pepper fruit, because you could burn your eye. In an emergency, the milk trick works as eyewash, too!

There are so many varieties that the best way to see them is to visit your local garden center. I’m sure you will find a fun one to spice up your garden.

Editor’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.

10 September, 2014 With the abundance of moisture this season, we are experiencing more disease issues. The best way to keep your plants disease-free is to take precautions to prevent diseases from getting a foothold in your garden.

Understanding the disease triangle will be beneficial. It consists of a susceptible host plant, a disease pathogen and an environment conducive to disease formation. If any of these do not exist, then a disease will not. Planting a susceptible crabapple in an area which is known to have scab problems and add a wet spring, and you have all of the components. Using a disease resistant cultivar will break this triangle and prevent the disease. Also, cultural practices can prevent disease as well. Good sanitation in the garden will go a long way in this regard. Cleaning debris around your plants can eliminate some disease potential, as can watering properly for your plants.

Many disease problems come from indiscriminate water over the top of plants which would benefit from drip or ground-level sprays.

The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association is a proactive and progressive association that consistently aids and supports its members in all facets of their businesses.

Typically, we provide this through educational opportunities at our membership meetings or during our winter courses at NJLCA University.

As you may have read in last month’s column, we also work very hard to raise awareness for our association and members through volunteer projects, such as the renovation of the Little Ferry Little League field in July.

Another value that we provide to our members and the green industry is through legislative support. Whether it is by educating townships about the purpose and rules of the Home Improvement Contractors Registration, making sure that our members maintain the appropriate industry licenses for their company or making sure that their trucks, trailers and equipment are operating safely, we are always trying to be advocates for our members.

Well, last month was a perfect example of how the NJLCA goes the extra mile, or 200, to support its members. NJLCA President Tom Canete and Vice President Nelson Lee, along with several NJLCA members, joined thousands of other landscape professionals in

Gardener News The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

Moisture Comes and Diseases Follow Another way to prevent disease problems is to plant the proper plant in the different locations on your property.

Many times, disease problems can be prevented by proper plant selection. The soil is the major consideration and a soil test is a must. Finding out what the pH and soil texture are, as well as the amount of organic matter in the soil, can go a long way in ensuring good plant health. Using soil amendments and incorporating them into the native soil when planting will help the roots acclimate to the native soil. Know the characteristics of the plants you intend to plant. Planting in the proper exposure with the proper soil and drainage for the particular plant will go a long way in helping ensure your plants have a healthy existence.

When new gardens are

installed, we have the perfect opportunity to amend the soil and create a good growing medium. After the soil is tested and proper amendments are incorporated, we can till in compost. A couple of inches of a good clean compost product will go a long way in giving your plants a healthy head start.

The use of compost will jump start the microbial community and help keep the bacteria and microorganisms in better balance. The end result will be healthy plants with less threat of disease.

Cultural gardening practices are very important in preventing disease outbreaks.

After your plants have been properly planted, watering and mulching can be beneficial.

Know the water requirements of your plants and don’t just assume that your automatic

sprinkler will apply the proper amount of water. Some shallow-rooted plants will need supplemental watering during hot, dry spells and other plants are able to survive hot, dry periods and may even benefit from occasional drying out.

Again, know your plants to prevent a problem.

With planting and watering considerations taken care of, mulch can be applied. It is crucially important not to overdo this process. A light couple of inches of a good mulch product will help retain water and mediate temperatures as well as help keep weed growth down.

Piling too much mulch can create an environment where the plants will not get proper water, nutrients and oxygen.

Many times, the plants will start to root out from the trunk

The NJLCA Today

By Jody Shilan, MLA Executive Director

NJLCA Today Washington, D.C. for an annual legislative day on the Hill. It was an incredible opportunity for our members to meet face-to-face with state legislators to discuss industry issues in the Garden State and work together with our government to formulate solutions.

It is an incredible opportunity and certainly worth the trip.

As the green industry continues to grow, one of the biggest issues for landscape professionals is finding qualified and reliable workers to perform landscape services. Regardless of what your opinion is on immigration reform, the reality is that landscape contractors cannot find American workers who are willing to perform the labor-intensive tasks necessary to build and maintain residential and commercial properties at competitive wages. What makes it even less appealing to Americans is the simple fact that in New Jersey landscape contracting is a

seasonal industry that typically offers employment for nine months a year with a three-month layoff period.

The government has created a seasonal guest worker program called H-2B. This program allows landscape companies to hire nonimmigrant, legal and documented workers who fill these seasonal needs with qualified employees.

While the H-2B program has been extremely successful, it is very complicated, time consuming and expensive. Despite the costs and challenges, professional landscape companies appreciate the value of the program and the importance of maintaining a skilled and legal workforce.

Unfortunately, every year, the H-2B program faces new hurdles, once again making it more and more difficult to find employees.

One of the biggest problems is that the program is capped at 66,000 workers (throughout the country), which is insufficient for the needs

of landscape contractors and other seasonal industries (car washes, roofers, painters, tree removal companies, irrigation contractors, restaurants, vineyards, etc.) that employ the same seasonal workforce.

Last year, the Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security issued a ruling that subjected landscape companies who employed H-2B workers to pay a mandatory 40-percent wage increase to those employees.

This ruling was made mid-season, dramatically increasing labor costs and payroll, with no opportunity to manage these costs and pass them along to the consumer until the following year. Most maintenance contracts are annual contracts and had already been signed previously in the fall or spring.

Raising wages for H-2B workers created a snowball effect, as lessskilled laborers were suddenly earning more money than yearround employees, who had more

into the mulch, which has been piled up above the crown of the plant, creating a bad situation.

It is beneficial to use mulch, but remember the soil is the most important component in good plant health care.

Pruning is an important and often overlooked aspect in disease prevention. Proper horticultural pruning will enhance your plants’ health.

Proper pruning will enhance the plants’ natural growth and will go a long way toward keeping plants healthy. When pruning, often just the removal of fruiting bodies will be enough to keep a disease from spreading in certain plants.

Again, identify and determine the plants’ requirements as well as the diseases. Using this knowledge will go a long way in preventing disease outbreaks, no matter what the weather.

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 experience and seniority in the company Canete and Lee met with New Jersey congressmen to urge them to appreciate the need for and value of the H-2B program. They lobbied to reinstate the provision of law that excludes returning H-2B workers from the cap, allowing up to 66,000 new guest workers per year to enter the program, and increasing the number of available employees to work for seasonal businesses such as the landscape industry. They also requested that our congressmen develop a fair and equitable process and wage methodology for determining H-2B wages in the future.

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.

Gardener News

September, 2014 11

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Gardener News

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Gardener News

September, 2014 13

14 September, 2014 Proud Partners

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An Excellent Time at the Fair (Cont. from page 6)

Cate Magennis Wyatt, left, founder and president of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, explains to Kevin McLaughlin, show director for the Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show in Philadelphia, that trees — each funded by a $100 donation — are being planted along a 180-mile stretch from Thomas Jefferson’s Albemarle County estate, Monticello, in Charlottesville, Va., to Gettysburg, Pa. Wyatt also said, “The planting will honor fallen soldiers from the Civil War: 620,000 to be exact, who died in the line of duty from 1861 through 1865. The goal is to have all 620,000 trees grown to maturity by the time the country honors the bicentennial of the Civil War in 50 years. And that each tree will be geo-tagged with information about the individual solider represented by the tree. The project will showcase four types of trees, all in the red family, the color symbolizing courage and bravery: red bud, red oak, red maple and red cedar. The trees will also be geo-tagged, and visitors can access information about each soldier represented, when available, including photos, diaries and records from the 1860s.” The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership is a non-profit, fourstate partnership dedicated to raising awareness of the unparalleled American heritage in the region running from Gettysburg, Pa., through Maryland and Harpers Ferry, WV, to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Va.

thousands of dollars of in-kind services, along with agricultural and horticultural scholarships,” said Tammie Horsfield, president of the NJSFSCFHS. “I applaud the unwavering dedication of the thousands of volunteers on making this, in my opinion, the best fair in the state”.

The New Jersey State Fair also provides opportunities for statewide association and group members to showcase their livelihoods by holding contests, such as the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers Association does.

“This year’s Grand Champion is John Curtis from the Perfect Christmas Tree Farm in Phillipsburg, Warren County, New Jersey,” said Chris Nicholson, president of the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers Association. “Personally I would like to thank New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher for helping to open the New Jersey State Fair and for taking the time to visit our Christmas tree exhibit.”

The fair also featured Flower, Honey, Horse, Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Forage, Alpaca, and a Goat Shows. It also featured Blueberry, Cheesecake, Canning, Vegetable, and Milking Contests. Just to name a few.

There was a lot to see and experience, including lots of 4-H exhibits, and good old-fashioned fair stuff. My favorite was having a sausage and pepper sandwich and cotton candy. The fair also featured a large Ferris wheel and lots of amusements and rides. A Green Day was also featured at the fair. This was an eco-awareness day held in the Performing Arts Tent.

Three of the most notable additions and enhancements to the fairgrounds are the addition of the Sussex County Farmers Market, which brings the bounty of the agricultural community to the community at large, and the conservatory and expanded courtyard. The architecturally stunning conservatory structure provides an extraordinary location for business and social occasions, and is unlike any other in this part of the State. The conservatory is also the focus of the Springfest Garden Show, held each year in March, which is well known for showcasing flower-filled garden displays designed to inspire visitors with the latest trends and ideas for their own home landscape.

Springfest is a non-profit show produced by garden lovers for garden lovers held each spring in the Conservatory that features beautiful garden displays by premier landscape companies and has some of the greatest garden shopping under one roof. Springfesters also enjoy renowned speakers, and a Kid’s Zone where children can enjoy learning about plants.

The courtyard area, which is located behind the Conservatory in the agricultural area on the fairgrounds property, has seven beautiful landscaped gardens that were individually constructed by talented, award-winning designers, donated, and maintained by their creators.

Basically, the entire infrastructure of the fairgrounds has been built with agriculture and horticulture in mind.

I can’t wait to visit the fair again next year. If you would like to see the list of show and contest winners from this year’s fair, please visit www.njstatefair.org.

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

Gardener News Are you just feeding, over-seeding or both, this fall?

Unless we received severe heat and drought stress in late-summer, the weather was somewhat forgiving this year. Do you have a great looking lawn now or a bunch of brown spots? Did your lawn suffer from fungus and insect damage or an infestation of weeds? Is crabgrass rampant in your lawn? Did your dog and kids do a number on your lawn? Did you follow my monthly timely tips this year?

First you need to determine if brown areas of your lawn are truly dead. As cooler daytime and nighttime temperatures return with increased rainfall, many lawns areas that appear to be dead may start to fill in again. If parts of your lawn went into a brown “dormant” stage this summer, it may start to “come back” to life with some green shoots trying to re-establish and multiply.

This is the good news; your whole lawn may not be dead! If you have been able

September, 2014 15 Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

How’d your lawn survive summer? to irrigate these brown spots for a few weeks and they do not show signs of re-growth, these lawn areas probably are dead and need to be over-seeded.

Remember, early-fall is the absolute best time to over-seed summer damaged lawns, not next spring.

Preparing the soil for seed-to-soil contact is the key to successful over-seeding.

If you just spread grass seed over existing lawn areas or dead brown spots, you will have poor results. Be sure to rake out any dead grass and loosen compacted-hard soil about an inch deep or more so the new grass roots have a chance to grow in the exposed soil. If you lawn area is too big, consider renting a slit seeder, aerator or de-thatching machine to

help out. Ask a neighbor or two to share the cost of renting one over the weekend.

If you have low soil pH values, apply calcium-type products to increase this level for optimum growth to a 6.0 to 6.8 range. Be sure to select a proper grass seed mixture for the area you are seeding. Are you going to apply a new seeding-type lawn fertilizer? If you don’t, that’s like making lemonade without any lemons! Do you have areas of your lawn that roll back easily, exposing grub damage? Now is a good time to control grubs, since they are so close to the surface. You may over-seed and apply insect controls and fertilizer on the same day after complete soil preparation.

What if your lawn survived the summer and it just needs some fertilizer?

Well, good for you, you are one of the lucky ones.

Early-fall is a great time to feed and thicken the lawn with fertilizer. Warm soil and fall rains provide great conditions to grow grass. Established lawns are able to utilize fertilizer very well in early-fall. A second application later in fall is even better for healthy lawn growth. This will keep the lawn nice and green late in the year and even green-up the grass in early-spring. Imagine how good your lawn can look next summer after the fall and spring growing seasons create a deep root system.

What about crabgrass?

If you have some in your yard, you can over-seed with a slit-seeder right into these patches, provided you take steps with the proper soil preparation outlined above. Crabgrass will die with the first frost in your area, which is usually in October. This will allow newly planted grass seed to thrive due to the lack of competition from the dead crabgrass. If your lawn has less than 50-percent weeds, you can start to re-establish it with overseeding. However, be sure to correct the low soil pH levels to make grass want to thrive, and not weeds.

If you have more than 50-percent weeds, consider killing off the whole area and establishing a new seed bed for the grass to grow. Create the best lawn you can this fall and reap the rewards all next year!

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

Perovskia – A Gallant Plant of Transition September can best be considered a transitional month.

Not only does it celebrate the seasonal transition from summer to autumn, but there are numerous September bloomers whose extended lengths of bloom ease the transition from summer to autumn.

Russian Sage is one of these enduring performers that provide the garden with color continuity between the more transient bloomers of summer and autumn.

Russian Sage or Perovskia is neither a true Sage nor is it from Russia! Rather, Perovskia is a member of the Lamiaceae or mint family and heralds from Southwest and Central Asia. What is of Russian decent is the origin of the name. Gregor Silitsch Karelin (1801-1872) was a Russian naturalist and plant collector who explored the region around the Caspian Sea and south into Iran.

Karelin initially served in the Russian artillery, so honoring

the Imperial Russian General and statesman, Vasily Alekseevich Perovski (17941857), with this genus name was a fitting tribute.

Of the nine existent species, Perovskia atriplicifolia is best suited for the garden. The species epithet atriplicifolia refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of Atriplex.

This species was authored

by George Bentham (18001884), a self-taught English botanist who served the better part of his career at Kew, the Royal Botanic Garden in England.

Perovskia atriplicifolia is native to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Tibet.

Although often described as a perennial, Russian Sage is actually a small, woody shrub.

Growing upwards of four feet tall during the summer, the stems often die-back to 12 to 24 inches during an average New Jersey winter.

The stems are an attractive grayish white in color with the leaves positioned opposite one another along the length of the stem. The foliage is strongly serrated or toothed with a gray-green

coloration, allowing the leaves to remain cooler and reducing desiccation from the hot, scorching sun. Both the stems and the leaves are highly aromatic when rubbed or broken – a desirable trait since this effectively reduces or eliminates deer browse.

The stems typically branch along the upper quarter of the stem, with each branch terminating in a four- to eight-inch flowering raceme.

The flowers are a bright, almost electric blue in color, with each flowering raceme producing copious quantities of individual flowers from mid-July through October.

In addition, the base or calyx of the flower is colored powder blue and remains ornamental after the flower fades, producing an awesome floral display. Typical to flowers in the Mint Family, the petals are fused and the flowers are oriented such that they give the appearance of having an upper and a lower lip. This floral structure is called labiate, meaning lipped.

It also facilitates pollination, since the pollinator literally has a lipped landing pad upon which to perch.

Prior to the 1990s, Russian Sage was not a commonly seen garden plant, although it was available and was part of Gertrude Jekyll’s plant repertoire in the early 20th Century. Its winter hardiness was originally considered to be more closely aligned with Southern New Jersey, not Northern. However, that has been proven to be false, as it is cold hardy to zone 5.

Since Perovskia is native to hot, gritty hillside steppes, it necessitates a garden site that is both in full, baking sun and with soils that are well-drained. The native soils are typically alkaline, but Perovskia is adaptable and is tolerant of acidic soils as well.

During the winter months, the leaves drop from the stems, but the stems themselves retain their grayish-white coloration and add an attractive white glow to the winter garden. This can be enhanced by pairing it with a plant that has darker winter coloration, such as Calamentha. Perovskia is also amazingly salt tolerant and can withstand conditions near the seashore, as well

as along roadways that are heavily salted during winter.

Russian Sage is a highly worthy garden plant that, unfortunately, is often not displayed to its fullest potential in many gardens, despite its availability. This tough Southwestern Asian plant is a phenomenal transition plant that more gardeners should entertain using for its gallant ability to segue the garden into fall.

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

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

16 September, 2014 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Days Draws Record Attendance 1(: %5816:,&. 1- ĘŠ 2Q -XO\ 5XWJHUV KHOG its annual Turfgrass Research Field Days at the Turf Research Farm – Hort Farm II, off Ryders Lane in North Brunswick, NJ. Over 800 industry professionals attended this record-breaking, two-day event, which has its roots in the 1920s, although regular turf field days in New Jersey did not occur annually until after World War II. In what may well be the largest “outdoor classroomâ€? event at the university, the latest field research was passed on to industry practitioners in highly-interactive sessions in which the researchers summarized their research and the attendees listened and asked questions. Attendees also qualified for Golf Course Superintendents Association of America education points as well as pesticide applicator re-certification credits from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The first of the two days, the “Golf and Fine Turf Research Field Day,� was designed to assist golf course superintendents, over 400 of them, while day two, the “Lawn, Landscape and Sports Field Research Day,� focused on landscapers, landscape contractors and sports field managers. “This is one of the best attended and anticipated field day events in the country and we are very proud of our efforts to extend the very latest information on turfgrass breeding and management to stakeholders in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the U.S.,� says Bruce Clarke, director of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science.

According to a 2001 Economic Survey conducted by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, the turfgrass industry contributes more than $3.2 billion each year to the New Jersey economy.

Clarke, a professor and chair of the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology whose faculty predominantly present the cutting-edge research during the field days, stressed that while most of the attendees come from the Garden State, approximately 30 percent are from other states as far away as far as Oregon, Florida, Texas, and Washington and international industry practitioners from neighboring Canada.

A principal focus of the Rutgers Turf Research Field Days is to highlight new and improved turfgrass varieties developed

by Bill Meyer and Stacy Bonos, two world-renowned turf breeders at Rutgers. These new varieties possess enhanced disease, insect and stress tolerance. In other words, “we showcase the best varieties of turfgrass that use less pesticide, fertilizer and water yet still exhibit excellent turf quality,� explains Clarke.

In addition, the two-day event also offered the latest information on best management practices for maintaining turfgrass in the region as well as research results from Rutgers entomologists, physiologists and weed scientists. The event also included time during both afternoon sessions for “Basic Training for Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification,� a session conducted by Jim Murphy, extension specialist in turf management. Participants also had the option to take the examination to become certified for professional fertilizer applications.

A key partner in the annual field days is the New Jersey Turfgrass Association (NJTA), the largest turfgrass organization in the state, which assists with the non-research portion of the event, including registration and logistical support for both days. This essentially frees up the Rutgers professors to concentrate on the science and teaching during the field days. “This valuable partnership with the NJTA dates back to the 1970s and we’re immensely grateful for their help, year after year,� says Clarke.

The Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey also assisted with the Lawn, Landscape and Sports Field portion of the program and sponsored tabletop displays by leaders in the turfgrass industry.

A number of other statewide organizations also participate in the Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Days by advertising the event to their members. These include the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, Cultivated Sod Growers Association of New Jersey and the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association.

Source: Rutgers SEBS/NJAES Office of Communications

Gardener News

CASE FILES

From the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County Garden Help Line

By Madeline Flahive DiNardo, Union County Agricultural Agent, and Master Gardeners MC Schwartz and James Keane Q. My garden has summer-flowering bulbs that I know aren’t hardy enough to make it through the winter. How should I take care of them?

Gladiolus in Garwood A. Some of our favorite “summer-flowering bulbs� are in their full September glory now: Gladiolus, Dahlias, Caladiums, tuberous Begonias and Cannas, but in a few weeks, they will need some special attention.

These plants have specialized stems that help them store energy and are a means of propagation.

Gladioli are “corms,� meaning they have a solid-base stem with a protective sheath around it.

Corms have a disc shape. An old corm replaces itself by growing new corms to the side or on top of itself. Some corms can survive our New Jersey winters, like crocus. Gladioli may not survive our cold soil temperatures and need to be dug up and stored.

Dahlias, tuberous Begonias and Caladiums are “tubers,� thickened underground stems that have “eyes� or buds on the sides. The stems grow larger each growing season and new growth sprouts from the “eyes.� Cannas grow from “rhizomes,� modified swollen stems that grow parallel to the soil surface. These specialized plant stems need to be protected from freezing.

The timing and proper storage techniques for over-wintering these flowering plants vary. For all the plants, be sure to loosen up the soil surrounding the corm, tuber or rhizome gently with a garden fork or small spade. Be careful not to cut in to the fleshy stem as you lift the plant out of your garden soil.

This task should be done on a dry day; rainy conditions and wet soil make corms, tubers and rhizomes more susceptible to rot diseases. For example, Gladioli are susceptible to Penicillium storage rot, a mold that grows on wounded or bruised corms. Scab is a bacterial disease spread by splashing water or bulb mites.

Gladiolus corms should be dug up before the first hard frost, ideally four to six weeks after they have finished flowering. You can gently brush some of the soil off, but leave a thin layer of soil on the corms. Remove the foliage from the corms and place them on a screen to dry for one to three weeks in a cool (60-70°F) shady area. Remove the new corms from the “old� corm and discard the original corm. Store the new corms in a paper bag or plastic mesh bag. Label the bag with the flower color and variety name. Keep the bags in a cool area, around 40°F, where the corms will not freeze, such as a basement or attached garage.

Occasionally check the corms for signs of decay or disease. Time to discard those corms if there are any signs of trouble! Some symptoms of scab are a pale yellow spot that turns to a brown sunken spot and eventually oozes a gummy substance.

Dahlias are tuberous plants that you should enjoy as long as possible in your garden. Wait until hard frosts turn the foliage completely black before carefully digging up the tubers. Cut the foliage and stems back to two inches and drain off any water that may be in the stems. Gently wash soil off the tubers, but be sure they are not wet before storing them. Leave a small amount of soil on the dahlias. Let the tubers air out in a humid area for one to three days before storing them. The reason a humid area is preferred is so that the tuber does not completely dry out. The tubers can be stored in a box with a black plastic lining filled with sawdust, horticultural grade vermiculite or peat moss. Avoid using garden soil as it may have weed, disease or insect organisms. Keep the boxes in a cool damp area, 35- 45°F. Label the box with the variety name and flower color.

Occasionally check the tubers for disease issues and make sure that they don’t dehydrate. You might need to sprinkle the media with a little water to keep the tubers from drying out.

The procedure for tuberous Begonias and Caladiums is similar to Dahlias. Once frost has killed the foliage, dig up the tubers and allow them to air dry for a week. Remove the stems from the tubers and shake off excess soil. The Begonias and Caladiums can be stored in paper bags or plastic mesh bags fill with peat moss, perlite or horticultural grade vermiculite. Don’t forget to label the bags! Caladiums prefer to be stored in peat moss and at temperatures of 65-70°F. Cannas can multiply themselves quite nicely with their rhizomes. Once hard frosts have killed the foliage, allow the foliage to die back and then cut the foliage off. Carefully dig up the rhizomes and gently remove the soil. You can label the rhizome with a permanent marker revealing its variety name and color. Rhizomes can be stored in a crate or slotted box at 45-50°F, taking care that they don’t freeze.

Your summer-flowering friends will enjoy their winter break and be ready for spring planting!

Editor’s Note: The Union County Master Gardener’s HELP LINE fields hundreds of citizen inquiries a year – offering assistance with their indoor as well as outdoor gardening and pest control questions. Responses to resident phone calls and on-site visits comply with current Rutgers NJ Agricultural Experiment Station recommendations. Union County residents can call (908) 654-9852 or email mastergardeners@ucnj.org for assistance. A complete listing of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) offices where you can contact a Master Gardener in your area can be found on page 22 of The Gardener News. Free RCE fact sheets are available at www.njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs.

Gardener News

September, 2014 17

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18 September, 2014

Gardener News

Grow It and They Will Come!

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey This summer had me in the depths of despair over the dwindling numbers of bees and butterflies that I’ve been seeing in my yard, community garden, down at LBI, plus receiving reports from all over the state of others experiencing the same phenomena. In desperation for some good news, I turned to old friends in Branchburg, which has buoyed my spirits and given me even more resolve to continue on the mission to educate the public of the need to grow our pollinator population, one yard at a time.

My acquaintance with Johan Maertens and Reinilde Heyrman dates back to 2009 when the couple reached out to the Neshanic Garden Club wishing to share their unique and wonderful gardens with an appreciative audience. We were awestruck with their dedication to creating a parklike setting featuring native plants and subsequently awarded them the Random Acts of Beauty Award as part of a program fostered by National Garden Clubs, Inc., in getting its member clubs to recognize outstanding landscaping and/or gardens in their individual communities, a way of inspiring beauty in yards and gardens throughout our nation.

We have since kept in touch sporadically, and I asked if I might visit them and their gardens.

They graciously consented and I was absolutely delighted and incredulous over the thousands of bees, wasps and butterflies partaking of the nectar and pollen in amazing abundance throughout their landscape. Johan stated that it was not their intention to attract pollinators, but their initial goal many years ago was to create a park so that they really had no need to travel, but just revel at the beauty and activity generated by their native plant oasis. Actually, Johan refers to

it as an island and wants others to create their own islands so we have a connective corridor for our pollinators. I find them totally inspiring and a fascinating couple, indeed.

They originally came from Belgium, settling into a suburban community here in New Jersey, which led them into making the most of their new environment. They sought to eliminate the invasives that had taken up residency in their new 1.7-acre property, and contacted a landscaper specializing in native plants (not easy to find). Meanwhile, to protect their investment, they erected an eight-foot fence around the perimeter of their property only to run afoul of a Branchburg ordinance limiting fences in front of a house to four feet. Anyone knows that a mere four foot fence is a piece of cake for our nimble deer to negotiate, so they do have deer incursions and saw the birth of twin fawns in their back yard. Because of their inability to prevent deer from feasting in their gardens, Johan and Reinilde have had some of their initial native plants eliminated or to survive in far fewer numbers than they had hoped.

So what do they have that are deer resistant and completely irresistible to our pollinators? They have, my gardening friends, sweeps of many kinds of mints. Johan states that deer are repelled by the strong fragrances of our native mints, including various mountain mints and monardas.

They also have penstemons, foam flower, coreopsis, cinquefoil, Indian strawberries, wild geraniums (cranesbill), coneflowers, native iris and gaura. The numbers of bees and wasps, not to mention a few question mark butterflies, skippers, swallowtails and monarchs are mind-boggling indeed.

Some of the bees that seem to have taken up permanent residence in Johan and Reinilde’s

yard are: Agapostemon Melliventris, Anthidium Manicatum, Apis Mellifera, Bombus Griseocollis, Bombus impatiens, Ceratina Calcarata, ChrysididaeSp, Halictus Ligatus, Lasioglossum, Megachile Mendica, Sphecodes Heraclei and Xylocopa Virginica. They provide food for our pollinators from early-spring to frost and beyond. Trees include native red buds, local cherry trees, wild prune and apple trees, American sycamores and a fabulous Linden tree among others. Shrubs include sumacs and fothergillas.

They tirelessly seek to eliminate invasives such as Japanese honeysuckle, stilt grass, etc., by the old method of hand pulling, which beats toxic pesticide use by a long shot. They love the nature that spills all around them and have dedicated, according to Johan, about 45 percent of their property (he excludes house, drive-way, lawn, and vegetable garden) to sweeps of native plants that are just awesome to see. Johan does allow herbs that are not native, as he wishes to have host plants for our black swallowtails and he says that bees absolutely love marjoram.

His advice: “When you grow it, do not mow it� and “Grow it, and they will come.�

Johan says he’s a super GAPer and hopes their garden serves as a template for others to emulate.

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Community Garden Chair and the Butterflies & BeeGAP Chair for the Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc., and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc., Accredited Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie can be reached by emailing jeannieg42@ earthlink.net Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www.gardenclubofnewjersey.com and phone number is 732-249-0947.

Continued Demand for Farmers Markets :$6+,1*721 ' & ʊ 7KH 8 6 'HSDUWPHQW RI Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator Anne Alonzo announced today that USDA’s National Farmers Market Directory now lists 8,268 markets, an increase of 76 percent since 2008. The data reflects continued demand and growth of farmers markets in every region of the country. Alonzo also announced that AMS is developing three new local food directories that will expand USDA’s support for local and regional foods by providing easy access to the most current information about the local food market.

Alonzo made the announcements at the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison, Wisconsin, the country’s largest produceronly market, where she kicked off the 15th annual “National Farmers Market Week�, from August 3 through 9, 2014. “The National Farmers Market Directory numbers reflect the continued importance of farmers markets to American agriculture.

Since its inception, the directory has proven to be a valuable tool for accessing up-to-date information about local farmers markets,� Alonzo said. “Farmers markets play an extremely important role for both farmers and consumers. They bring urban and rural communities together while creating economic growth and increasing access to fresh, healthy foods.�

The USDA National Farmers Market Directory, available at farmersmarkets.usda.gov, provides information about U.S. farmers market locations, directions, operating times, product offerings, and much more. The data is collected via voluntary selfreporting by operating farmers market managers and is searchable by zip code, product mix, and other criteria. The National Farmers Market Directory receives over 2 million hits annually.

In addition to USDA’s National Farmers Market Directory, AMS is adding: ‡ 86'$œV 1DWLRQDO &RPPXQLW\ 6XSSRUWHG $JULFXOWXUH &6$

Enterprise Directory A CSA is a farm or network/association of multiple farms that offer consumers regular deliveries of locally-grown farm products during one or more harvest season(s) on a subscription or membership basis. ‡ 86'$œV 1DWLRQDO )RRG +XE 'LUHFWRU\ A Food Hub is a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products to multiple buyers from multiple producers, primarily local and regional producers, to strengthen the ability of these producers to satisfy local and regional wholesale, retail, and institutional demand. ‡ 86'$œV 1DWLRQDO 2Q )DUP 0DUNHW 'LUHFWRU\ An On-Farm Market is a farm market managed by a single farm operator that sells agricultural and/or horticultural products directly to consumers from a location on their farm property or on property adjacent to that farm.

USDA invites local food business owners who fall within these categories to list their operational details in the new directories www.usdalocalfooddirectories.com. These new directories will be available online early in 2015, giving potential customers, business partners, and community planners easy, one-stop access to the most current information about different sources of local foods.

2014 Directory Highlights According to USDA’s 2014 National Farmers Market Directory, the states with the most farmers markets reported are California (764 markets), New York (638 markets), Michigan (339 markets), Ohio (311 markets), Illinois (309 markets), Massachusetts (306 markets), Pennsylvania (297 markets), Wisconsin (295 markets), Virginia (249 markets), and Missouri (245 markets). All geographic regions saw increases in their market listings, with the most growth in the South. The 10 states with the biggest increases in the numbers of farmers markets include Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Arkansas, North Carolina, Montana, Florida and Nebraska. Five of these states – Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and North Carolina – are part of USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity, where USDA has increased investment in rural communities through intensive outreach and stronger partnerships.

Farmers market development is a cornerstone of USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative, which coordinates the Department’s policy, resources, and outreach efforts related to local and regional food systems. Secretary Vilsack has identified strengthening local food systems as one of the four pillars of USDA’s commitment to rural economic development.

Gardener News What a summer this has been! This has got to be one of the mildest and most pleasant summers we have had in a really long time.

In fact, this was one of those summers where there weren’t many days or nights with people running to be indoors in air-conditioned rooms. Outdoors was the place to be. In the parks, on porches, having barbeques and outdoor dining, running to the beaches, anything and everything outdoors.

There weren’t many days where temps hit above 95, and more importantly, the nighttime temps stayed moderate as well, staying into the 80s and even the 70s.

There were even a few nights that got into the upper 50s.

Except for the occasional torrential downpour and thunderstorms, usually in the overnight hours, the days offered plenty of sun.

These formulations made for very favorable growing conditions for the New Jersey landscape.

Phew, finally some good weather conditions for our landscapes (and for peace of mind). It has been a long I go to the Farmer’s Market on a regular basis, and guess what is the new hip word? Duh, of course it is, “Ornamedibles.”

You put the word in the title you bonehead, as my redheaded nephew would say to me with a big smile on his face. Anyway, a local Maine gardener guy named Tom Atwell passed the word along and it has gotten popular. For the last six years, ever since the last recession, people have shown an increasing interest in growing their own food and/or buying organic, but there is a new catch - they want the food to look… pretty?

Hmmmm, I think to myself. Do I care if my vegetables look pretty or not?

Geez, I’m a big tough guy, played football… hmmm?

Whoa!!! Yes I do want my vegetables to look pretty and the reason why is not only for my female guests that I cook the occasional dinner for, but when I buy organic it is mucho expensive so yes, I want it to look good as well. I am an American, right? No way I’m going

September, 2014 19 The Professional Grower

By Tim Hionis Greenhouse Specialist

Great weather for great growing time coming. With the long, cold winter recently, and a couple hurricanes to destroy things beforehand, mixed in with some hot and humid summers, this summer’s beautiful weather became a welcomed surprise. This beautiful weather helps raise people’s spirits, especially in an industry that’s been getting punched in the gut the past few years with the erratic climate.

Talking to many gardening professionals, the majority of responses were pleasant. The majority of the conversations were all very similar in nature. It was a slow start, but once the weather cooperated, everything went well. In fact, it became difficult to find merchandise with color to meet the demand. With

the late winter, the growers didn’t have enough time to put down another crop as their tables were emptying out. The demand for color was very intense. People were searching for anything with color, even in the later days of July and August.

The weather is one of the most important ingredients in growing a great product and having it perform well in the landscape. Without good weather conditions, even the most experienced grower has difficulty producing a good product. Think of a great chef cooking without having fire as his tool to make food.

The chef becomes very limited on what they can accomplish.

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, it’s time to get in those fields and get those

mums out into the landscape.

The changing of the seasons is upon us. The turning of the leaves, the return of the school buses to pick up the kids for school, the smell of the cool, crisp air, and the great things that come with the fall. It’s also time to change out the color in the landscape, time to put in all things that come with season.

Mums, Mums, Mums, but that’s not all. There’s a great selection of color to pick from. There are items like ornamental cabbage and kale, fall and winter pansies, ornamental peppers, fallblooming Asters, to name a few. September is a great time to plant perennials and ornamental grasses to help get them established in the ground and get a jump on next spring and summer.

The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

“Ornamedibles….what the…?!” to pay $3 for some bumpy, patchy dirty tomato….that beef-steak tomato better be round, bright red and shiny!

OK, who coined the word ornamedibles?

It was Christina Salwitz from Renton, Wash., who talked about “pretty” edibles in a lecture at New England Grows in Boston this spring. “The easiest way to grow plants and make the garden look great, as well as the dinner table, is to select edible plants that are beautiful,” she says.

Garden centers would sell a lot more ornamedibles if they displayed them front and center. There are all kinds of blueberry and fig shrubs that make not only attractive but delicious ground cover.

And, as an added bonus, blueberry shrubs turn bright

red in the fall! She said that Tuscan Kale is a beautiful plant with contrasting foliage colors. Another idea is to grow three different types of basil together, creating a wonderfully attractive mix of green and purple leaves.

Giant artichoke plants make a wonderful V shape with their big leaves. Even a tomato plant can be beautiful, especially as the fruit begins to ripen and get red or, in some cases, white?! White tomatoes? Wow, wicked cool!

Salwitz said she likes to quote Roz Creasy, who is her idol as a pioneer in edible landscaping art, who told her, “It’s hilarious if you really want to freak your dinner guests out by growing white tomatoes and using them with white tomato

sauce in a pasta dish and don’t tell them what they are about to eat. It is uber delicious.” And of course, the white tomato plant looks great in the artfully landscaped ornamedibles garden. She likes to use lettuce, Swiss chard and cabbage as understory plants in the rows between the taller corn stalks. Hah, who would have guessed that the garden has now become a hip art form? She also plants “Alpine” strawberries for their super intense chartreuse foliage and the berries are amazingly sweet to boot.

But let’s not limit the artful garden to just edibles.

Mix in some petunias and cranes bill geraniums with the broccoli and coleus. You get the idea, and there are a lot of plants to choose from

Remember to plant as early in the fall as possible to assure the perennials have a chance to get established in their new environment and be protected from harsh winters. Hopefully, this winter will not be even remotely as harsh as last winter.

Well, I’m looking forward to and hoping this trend of favorable weather continues into this upcoming season and the next few seasons afterwards. By the end of this month, it will be time to plant all the spring bulbs so we can be ready for next year’s spring. By the time the bulbs will be planted, it’ll be just around the time poinsettias will be turning their colors into the brilliant reds for the holiday season. Soon those bells will be ringing, too.

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. to create your garden palette.

Now let’s take this garden architecture one step further. Salwitz found an antique horse trough on legs for plants that like shade, and in it she grew peppers because there the soil stays warmer. You can grow beans on a trellis – I did that as a kid and they are delicious cooked or raw. This is also a great way to teach your kids about food and if your garden is a beautiful architectural wonder, all the better.

Here in Maine, and most any place that is in a rural setting, an attractive deerand rodent-proof fence can also be used to grow beans and there are numerous beautiful flowering vines that love sunlight. Salwitz grew garlic and said that you haven’t lived until you have a three year old that comes in the house from the garden asking Mom for a glass of water with major garlic breath.

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

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

20 September, 2014

Gardener News

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Gardener News Another summer has come to a close…but not so fast my friends.

There is still another month of usually great weather, warm water and plenty of activities to be had. ’Tis the season of the outdoor festivals as well.

Check online to find out where and when. The seafood festival in Point Pleasant Beach is always a good time, as well as the Lavallette town festival, formerly known as Heritage Day. These are just a couple of the many festivals up and down our beautiful coast. Don’t forget that the beaches are now free, there are no lifeguards or badge checkers and you can generally swim or surf wherever you would like. The weekends, weather permitting, are still very busy down here, but nothing like summertime. The lines for rides have shortened, as have the waits at your favorite shore restaurants.

I’m now looking forward to The Crab’s Claw Inn’s annual Jersey Fresh/Jersey Seafood dinner that features wine from local New Jersey wineries.

The focus is on as many food items from the Garden State as possible. This will be our fifth dinner, and I am proud to be It’s time to tuck away the bathing suits and the flip-flops.

It’s time to put the sand pails and beach balls away. It’s time to get out the long pants and shirts, dig out the light sweaters and take a deep breath. The nights will be coming sooner and the mornings will be coming later. It is all part of our fall serenade.

A frantic routine is about to take place, a pace that nobody has been part of for two months or so. It is time to get our heads together and get to that fall place. Kind of like jumping on a treadmill that is in motion; if you don’t move your feet quickly enough, you will surely stumble and maybe even fall.

I like the fall, personally.

It is probably my favorite time of year. Not too hot, not too cold. The leaves are starting to turn, and we are still cutting the grass. Warm during the day and cool nights for great sleeping. It is a time of change that prompts change all around us.

Inevitably, someone will suggest you try something new in your life; new diet, new hairstyle, new food trends, etc. Whether you like trying something new or not, it is usually a positive experience

September, 2014 21 From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Greetings from the Jersey Shore! part of such a great event that promotes agriculture.

This month’s recipe will be fish tacos! A big seller for us this past summer. They are great because you can use almost any type of fish and it can be cooked a few different ways.

At the restaurant, we serve ours with a shredded red cabbage and cilantro slaw, chipotle ranch sauce, and a sprinkle of cheese, salsa and lime wedges are served on the side. So basically, this will be a recipe with three or four parts, all quite easy.

Crab’s Claw fish tacos with cilantro slaw and chipotle ranch (serves two easily) -1 lb. or less of fresh fish (tuna, bass, sword, grouper, flounder, etc. will all work fine) rinsed and cut into large chunks -1 tsp.(more or less depending upon spiciness desired) blackening or Cajun

seasoning -1/2 of a head of shredded red cabbage, soaked in cold water and rinsed well -1 bunch of fresh cilantro, washed, leaves picked discarding stems, then roughly chopped -salt and pepper to taste -juice of 1 lime -1 tsp. +1/2 tsp. light olive oil, or veg oil -1/2 cup ranch dressing -1 tsp. chipotle sauce from one small can of chipotles in adobo, found in the Goya section of most supermarkets -1 pkg. 6-inch flour or corn tortillas, ( I like flour for these) -1/2 cup shredded cheese, (jack, cheddar, queso fresco, etc. will all work) method-combine the ranch dressing and tsp. of chipotle sauce in a blender and blend until smooth,

set aside - using a medium-sized bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, cilantro, lime juice,1/2 tsp. oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside -set a medium sauté or skillet pan over medium heat for a few minutes to allow to get hot. Add 1 tsp. oil and swirl around pan -season fish with blackening seasoning and toss together gently -add fish to pan and using a plastic heat resistant spatula sauté fish until just cooked through, breaking up fish into smaller pieces -using a large non-stick pan heat up tortillas until pliable, about 30 seconds per side in a pan over medium heat -assemble tacos by spooning in some of the fish first, followed by the cheese,

Passionate About Produce

By Paul Kneeland The King of Produce

Back to the Future for me, especially with food.

New textures, tastes and flavors give a new perspective on food, a new appreciation for what you have never dared taste. Of course, there are items that I would never try just because; and without going into gory details of food trends that would never come to my house, just let your imagination go.

In the food business, we have seen a re-emergence of “heirloom” items becoming the trend. Loosely, heirloom means an item that has been passed down generationally. Usually it is something very special and valuable. We sometimes think of family heirlooms, grandma’s wedding dress, mother’s pearl necklace, etc. Heirloom in the food business is very similar.

Growing heirloom vegetables and fruits take care and cunning. Usually heirlooms

are grown on smaller, family farms because the amount of seed available would not support widespread commercial growing operations. When you buy most heirloom items in store, you will be supporting smaller farms.

Heirloom products usually are more pest-resistant and require less pesticide use in the fields. What that does is keep the product pure, reduce the cost to grow, and allows the plant to grow more naturally.

Heirloom products generally are not as “perfect” looking as commercially grown, but in the end it is worth the flavor.

Heirloom apples have become very popular among foodies. Because of the variety of shapes and colors and sizes, and the different tastes and textures, they have become a great product for dessert and

for garnish. They have even been seen in floral centerpieces and in weddings. Heirloom apples will start coming out in September and only last through early-December which is another unique attribute – they have a season!

Heirloom tomatoes are extremely popular among lovers of tomatoes. And guess what, the flavor is phenomenal.

The tomatoes vary in size and color. There are some that are smooth, some that have ridges, some that have low seed cavities and some that cut like a picture.

Heirloom tomatoes are actually as popular organically grown as they are conventionally grown.

There are varieties of heirloom cooking vegetables also, such as beets and carrots.

There are literally hundreds of varieties with different colors and flavors and textures.

a drizzle of the chipotle ranch, and a nice big pinch of the red cabbage- cilantro mixture -serve with your favorite salsa(homemade if possible), sour cream and a few lime wedges.

ENJOY! Pico de Gallo (fresh salsa) 2 ripe tomatoes, diced 1/2 medium sized onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 bunch cilantro, cleaned, stems removed and chopped fine 1 ripe avocado, halved, seed removed, skin removed and diced Juice of 1 lime Salt and pepper to taste -combine all ingredients and let sit for at least a half an hour before serving 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.

Restaurant chefs really love having the variety available and on the menu. It is unique and it tastes good. It serves the new trend of having local produce on menus of popular restaurants. But be careful, one week they are on, the next week they are not.

Proteins are not to be outdone by the heirloom trend.

Heirloom chickens, turkeys, and pigs have provided some outstanding flavors to the most discriminating palettes.

Purely grown and raised food items using the processes of the past have come back to tempt our taste buds. And are we ever happy about it! The past comes knocking on our door once again.

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

22 September, 2014

Gardener News RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PHONE DIRECTORY

Atlantic Region Farm Production Expenditures Top $45 Billion in 2013 +$55,6%85* 3$ ʊ )DUP 3URGXFWLRQ ([SHQGLWXUHV LQ WKH $WODQWLF 5HJLRQ LV HVWLPDWHG DW $45.5 billion for 2013, up from $43.5 billion in 2012. The 2013 Total Farm production expenditures are up 5.0 percent compared with 2012 Total Farm production expenditures. The 2012 revised estimate is up from last year’s estimate of $42.6 billion due to revised 2012 Census farm numbers.

The four largest expenditures for the Atlantic Region total $24.3 billion and account for 53.3 percent of Total Expenditures in 2013. These include Feed, 23.8 percent, Labor, 10.4 percent, Livestock, poultry and related expenses, 9.6 percent, and Farm services, 9.5 percent.

In 2013, the Atlantic Region Total Farm expenditure average per farm is $109,480 compared with $104,538 in 2012, up 4.7 percent. On average, Atlantic Region farm operations spent $26,011 on Feed, $11,357 on labor, $10,563 on Farm services, and $10,443 on livestock, poultry and related expenses. For 2012, Atlantic Region farms spent an average of $24,010 on Feed, $11,693 on Farm services, $10,300 on Labor, and $9,532 on Livestock, poultry and related expenses.

Total Fuel expense for the region is $2.2 billion. Diesel, the largest sub-component, is $1.3 billion, accounting for 59.5 percent. Diesel expenditures are up 12.9 percent from the previous year. Gasoline is $460 million, up 4.5 percent. LP gas is $290 million, down 3.3 percent. Other fuel is $140 million, down 12.5 percent.

Farm Production Expenditures in the United States is estimated at $367.3 billion for 2013, up from $360.1 billion in 2012. The 2013 Total farm production expenditures are up 2.0 percent compared with 2012 Total farm production expenditures. Nearly all expenditure items increased from the previous year.

The 2012 revised estimate is up from last year’s estimate by $8.3 billion due to revised 2012 Census farm numbers.

The four largest expenditures at the United States level total $167.6 billion and account for 45.6 percent of Total expenditures in 2013. These include Feed, 17.0 percent, Farm services, 10.6 percent, Livestock, poultry and related expenses, 9.3 percent, and Labor, 8.7 percent.

In 2013, the United States Total farm expenditure average per farm is $175,270 compared with $171,309 in 2012, up 2.3 percent. On average, United States farm operations spent $29,779 on Feed, $18,612 on Farm Services, $16,321 on Livestock, poultry and related expenses, and $15,271 on labor.

For 2012, United States farms spent an average of $28,781 on Feed, $19,552 on Farm Services, $15,937 on Livestock, poultry and related expenses, and $15,128 on Labor.

Total Fuel expense is $16.4 billion. Diesel, the largest sub-component, is $10.9 billion, accounting for 66.5 percent. Diesel expenditures are up 4.8 percent from the previous year. Gasoline is $3.0 billion, down 3.2 percent. LP gas is $1.8 billion, up 25.7 percent. Other fuel is $740 million, up 5.7 percent.

The United States Economic Sales Class contributing most to the 2013 United States Total expenditures is the $1,000,000 -$4,999,999 class with expenses of $132.1 billion (36.0 percent of the United States total), up 4.1 percent from the 2012 level of $127.0 billion. The $5,000,000 and Over class follows it with $79.0 billion, up from $74.0 billion in 2012.

Gardener News The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 137 Published Monthly Contact Information Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff Executive Editor/ Publisher . . . .

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

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Tom Castronovo Justin Kukuc Tom Castronovo

September Columnists Tom Castronovo Tim Hionis Evan Dickerson Paul Kneeland Craig Korb Douglas H. Fisher

Todd Pretz Jody Shilan Bob LaHoff Peter Melick Richard Perkins David Williams

Contributing Writers Bruce Crawford Jeannie Geremia

Kathleen Salisbury Union Co. Master Gardeners

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TIP OF THE MONTH

Diagnosis of plant problems is often a very difficult task since there can be many different causes for a given symptom. Soil nutrition and texture, weather conditions, lighting and many other environmental and cultural conditions influence the overall health of a plant. Insect damage can sometimes be confused with plant disease caused by microorganisms or abiotic factors. Knowing a complete history of the plant is essential to making an accurate diagnosis.

Gardener News

September, 2014 23

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Gardener News

An Abundant Apple Season Fall harvest delights the senses with unforgettable tastes and aromas.

Robust Organic Granny Smith Apples are the perfect excuse to indulge in a homemade breakfast. This Apple French Toast is made to perfection using Petcher’s thick sliced egg bread and our own Organic maple syrup bottled in small batches in the heart of Vermont.

Visit kingsfoodmarkets.com/recipes to discover this and other recipes. Celebrate the tastes of the season.

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