Gardener News April 2016

TAKE ONE April, 2016

Gardener News Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 156

Could 2016 be the Year of the Carrot for You?

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

National Garden Bureau/Photo

I was always told to eat my carrots when I was a kid.

And I think that’s because people around the world have eaten carrots for thousands of years. Most of all, it’s because my parents told me to eat them.

Peeling them was always fun at the kitchen table. They made a mess. I loved the crunch when I was done. The home-made dips were tasty as well.

I still eat carrots, Mom and Dad. Now I enjoy them with Jamaican jerk flavored wings. Yum! I also eat them because carrots are delicious and nutritious.

While carrots are one of the top-10 most economically important vegetable crops in the world, they also are one of the most popular vegetables WR JURZ LQ KRPH JDUGHQV ʊ and for good reason.

According to the National Garden Bureau, the Vitamin A that is derived from Beta Carotene found in orange carrots does aid in overall eye health. But, you won’t be able to have full-fledged night vision from eating an abundance of carrots, as some have purported.

Your skin, however, can turn yellow from eating an abundance of carrots. Not to worry though, the yellowing will go away after a few weeks as long as you cut down on the carrot intake.

The ancestor to the (Cont. on Page 22)

2 April, 2016

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April, 2016 3

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4 April, 2016 April is the time to make landscape and planting decisions and preparations that affect how you expect your garden areas to function and appear.

Do you want more privacy or a place to do more entertaining? Maybe you are thinking of a serenity or meditation garden, adding a vegetable and fruit growing area or more shade around your home.

Look around and begin to envision – once that happens, you will want to make a plan, and there is no shortage of ways to get advice. Regardless of whom you turn to, there are universally accepted steps to get ready to make your vision a reality.

Think about your plant hardiness zone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an online map that you can find your zone by typing in your zip code. You can find it at: http://planthardiness.ars.usda. gov/PHZMWeb/#. The map helps gardeners and growers determine which plants are most likely to thrive in their area. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. New Jersey is in

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Spring into April with Jersey Grown Plants, Trees and Shrubs zones 6-7, which means the last frost on average occurs midApril to mid-May, depending on where you are in the state.

Planting seeds at the right time helps you get the most out of your garden.

If you are planting a vegetable garden, there is a lot of good information on the web to help you determine when to start your seeds indoors, plant the seeds or transplant.

Generally, Mother’s Day is considered the earliest date to plant seeds in the ground in Central New Jersey. That also is a good time to plant annual bedding plants.

Next, you might like to test your soil to ensure it has the proper nutrients for what you intend to plant. Rutgers Cooperative Extension offers soil testing to residents https://njaes.rutgers.edu/

soiltestinglab/. Soil testing kits can be purchased from your local county Extension office.

Now is one of the best times to test, prior to spring fertilization.

Soil testing should be repeated every two to three years.

Now, look at your space and decide what you would like to see. Do you want to add a fire pit, built-in barbecue grill, a water feature? Do you want a mix of greens and blooms?

Figure out what grows well in full-sun, partial-sun and shade.

Do you have empty spots that need filling? Have some things not made it through the winter and need to be replaced?

Whatever you decide, you choose your surroundings to suit your needs.

Your local nursery or garden center offers great assistance, advising you about the types of plants that would

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning actor Richard Thomas, best known for his leading role as budding author John “John-Boy” Walton, Jr., in the CBS drama The Waltons, looks over a copy of the Gardener News while visiting the great Garden State.

work for your space, all the way up to providing landscape design service. You can find New Jersey nurseries and garden centers by going to the Jersey Grown website at www. jerseygrown.nj.gov.

A great option to ensure you are buying plant material accustomed to New Jersey’s growing conditions and soil is to seek out plants, trees, shrubs and annuals that are marked Jersey Grown, the Department of Agriculture’s program for New Jersey-grown plant material. The program certifies the items were grown in New Jersey, are checked for quality and are disease- and pest-free.

We have a list of Jersey Grown suppliers on the Jersey Grown website http://jerseygrown. nj.gov/industry/jgsuppliers.html and be sure to look for Jersey Grown signage at retailers.

Make sure to tend to your lawn and the trees, shrub and plants that are already thriving in your landscape. Again, your local nursery or garden center can advise you on what actions should be taken this month to keep up with your garden.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension also offers a wide variety of fact sheets to help you.

Designing and maintaining a garden can be one of the most personal and fulfilling things, which will last through the rest of the year. With your inspiration and the actions you take in the month of April, you soon will be enjoying your blooms, fruits, vegetables and foliage.

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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April, 2016 5

6 April, 2016

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE From the Director’s Desk

Rutgers Outreach Provided by Larry S. Katz, Ph.D. Director New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Celebrates Rutgers 250 Showcasing New Jersey agriculture and aquaculture inspired by decades of Rutgers breeding This year, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, celebrates a yearlong commemoration of its 250th anniversary, culminating on November 10, 2016.

In celebration, the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) is highlighting varieties of trees, vegetables, herbs, fruits and shellfish developed through decades of outstanding research in NJAES breeding programs. Rutgers varieties are cultivated using traditional, non-GMO breeding techniques. Selecting for desirable traits such as disease resistance and quality is an important strategy for naturally managing pests, reducing pesticide use, and increasing profits.

Did you ever wonder why foods of the same family can taste vastly different from one another? The answer is likely more complex than you can imagine. It’s a combination of minerals and nutrients present in the soil, air quality, water quality and climate, in addition to human inputs such as farming techniques and breeding programs. Many species of fruits, vegetables, ornamental trees and shellfish wouldn’t exist without human intervention.

Hundreds of years ago, starting before the founding of America, Native Americans were already crossing varieties of plants to produce offspring that could be used as a source of food.

If it wasn’t for their experimentation, corn as we know it would not exist. It’s no surprise that by the 21st Century, we have been able to discover methods of careful selection and cross-breeding that will yield plants with higher nutrition, natural disease resistance, climate change tolerance, increased yields, preferred appearance and improved overall quality.

NJAES provides funding for many research programs that improve the quality of agricultural products. Typically, the way this works is scientists first identify a trait that needs improvement.

Then, they select for the individual plants in a test trial that meets the desirable trait criteria.

After that, there are crosses between members of the parent generation to produce progeny with superior traits. This process is repeated over the course of multiple generations in order to reach the research goals of each breeding program, which also takes into account provisions for food safety and security, climate change and local production. Rutgers NJAES centers conduct research that positively impacts the surrounding natural, economic and social environments.

Scientists at Rutgers are helping nature reach its full potential by promoting life that can withstand the elements. Similar to the tests done by Gregor Mendel, the father of modern genetics, in the 1800s, researchers at Rutgers are crossing plants with desirable traits to produce superior offspring. This process of selection and crossing is known as hybridization and is a natural way to reach positive results.

Given the ever-changing environment in which we live, research like this could prove to save our food system. The NJAES contributes research to support local agriculture in New Jersey and across the world. In addition to food, this research also goes to improve the beauty of our landscapes and sporting arenas. Rutgers NJAES scientists are actively working to find solutions to environmental stresses, such as drought and other unpredictable weather conditions.

The NJAES is able to conduct such research with the help of grant funding, loans and donations. These contributions go to support a variety of topics encompassing local agriculture, aquaculture, community outreach, education, nutrition and health, and related areas of economic and workforce development across New Jersey. Supporting the NJAES impacts more than just the future of the Garden State. It also results in the development of positive international relationships.

Naturally, it makes sense to promote the growth of foods that are higher in nutrition.

Sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide is another positive result of plant growth.

Environmentally, more nutrients in the plant matter also translate to higher nutrition in food and soil.

Economically, developing foods with higher yields helps lower prices and provides consumers with more value for their dollars. The implications for public health and cost reduction are huge. Developing new and improved varieties of plants and shellfish helps to address critical agricultural and aquaculture topics for farming and fishing communities.

Socially, local food production supports active community participation in agriculture. Some examples include home gardening, local farm markets and farm-to-table restaurants. Creating social networks and engaging community members is an important way to become involved in the local food movement.

Looking to a bright future, plant breeders are tapping into new industries and covering a broader scope. Currently, new products such as tomatoes, strawberries and dogwood trees are being studied and bred to better fit New Jersey’s climate, in addition to being disease-resistant and appealing to consumers. Like many of the other plant breeders, pests can become a major nuisance for home gardeners and farmers alike. Through its discoveries, Rutgers NJAES supports local agriculture, improved consumer health and enhanced nutrition of land and water.

For more about our breeding products, visit: http://breeding.rutgers.edu.

Editor’s Note: Larry S. Katz, Ph.D. is Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), Senior Associate Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and a Professor of Animal Science. RCE delivers wide-ranging educational programs in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, urban and community outreach, youth development, food, nutrition and health, and related areas of economic and workforce development across New Jersey. Dr. Katz can be reached at 848-932-3591. Visit: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/extension/

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Important farm management lessons to help women succeed Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) will present a full day workshop, “Empowering Women Farmers with Agricultural Business Management Training,” in Bridgewater, NJ, on May 12.

The workshop is designed to educate women on risk management strategies and provide tools for successful business management.

Participants will have access to invaluable tools to help sustain their farm business, including the expertise of Antoine Gambin, an international social media specialist from Malta, who will address the topic, “Using Websites, Social Media and Smart Phones to Market your Products and Services.”

“This shortened version of Rutgers’ popular three-day or six-evening course is perfect for busy women who can’t leave the farm for three days or six evenings but want to brush up on their business management skills,” says RCE farm management specialist Robin Brumfield.

“Farm women will gain the essentials on preparing a business plan, considered a vital roadmap to success for any business,” adds Brumfield.

Presentations will include “Why Having a Business Plan is Important for Financing,” “Developing a Mission/Vision Statement,” and “Talking with Your Family about Transition on Your Farm” and more. A panel discussion featuring women farmers and networking opportunities are also a part of the event.

Valuable door prizes are available for all participants, as well as an early bird registration of $40 if registering by April 24. Thereafter, registration costs $50; a discount is available for additional participants from the same farm at $40 each. As a bonus, optional one-on-one financial consulting sessions will be available to all participants at no extra cost.

To register, visit www.cpe.rutgers.edu/EMWOFA. For additional questions, contact Laura Kenny at lglad@rutgers.edu.

Ag Field Day at Rutgers Day April 30, 2016 Ag Field Day is an annual celebration of our community spirit and of the close ties enjoyed by Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences students, faculty, staff, alumni, and volunteers, and New Jersey residents.

Ag Field Day is part of a larger, campus-wide Rutgers Day. For decades, Ag Field Day has been an opportunity for members of the public to learn about and participate in our programs. Rutgers Day built on that tradition and invited the community to learn more about Rutgers University through tours, performances, hands-on activities, demonstrations, exhibits, and lectures across the G. H. Cook/Douglass, Busch, Livingston, and College Avenue Campuses.

Marine Scientist Diane Adams Wins International Bergmann Memorial Award Diane Adams, assistant professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, received the 2015 Bergmann Memorial Award, which recognizes promising young scientists who are recipients of new grants from the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF). This award, which comes with an additional $5,000 award over the value of the grant, was established in February 1976 to honor E.D. Bergmann, an organic chemistry researcher who played a leading role in establishing the BSF. Adams is engaged in ongoing research on “Coral Biomineralization” with Tali Mass, former Rutgers postdoctoral fellow who is now a professor at the University of Haifa, Israel. Mass is also a 2015 Bergmann Memorial Award winner, and evenly shares the research grant of $150,000 with Adams for their joint project. Their research on understanding how corals make their very first skeletons in different climates, will focus on the expression and function of highly acidic proteins found in corals from temperate to tropical waters. These proteins were first discovered in the lab of Paul Falkowski, distinguished professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences and inaugural Bennett L. Smith Chair in Business and Natural Resources.

A Small Dragonfly Is Found to Be the World’s Longest-Distance Flyer A dragonfly barely an inch and a half long appears to be animal world’s most prolific long distance traveler – flying thousands of miles over oceans as it migrates from continent to continent – according to newly published research.

Biologists at Rutgers University-Newark (RU-N) who led the study – which appears in the journal PLOS ONE – say the evidence is in the genes. They found that populations of this dragonfly, called Pantala flavescens, in locations as far apart as Texas, eastern Canada, Japan, Korea, India, and South America, have genetic profiles so similar that there is only one likely explanation. Apparently – somehow – these insects are traveling distances that are extraordinarily long for their small size, breeding with each other, and creating a common worldwide gene pool that would be impossible if they did not intermingle.

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April, 2016 7 Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

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Congratulations, Jersey Fresh, Scholarship and Grant Money First and foremost, I would like to congratulate Tony Catanzaro, owner of the Millington, Morris County-based Regency Landscape. Catanzaro, a former columnist for the Gardener News, is celebrating his business’ 30th anniversary this year.

Moving on to a new Jersey Fresh program.

There is a new program in the Garden State that acknowledges schools that excel in providing Jersey Fresh produce to students.

This new Jersey Fresh Farm to School Recognition and Award program is designed to find the top school in the state participating in farm-to-school activities. The program also will recognize schools that work with farmers and the community to ensure students have access to healthy Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables in their school cafeterias and teach about agriculture through growing school gardens.

Applications are now available for the Jersey Fresh Farm to School Recognition and Award program at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/f2school. The deadline to complete and submit the application is June 1. One exemplary school that provides the most extensive number of meaningful Farm to School activities will be presented with the “Best in New Jersey Farm to School Award” during Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week, September 26-30, 2016.

Schools that meet the criteria in the application will be acknowledged for their Farm to School efforts by receiving a Jersey Fresh Farm to School promotional materials kit, including a Jersey Fresh Farm to School banner, aprons, pencils, pins, key chains, seasonality charts and media templates to announce this recognition.

Farm to School programs provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities to help students learn about local agriculture, how food grows and what it means to eat healthfully with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Farm to School activities can include, but are not limited to: Nutrition education, including taste tests with produce purchased from local farms; harvest meals serving locally sourced products from New Jersey farms; farm to school curricular tie-ins that connect the cafeteria to the classroom or school garden; visits to or from local farms that teach students how food is grown; and school garden education that ties directly into what is already being taught in the classroom.

To learn more about this newly created program, visit www.farmtoschool.nj.gov.

I’m also pleased to tell you about a scholarship that is being offered to New Jersey college students.

Yes, a $1,000 scholarship will be awarded this summer to a New Jersey student majoring in natural resource conservation, environmental science or a related field of study, announced the Firman E. Bear Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). The Edward R. Hall/Robert R. Hanna Scholarship is awarded annually to acknowledge New Jersey college students for their academic and personal accomplishments in the field of conservation and/or natural resources.

The application must be postmarked by April 15.

To qualify for the scholarship, an applicant must be: a full-time student in good standing at any New Jersey accredited university/college, or a New Jersey resident attending any accredited out-of-state university/college; and an undergraduate enrolled in a curriculum related to natural resources, including but not limited to: agriculture, agronomy, conservation, ecology, environmental science, fisheries, forestry, geography, journalism, plant science, soil science, and/or wildlife (other areas related to conservation may also qualify); and have successfully completed at least two semesters of study.

To apply, go to www.njswcs.org to download the application form. Mail it to Firman E. Bear Chapter SWCS, C/O USDA-NRCS, 220 Davidson Ave, 4th floor, Somerset, NJ 08873.

The scholarship winner will be announced by June 3, 2016.

Firman E. Bear is the New Jersey Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS).

Mission: The Soil and Water Conservation Society fosters the development and application of sciencebased policies and practices for managing soil, water and related natural resources in order to achieve sustainability.

There are a few things going on at the USDA that might be of interested to you as well.

The USDA Agriculture Marketing Service is requesting applications for the 2016 Farmers Market Promotion Program. The program competitively awards grants to eligible applicants for projects that establish, expand and promote direct producer-to-consumer marketing. The minimum FY2016 FMPP award per grant is $50,000 and the maximum is $500,000. Applications must be submitted by May 12.

Learn more about this program at www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/FMPP%20RFA%202016. pdf And applications for the National Black Farmers Association Scholarship Program are now being accepted. Deadline to submit is May 2, or when 100 applications have been received, whichever comes first. The scholarship provides up to $5,000 to students pursuing agriculture-related studies at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school. For more info on this program go to https://scholarsapply.org/blackfarmersassociation/ To round out this month’s column, I will be celebrating National Arbor Day on April 29 by planting a tree. I hope you’ll join me.

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.

8 April, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Bloodroot

By Hubert Ling Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, is an early blooming wildflower which appears in April, soon after the daffodils. It likes deep, rich, moist and moderately acidic to neutral soil, with good drainage, so in nature it is often found on gently sloping hillsides.

Although many people consider bloodroot to be a spring ephemeral (blooming in early-spring and then dying back before July) it is not a true ephemeral, since in years with ample moisture, leaf growth continues well into fall.

The plant is common throughout most of Eastern North America, from Canada to Florida and Texas. It is easy to grow, if competition is eliminated, and makes an interesting woodland understory combined with columbine, Dutchman’s breeches, trillium, and baneberry.

April showers bring May flowers, and it’s also prime time for getting your lawn off to a great start.

If it was cold and rainy last month, I understand your hesitation to get working on your lawn but now there are no excuses.

First things first. Pick up debris and rake out dead leaves and branches on your lawn, including the few feet along the street where any snow plowing debris can be found. This area along the curb may need some special attention, as too much road salts can kill grass.

Rake out any dead grass and apply some gypsumtype product containing calcium sulfate to neutralize the salts in the soil. Re-seed and fertilize areas where necessary. Mow the lawn if it needs it to give it a wake-up call so the grass blades and roots to start growing again.

This action of mowing is similar to a forest fire when the trees and underbrush start to re-grow lush and green. Applying a regular lawn fertilizer can be helpful to start healthy lawn growth at this time.

Bloodroots are relatively small plants, about eight to 12 inches wide and the same in height. However, they have cheery white, one- to twoinch flowers, with eight to 16 petals; flowers and leaves are quite variable. As bloodroot poke through the ground in spring, each flower is wrapped in a leaf, which unfurls as the flowers expand. Some plants have petals which are initially pink tinged on the outside and, rarely, plants are found with a uniform pink petal color instead of pure white.

The flowers are sensitive to mist, rain and lack of sunlight and stubbornly refuse to open if there is a hint of rain.

Each flower only lasts for a few days, but they are to be forgiven, since they herald the start of a new gardening year.

The leaves are four to eight inches and continue to grow slowly. They are basically circular in shape, have deep lobes, and are strangely brittle; these large leaves indicate that the plant will grow well in the shade

especially if other plants in the area do not leaf out too soon. Bloodroots will tolerate full sun for part of the day, but grow more luxuriously in part shade.

The plant also exists in a larger, double form, “Multiplex,” where each stamen and the pistil has reverted into being about 100 petals producing a spectacular white two-inch pom-pom. Multiplex tends to bloom a little later and longer than normal bloodroots and commands a premium price since they produce no seed and must be propagated slowly by rhizome divisions.

But you could request them as unforgettable gifts on special occasions such as birthdays or Mother’s Day. Check out a stunning picture on-line.

Bloodroot is pollinated by bees and small flies. The small, dark seeds develop in elongated pods, which burst open at maturity. These pessimistic seeds must be planted immediately or they will hide in persistent

dormancy.

Fortunately, bloodroot seeds develop with a white fleshy attachment named an elaiosome.

Elaiosomes are rich in food materials and they are avidly consumed by ants, which immediately bury the seeds in the colony’s refuse dump, which is an ideal place for bloodroot to grow.

Bloodroot gets its name from the bright orange-red sap which streams out of broken roots or any breaks in the leaves. Since the plant is in the poppy family, you might expect that a variety of pharmacologically active compounds are present, and you would be right. ALL parts of the plant and even the seeds contain powerful toxins including sanguinarine!

Native Americans used the sap as dye for clothing or baskets, as face paint, and to remove superficial cancers. Sap from the roots has more recently been used experimentally to corrosively eliminate warts and cancers of the nose and external ear,

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Prime time for lawns…

Did you analyze what went right or wrong from your lawn program last year? Did you have crabgrass in the summer?

Were broadleaf weeds a problem? Did certain areas not respond as you expected when fertilized?

Many homeowners are experiencing too much crabgrass in summer even when they put down a pre-emergent crabgrass preventer in spring. I find too many homeowners wanting to put down crabgrass preventer too early in the spring season.

If you use “Dithiopyr,” a pre-emergent, you can apply up to four weeks later than other crabgrass products, then you should get better control into the summer season.

If you are planning on seeding this spring, do not use “Dithiopyr” type control products; look for crabgrass preventers for new seeding which contain “Siduron.”

This allows seeding the same day with crabgrass preventer.

If you are experiencing too much crabgrass year after year, you need to create a better growing environment for desirable grass to grow, not crabgrass.

Crabgrass usually thrives when there are bare spots, or disruptions on the lawn from kids’ foot traffic or along the curb line from walking dogs. Poor soil conditions such as low soil pH can also lead to a poor lawn and the lack of competition allows crabgrass to invade these areas. Have you tested your soil pH? Do you have

some drainage problems that do not allow grass to grow properly? What have you done for your soil lately?

Adjust soil pH if necessary with calcium-based products so your pH is between 6.2 to 7.0 for best grass growth.

What about broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, clover and chickweed?

These weeds also thrive from the lack of grass competition and low soil pH conditions.

Consider re-seeding bare spots this spring. If you want to re-seed your whole lawn, this is best done in earlyfall. Some broadleaf weeds can be prevented with an application in early-spring of “Dithiopyr,” provided you apply before the target weed seed germinates. Broadleaf weeds can be effectively controlled in late-spring

but careful studies show that pockets of viable cancer cells may remain and disfigurement may occur.

Taken internally, bloodroot extract depresses pulse and heart action and produces nausea and vomiting, and it works strongly but dangerously as an emetic.

The latter actions just show your body is smart and works hard to eliminate toxins.

Today, bloodroot extract is used commercially as an antiplaque agent in toothpaste but the dosage is tricky and it is much safer to just buy it if you are interested.

Bloodroot plants are difficult to buy in New Jersey, but both normal and double forms are readily available on-line. Buy only nurserypropagated stock to save wild plants from pillage.

Editor’s Note: Hubert Ling is the Horticulture Chairman for the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. He can be reached at milhubling@verizon.net when they are actively growing and air temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees. Be sure to follow all label directions for best results, whether you are using a granular or liquid broadleaf weed control.

Did you winterize your mower last fall? If not, consider an oil change and cleaning of the housing and check spark plugs, etc., and sharpen the blade; be safe!

Use a professional mower shop for these tasks if you do not feel comfortable doing these chores yourself.

What you do for your lawn this spring will determine how well your lawn thrives and survives this summer. While it is hard to predict Mother Nature, if a severe heat wave or drought comes along, let’s hope we can thrive through these tough times. Let’s have a great lawn 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

GardenerNews.com Let me take a moment to introduce myself, as this is my inaugural column in the Gardener News.

My name is Dominick Mondi, and I serve as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association (NJNLA). Our association represents all aspects of the horticulture industry, which is the largest segment of New Jersey’s robust and diverse agriculture economy.

Our members encompass a wide range of professionals from nursery growers to greenhouses, garden retailers to landscape professionals.

Put another way, anyone who grows plants, sells plants, or installs plants. Our mission is to be passionate advocates for professional nursery and landscape businesses in New Jersey.

Something that is important when representing the state’s horticulture sector and something any gardener, professional to hobbyist, should find interesting is the size and scope of the industry. That’s where NASS comes in. The National Agricultural Statistics Service is the arm of the USDA that tracks all the agricultural

April, 2016 9 Growing New Jersey

By Dominick Mondi NJNLA Executive Director

Growing Great In The Garden State data in the country. Every five years, they release the Census of Horticultural Specialties. This nearly 600 page document is the most comprehensive look at the nursery and greenhouse industry out there, and has a lot of interesting information on both the national and state level. The most recent census was released on December 14, 2015, and was created using survey data from the 2014 calendar year.

So what does the census say for New Jersey? Well, for starters, it identifies 630 operations totaling over $356 million dollars in annual sales.

Those sales numbers are good enough that N.J. finds itself ranked 10th in the country in sales output. Being in the same top list with nursery and floriculture producing powerhouses like Oregon, California, Florida and North Carolina is something that

all fans of Jersey Grown plants should be proud of! In 2009, our state boasted $348 million in sales, so despite the fact that New Jersey has seen a slower than average economic recovery in many categories, your state’s horticultural professionals are still chugging along.

One of the reasons for this is our location in the Northeast.

Our industry ranks 10th in the country as noted above, but we are the largest producing state in the Northeast, outpacing our nearest competitor by $30 million! The high-quality trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals that New Jersey produces find their way into landscape yards and retail garden centers all up and down I-95. There are a lot of reasons for our regional success, which we can discuss in future columns, but for now we will stick with the numbers.

New Jersey ranks 5th in sales from individual or family operations. What does this mean? It means that when you purchase plants from a Jersey grower, you are directly supporting local families, businesses and workers. As in other industries, buying local is a good idea.

Do you like hanging baskets? Well, apparently you are not alone. New Jersey flower growers sold over 81,000 of these seasonal performers in 2014!

Maybe you fancy a nice Rutgers Dogwood or native Redbud? We grow those as well, with over 252,000 small flowering tree sales in the census year.

There is way more information available than I can highlight here (like I said, 600 pages!) but I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that the nursery and greenhouse industry

is way more valuable than just the numbers of plants it pushes off our farms. We have a long and proud history of growing here in New Jersey, going back 150 years or more. In 1915, a group of growers from around the state got together and organized the New Jersey Association of Nurserymen, one of several legacy organizations that would later become NJNLA. It is both our history and our future which together make the horticulture industry in New Jersey something we can all be proud of!

Over the next few months, as I continue to uncover more interesting nuggets of statistical information, I will share them in future columns. Thanks for reading and I look forward to talking plants with you in the Gardener News!

Editor’s Note: Dominick Mondi is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, a trade association representing the nursery, greenhouse, garden center and landscape industry in New Jersey. He can be reached at njnla.director@gmail.com, one twitter @NJNLAdirector, or online at www.NJNLA.org.

Celebrating gardening at the Jersey shore Barlow Flower Farm and Garden Center, a historic family homestead and horticultural business, located in Sea Girt, Monmouth County, hosted their first ever horticultural expo and spring symposium on Saturday, March 12.

The expo was free and open to the public. It featured a trade show with horticultural product manufacturers, most of whom were local to New Jersey, along with expert horticultural associations. Hundreds of attendees were able to see the newest products for 2016 displayed throughout their main greenhouse. There was a small charge for the all-day symposium in Foliage Greenhouse #6 that included lunch from Joe Leone’s. Over 40 symposium attendees received expert advice from several industry specialists.

Pictured from left to right talking about the latest spring trends in the entrance to the Main Greenhouse are: Steven Kristoph, an adjunct professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Rutgers University; Stephen Barlow III, co-owner of Barlow’s; Joseph Gallo, vice president of sales for The Espoma Company; and Todd Pretz, vice president of operations for Jonathan Green.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

10 April, 2016 Here we are in full swing for everything cool!

Cool weather, that is. Coolweather crops are where we are at.

When you hear that term, it means these are plants that thrive in cooler, fresher temperatures.

Generally speaking of flowers, plants, vegetables, that thrive in a range of above 30 degrees to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. As temps start to get warmer, they start to sweat it out. But don’t let me mislead you, they won’t die, they just may start to struggle.

Once the temperature range gets into the high 80s and 90s, the stress of the heat will wear on these crops until they can’t take it anymore and quit. These cool-weather crops are the start of the season. They are the first crops you will find out in the marketplace and now’s the time to get them into the ground and enjoy them while you can.

They are also the most appreciated crops because they are the first to emerge from a dreary winter and they get us in the mood for what’s to come. These A look at a lawn that is not responding to the spring rains and warmer temperatures may show a layer of stems, crowns, roots and un-decomposed organic matter that is more than a half-inch deep.

Especially with the strange weather we seem to have more often than not, there are conditions which will increase thatch development continue to be: compacted soil conditions, the over application of nitrogen, overwatering, planting varieties which produce large amounts of tough, fibrous tissue, and improper cultural practices.

To find out how much thatch is in your lawn, take a core or remove a wedge of lawn with a spade and measure the amount of thatch from the soil surface to the grass blades.

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

Investigating what is going on in the soil will help alleviate the core problems associated with these conditions. The

GardenerNews.com The Professional Grower

By Tim Hionis Greenhouse Specialist

Who are you calling Pansy? crops include pansies, violas, primrose, Ranunculus, Dianthus, flowering bulbs of tulips, hyacinth, daffodils, Muscari, crocus, iris and snowdrops. Cool-weather vegetables include lettuce, broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, Brussels sprouts, spinach, to name a few.

There are also annuals that are thought to be more warmweather favorites that can actually tolerate cooler temps like the list above. Annuals like geraniums, petunias, verbenas, Osteospermums, Calibrachoas also known as Million Bells, are a few examples of crops that are tolerant of the cooler temps.

The trick with these annuals and also with their cooler cousins is to be mindful of them being acclimated to

their environment.

What does this mean? To acclimate is to gradually introduce them to an environment that is new to them. For instance, taking plant material that has been housed in a warm and nurturing environment like a greenhouse and bringing them outdoors on an extremely windy day or when there are huge differences in temperatures and other environments (examples may be high winds, super strong sunlight, heavy rains, high humidity, etc.). Quickly changing the plant’s environment may and will cause damage to the plant material, and if it is an extremely drastic change, it will cause death to the plants. So please be mindful of this.

Many growers will take measures to minimize this issue. It is good practice to visit reputable garden and home centers who have the skills to address this. These establishments have the professionals and they care about what they do, what they know, and what they carry to keep your garden successful.

There is no worse feeling than to have a beautiful crop and having it get damaged or destroyed because it went into shock, because it wasn’t ready to handle some of the tougher weather conditions.

You may wonder why wouldn’t be grown in their natural environment. Good question. The reason being that cooler temperatures slow down the growing process on most crops. Growers will raise the temps for their crops

The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

We are Looking to Thatch; You Know it’s Not a Roof pH will probably need to be addressed. Many times, the use of high-calcium lime is warranted. Acidic soil conditions will decrease the rate of decomposition, as will any pesticides which restrict earthworm and microbe activity. There are many products available which can be applied that will increase microbial and earthworm activity.

During the growing season, the soil test results can be acted upon. Proper mowing can be implemented.

Cut off no more than one-third of the grass blade whenever possible. Leave clippings on the turf whenever they cannot be seen readily after mowing.

Aerate the lawn through the use of soil conditioners or by mechanically pulling cores from the lawn. Water the lawn

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

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

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

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

removal of some of the thatch layer may be necessary. The use of a hand rake made for thatch removal can be used on very small lawns. On larger areas, a power rake or vertical mower will be needed to expedite matters. This removal will open up the soil, and in the case of the vertical mower, will create a bedding area for seed.

Choosing seed varieties which are adapted to the site also is important. Shade conditions require blends which have more fescue varieties, sunny locations lean towards the blue and rye varieties and high-traffic areas can use the turf type tall fescues.

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

to time it with the demand of the season. Then, when the crop is ready or closed to being ready, they will drop the temps or move the crop to more of an outdoor setting to acclimate them to the environment.

The length of time for a crop to become acclimated varies. For general purposes, the usual time frame is one week to two weeks for a crop to become acclimated to its environment. So keep this in mind in the garden as well, when a crop is transplanted into the garden, it is important to closely monitor how it’s doing as it acclimates to its new home. Just because a grower or a retailer has done their job in doing this, it is important to the success of your plantings to do so once you get it home.

Let’s get going to a great flower season.

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. products which will increase the amount of microbial activity will help prevent the future buildup of thatch.

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

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

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

Editor’s Note: Evan Dickerson is owner of Dickerson Landscape Contractors and NaturesPro of North Plainfield.

He has been pioneering the organic approach to plant health since 1972. Evan can be reached at 908-753-1490

GardenerNews.com

April, 2016 11

State Horticultural Society’s Award Winner EPA Takes Strong Steps to Prevent Poisonings and Protect Workers from Paraquat

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Kurt Alstede, owner and general manager of Alstede Farms in Chester, Morris County, N.J., received the 2016 New Jersey State Horticultural Society’s Outstanding Fruit Grower Award.

The society was organized on August 17, 1875 at Geological Hall, Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N.J., by a group of farmers from all over the state of New Jersey. At the time, there were few other collective groups for farmers in the state to use to collaborate and share information. The society was formed with the goals of increasing information distribution, political awareness and scientific advances.

Alstede, a native of Chester and first-generation farmer, founded Alstede Farms in 1982.

Spring is a wonderful time of year for most people, but it can bring chaos and exhaustion to those who make their living in the green industry.

We are optimistic about the 2016 landscaping season.

We face some profitable months ahead with a backlog of installation projects from the previous year, continued low interest rates, low gas prices and the trend for backyard entertaining. There are some great new materials from our hardscaping vendors, and plant hybridizers have cultivated yet more disease-resistant and drought-tolerant, long blooming annuals and perennials.

With the challenges of schedules, equipment checks, and crew availability, we are often faced with not having enough hours in the day to get all the work done. Therefore, I’d like to share with you some of our standard operating procedures to guarantee you are working in the most efficient way possible while continuing to be flexible in the services we provide our demanding customers.

If March chores were pushed back due to snow or ice events, we will begin this month with training our returning crews.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to take action to stop poisonings caused by accidental ingestion of the herbicide paraquat, which can also cause severe injuries or death from skin or eye exposure.

“We are taking tough steps to prevent people from accidentally drinking paraquat and to ensure these tragic deaths become a thing of the past,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the office of chemical safety and pollution prevention. “We are also putting safety measures in place to prevent worker injuries from exposure to this pesticide.”

Since 2000, there have been 17 deaths – three involving children caused by accidental ingestion of paraquat. These cases have resulted from the pesticide being illegally transferred to beverage containers and later mistaken for a drink and consumed.

A single sip can be fatal. To prevent these tragedies, EPA is proposing: new closed-system packaging designed to make it impossible to transfer or remove the pesticide except directly into the proper application equipment; special training for certified applicators who use paraquat to emphasize that the chemical must not be transferred to or stored in improper containers; and changes to the pesticide label and warning materials to highlight the toxicity and risks associated with paraquat.

In addition to the deaths by accidental ingestion, since 2000 there have been three deaths and many severe injuries caused by the pesticide getting onto the skin or into the eyes of those working with the herbicide. To reduce exposure to workers who mix, load and apply paraquat, EPA is proposing: prohibiting application from hand-held and backpack equipment, and restricting the use to certified pesticide applicators only (individuals working under the supervision of a certified applicator would be prohibited from using paraquat).

Paraquat is one of the most widely-used herbicides in the U.S. for the control of weeds in many agricultural and non-agricultural settings and is also used as a defoliant on crops such as cotton prior to harvest. The proposal will be available for a 60 day public comment period. EPA will consider all public comments before finalizing these proposed actions later this year.

Actions on specific pesticides are one way that EPA is protecting workers from pesticide exposure. EPA’s revised Worker Protection Standard and proposed Certification and Training Rule will also protect farmworkers and pesticide applicators.

To view related documents and submit comments, go to docket EPA-HQOPP-2011-0855 at www.regulations.gov. For more information on paraquat: https:// www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/paraquat-dichloride.

The NJLCA Today

By Tom Canete Association President

Preparing for the busy season Proper pruning and planting techniques, equipment safety (especially chainsaw safety!) all need to be presented to each new and returning crew member.

Through video or slide show presentations, we need to make sure our crew members are all up to date with knowing how to operate safely and efficiently.

When meeting with the assigned crew leaders (most often also our drivers) and discussing the upcoming landscape season, we review our quality-control checks. These leaders need to be taught to walk the properties before the last leaf is blown and make sure no rakes, pruning shears or any other tools or equipment are left behind. There should be quality-control checks in place so that each property is left tidy and neat to fulfill your clients’ expectations.

They should also report any changes on the property i.e. stagnant water caused by drainage issues, dead or diseased plants, broken fences, etc. to alert the account manager or sales rep to notify your client. This may present a sales opportunity and will show you are paying good attention to their property. Often by doing a repair or service early, costs to the property owner may be more manageable. Therefore, making it more likely they will commit to an enhancement or repair sale.

The equipment inspection should include an overall assessment of all pieces of landscape equipment. Mowing blades should be sharpened, all fluids filled or changed, and replacement of any worn parts.

Any broken equipment should be repaired or retired. Some older pieces of equipment may

be put in storage and used as back-up equipment if needed.

Each trailer has a checklist of its equipment on board and all the equipment must be tied down during transport. We do not want the trailer door to open and equipment flying out into the roadway! Also, the trailer hitch, wiring, axel hubs, lights, jack, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, basic mechanic tools and gardening tools should be in good order and in the assigned spot for each trailer.

In following up with any outstanding contracts from the 2015 landscaping season, we will review the notes from the property visits we did last month and update any material requisition forms. For some of our larger projects, there may still be some services outstanding and now is a good time to reach out to customers in regards to

these services. Making sure your crews are fulfilling your clients’ expectations can result in some good opportunities for new services to enhance your clients’ properties, as well as customer referrals.

If my prediction for a busy landscaping season is correct, our sales team and landscape designers will be out in full force this spring busy with new customer proposals, opportunities and property visits.

As your business continues to grow, as I hope it does, always be open and embrace new talent that can provide an exceptional service for your clients. Recruiting (and keeping!) a reliable, resourceful, and flexible work force is one of the keys to your success.

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

12 April, 2016

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Federal Funding Available for Promotion of Garden State Agricultural Products 75(1721 1 - ĘŠ7KH 1HZ -HUVH\ 'HSDUWPHQW RI $JULFXOWXUH is now accepting applications for 2016 United States Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grants. “We welcome the opportunity to provide this federal funding for the research and promotion of specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables, trees, plants and flowers,â€? said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. “Organizations may apply now by proposing their projects to creatively support our specialty crop industry.â€?

Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture, nursery crops and floriculture. Most of New Jersey agriculture falls into the specialty crop category.

To be eligible for a grant, projects must “enhance the competitiveness� of specialty crops and might include, but are not limited to: research, promotion, marketing, nutrition, trade enhancement, food safety, food security, plant health programs, education, “buy local� programs, increased consumption, increased innovation, improved efficiency and reduced costs of distribution systems, environmental concerns and conservation, product development and developing cooperatives.

Download the application at www.nj.gov/agriculture/grants/ specialtycropblockgrants.html.

The deadline for submitting applications is May 18, 2016.

In 2015, 10 projects were awarded more than $645,000 in Specialty Crop Block Grants for a variety of uses this year, including education, marketing, production research and the promotion of New Jersey agricultural products.

Walnuts Lower in Calories than Label Suggests

By Dennis O'Brien Public Affairs Specialist Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have found that walnuts have fewer calories than previously thought.

David J. Baer and his colleagues in Beltsville, Maryland, placed 18 people on controlled diets and fed them two different diets for 3 weeks, in a random order. One diet contained walnut halves and pieces (42 grams), and the other diet was identical, but without the walnuts. Scientists collected the participants’ stools for a week and measured the total amounts of energy, protein and fat they contained. When researchers subtracted out the calories excreted by the participants while they were eating walnuts, they found that a typical 28-gram serving actually contains 146 calories, 21 percent fewer than the 185 calories currently assigned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The current system for calculating calories generally works well for estimating calories in mixed diets involving several foods, but not so well for estimating calories in certain foods individually, including tree nuts, Baer said. In the 1950s, scientists grouped walnuts and other tree nuts with other plant-based foods, such as dry beans,

legumes, and peas, and estimated the calories of energy those foods contained in each gram of protein, carbohydrate, and fat.

The cell walls of nuts and other plant foods need to be broken before the nutrients inside the cells can be digested, but people don’t always completely chew nuts before swallowing them. Baer speculates that the differences between his revised calorie estimates and what appears on nut container labels could be because when people eat nuts, they don’t fully open the nut’s cell walls when they chew them. But few studies have focused on how the human body absorbs energy from individual foods and while tree nuts are now attracting interest from researchers, few scientific studies have focused specifically on digestion of tree nuts until recently.

The study was partially funded by the California Walnut Commission, and the findings are consistent with recent studies showing that eating walnuts and other types of tree nuts, as part of a healthy diet, can improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of obesity.

Editor’s Note: Dennis O’Brien works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

He can be reached at (301) 504-1624 or by emailing dennis.obrien@ars.usda.gov

Insect and Arthropod Management Through April Soil Preparation

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Many garden (insect and arthropod) pests can be directly attributed to soil in and around our gardens.

Many garden pests overwinter beneath the soil, most times burrowing down beneath the frost line.

This habit allows them to survive the cold extremes of winter. Some garden pests can survive in the soil, going into diapause a few inches underneath. These pests may have a mechanism where they produce antifreeze to survive the winter. Now that spring is approaching, it is best to concentrate on the condition of the soil and preparing it for growing healthy plants.

Healthy, strong and vigorous plants are more resistant to garden pest damage, and the condition of the soil helps produce strong, pest-resistant plants.

Maintain a slightly acid soil (around pH 6.5). “Most ornamental plants grown in NJ “prefer� soil pH in the

range 6.1 to 6.8.� Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory. If in doubt, have a soil analysis done through your local Extension office, or with a commercial soil-test kit. Lime can be used to increase soil pH and sulfur can lower it.

Maintain adequate levels of soil fertility through additions of potassium and phosphorusreleasing materials, such as commercial fertilizers or animal manures. Soil testing should be done every three years to determine levels of these important nutrients.

Build a biologically active, healthy soil through regular addition of organic matter, such as yard waste, compost and manure. Till the soil in the spring to expose pests living near the surface to natural enemies and weather, and to destroy insects that have overwintered.

Plant Selection. Plant crops and varieties that are well-suited to the soil and climate, and recommended

by New Jersey Cooperative Extension. When seeding directly, use disease-free, certified seed, if available.

Select for maximum insectand disease-resistance in vegetable varieties. Select healthy, sturdy transplants with well-developed root systems. Diseases and insects in young seedlings may start in greenhouses or plant beds and cause heavy losses in the garden. Buy plants from a reputable grower who can assure you that they are disease- and insect-free, or grow your own from seed.

Cultural Practices. The most effective and most important of all practices is careful observation in the garden. Many serious disease or insect problems can be halted or brought under control early by the gardener who knows what to look for and regularly visits the garden for trouble-shooting. Water in the morning so plants have time to dry before the cool evening. Drip irrigation systems prevent foliage from getting wet when watering.

Use inter-plantings in the vegetable garden as opposed to solid plantings of a crop.

This can slow the spread of diseases and insects, giving

you more time to deal with them if they occur. Space plants properly and thin young vegetables to a proper stand. Overcrowding causes weak growth and reduces air movement, resulting in increased insect and disease problems.

Keep down weeds and grass. They often harbor pests and compete for nutrients and water. Leaf and other organic mulches are extremely effective for weed control, as are inorganic weed mats, plastic and other fabrics.

Use a mulch to reduce soil splash, which brings soil and soil-borne diseases into contact with lower leaves.

Avoid injury to plants.

Broken limbs, cuts, bruises, cracks and insect damage are often the site for infection by disease-causing organisms.

Stay out of the garden when the plants are wet with rain or dew to prevent spreading diseases. Keep old sacks, baskets, wooden stakes, decaying vegetables and other rubbish, which may harbor insects and diseases, out of the garden.

Staking tall flower and vegetable plants or planting them in wire cages prevents the blossoms or fruit from coming in contact with the soil. Time plantings in such a way that the majority of your crop will avoid the peak of insect infestations.

For example, plant squash as early as possible to avoid borers, which lay eggs in July. Inspect plants for egg clusters, beetles, caterpillars and other insects as often as possible. Hand-pick as many pests as you can. Avoid sprays until the population of insects has reached a critical threshold level.

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

He is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

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

14 April, 2016

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April, 2016 15

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16 April, 2016

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The Beauty of Bloodroot The garden truly awakens during the month of April.

The once bare earth suddenly comes alive with a multitude of flowers from bulbs and spring ephemerals.

Spring ephemerals are plants that flower before the shade trees leaf out, allowing them to bask in the spring sunshine before entering summer dormancy, avoiding competition for both water and light from their arboreal neighbors. Sanguinaria Canadensis, or Bloodroot, is a beautiful wildflower that many consider to be a spring ephemeral, although the foliage will often linger long into autumn.

Sanguinaria canadensis is the only species found within this genus and it is a member of the Papaveraceae or Poppy Family. It is native to Eastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia south to Florida.

Sanguinaria is from the Latin sanguis meaning blood, referring to the blood red sap in

the rhizome. The species epithet is homage to its northern habitat range. The name was crafted

by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in 1753 when he published his book “Species Plantarum.”

From mid- to late-April, the white flower buds emerge from the rhizome and stretch upwards to six to eight inches in height.

Upon opening, the buds reveal two-inch-diameter flowers with eigh to 12 white petals that encircle a boss of golden yellow anthers. The appearance of the flower is quickly followed by a single leaf, which is initially diminutive in form and found clasping the stem.

Over the ensuing days of bloom, the leaf enlarges, but retains its form and has been likened to hands clasped in prayer. The flowers are sweetly scented and attract numerous native bees as pollinators. The flowers close at sunset and reopen at dawn, a process found in more advanced plants called nyctinasty. Plants developed this daily rhythm in order to protect the flowers from frosts and a potential nightcap by hungry herbivores.

Flowers bloom for upwards of four to five days, with the petals falling shortly after pollination.

Sanguinaria canadensis forma multiplex “Plena” is a double-flowered form. The anthers in this selection have become petaloid, creating a very attractive and “full” flower that blooms for several days longer than the seedling forms. Following bloom, the leaf expands into an attractive and bold five- to eight-inch-wide palmate leaf with five to nine lobes around the margin. During summers with consistent moisture, the foliage will linger well into autumn, although the onset of dormancy in August and September is more typical.

The seeds are black or deep orange-red upon ripening in early-June and feature another development of advanced plants – a sugary appendage called an elaiosome. Elaiosome is from the Greek Élaion or oil and Sóma for body. Rich in lipids and proteins, the elasiosome coevolved with the behavior of ants. Ants carry the seed back to their nests where the

larva dine on the energy-rich attachment. Once devoured, the ants deposit the seed in an area reserved for waste. Buried amongst the fertile mix of ant frass and dead ant bodies, the buried seed germinates and rapidly grows.

The name of Bloodroot, as well as the reference to blood in Sanguinaria, is from the blood-red sap of the rhizome.

Rhizomes are horizontal or creeping stems. The rhizomes of Bloodroot are located just below the soils’ surface, where they rapidly expand and branch to create large colonies.

The red sap contains a toxic alkaloid named sanguinarine.

Contact of this sap with the skin should be avoided, since the toxin will kill skin cells and result in unattractive skin deformation and lesions. Native Americans extracted the red fluids from the rhizomes for dying the various materials used to make baskets and in the pigments for paint.

Bloodroot is a great garden plant for both its attractive spring flowers and coarse foliage. Although the flowers

are relatively short-lived, the coarse foliage remains effective throughout much of the summer and provides an effective companion for later blooming woodland plants.

To its detriment, Bloodroot is difficult to grow in containers, although the plants transplant easily and naturalize readily from seed. Still uncommon in most gardens, more gardeners need to learn about the reserved Beauty of Bloodroot!

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

Rutgers provides something for everyone

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Robert M. Goodman, executive director of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and executive dean of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, cut the ceremonial 40th anniversary cake at the Rutgers Home Gardeners School on Saturday, March 19. Over 850 attendees received expert instruction in the most innovative gardening and landscaping subjects available. The one-day annual Home Gardeners School offered 35 individual workshop sessions covering a wide array of horticulture topics.

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April, 2016 17

Leonard J. Buck Garden and

Watnong Chapter North American Rock Garden Society

Spring 2016 Plant Sale & Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 23 10am – 5pm Sunday, April 24 12 – 5pm

U Plant sale will feature choice perennials, ferns, wildflowers, rock garden plants, shrubs & trees, and handcrafted hypertufa troughs U Free inspiring garden talk each day at 1 p.m.

U Free guided tour of Buck Garden each day at 2 p.m. ^ŽŵĞƌƐĞƚ ŽƵŶƚLJ WĂƌŬ ŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ >ĞŽŶĂƌĚ :͘ ƵĐŬ 'ĂƌĚĞŶ ϭϭ >ĂLJƚŽŶ ZŽĂĚ &Ăƌ ,ŝůůƐ͕ E: ϵϬϴ ϮϯϰͲϮϲϳϳ ǁǁǁ͘ƐŽŵĞƌƐĞƚĐŽƵŶƚLJƉĂƌŬƐ͘ŽƌŐ

/Ĩ LJŽƵ ŚĂǀĞ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂůŝnjĞĚ ŶĞĞĚƐ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ Ă ĚŝƐĂďŝůŝƚLJ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐĂůů ϵϬϴ ϱϮϲͲϱϲϱϬ͕ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ŚĂƉƉLJ ƚŽ ĂƌƌĂŶŐĞ ƌĞĂƐŽŶĂďůĞ ĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘ dŚƌĞĞ ǁĞĞŬƐ ŶŽƚŝĐĞ ŝƐ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ ƚŽ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ ĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞ ĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƚŝŽŶƐ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚ͘

18 April, 2016

GardenerNews.com The Great Plant Escape

A centennial celebration

By David Williams Plant Enthusiast

New plants for the 2016 garden One of the things I enjoy most about being a plant geek is that every year there are so many new plants; new colors, flower types, plant forms. I spend several weeks in the summer looking at these plants in trial gardens and trade shows, and this past summer did not disappoint.

The following are some of the plants that caught my attention, and I think they deserve consideration for a place in your garden.

Many of us plant Flowering Vinca, Catharanthus, in our gardens. In fact, it has surpassed impatiens in sales. Part of the reason it has become so popular is that it holds up extremely well in the heat. It can bake in the full sun, and it is resistant to deer.

There is a new vinca for 2016 called Double Soiree. Everything is smaller in this plant. The leaves are still dark green and glossy, but smaller in size. It has tons of micro, double flowers that give a totally different appearance for a classic plant. The ultimate size one of them will grow is 10 to 14 inches, and about 12 to 24 inches wide. These are perfect for all kinds of containers, including window boxes, hanging baskets and combination planters. It will be available in individual four- and six-inch pots around the end of May. It will be available in pink and white.

There are so many Petunia varieties that I’m usually underwhelmed when a new one is introduced. However, when I saw Petunia Night Sky for the first time, I knew I needed this one for my own garden. Night Sky’s one of the most eye-catching petunias that I’ve seen in a long time. White spots, on dark violet flowers remind me of the ever-changing star constellations. It has a semi-trailing habit, which makes it ideal for use in containers, and hanging baskets. Since it will spread, I am going to plant it in some of my flower beds. It will do best in full sun. I am going to interplant mine with Euphorbia “Diamond Frost,” as I think it will help accent the white splotches on the petals.

I first encountered the new Pixie Grape two years ago, and it is finally being grown in sufficient quantity that we will have availability this year. Many people would love to have a grape in their garden, however not many of us have the space needed. The Pixie Grape makes it possible for everyone to have one in their garden. This is one of those plants that would make a perfect gift for a wine lover. Unlike normal grapes, this will produce flower buds and grapes throughout the growing season. A unique plant for a small container placed on a table. I’ve seen these producing grapes even in a six-inch pot.

They are available as Pinot Meunier Purple, Pinot Meunier White, Cabernet and Riesling.

These are all self-pollinating, and need to be placed in the full sun.

The monarch population needs help from as many gardeners as it can get, which is one of the reasons that one of our most popular tropical plants is the Orange flowering milkweed, Asclepias currassavica. Milkweed is a valuable nectar source for fueling their migration, and the leaves on the plants are a valuable food source for the tiny caterpillars.

I love the two-tone orange flowers. The one drawback is that when it isn’t in bloom, it is very non-descript. This has been solved with the new Monarch Promise ™ Milkweed, Aesclepius currassavica “Monarch Promise.” The new milkweed’s buds start out pink and then open to orange. They also have a fantastic cream, pink and green variegated foliage. This extends the seasonal interest. Even when not in bloom, it is a gorgeous plant.

It will grow up to 30 inches tall, and will do best in part to full sun. Plant it, and expect butterflies this summer.

Proven Winners has consistently been producing some of the best new varieties every year. One of my favorite new introductions for this year is Superbells Holy Moly.

Super vibrant contrasting colors of yellow and cherry red flowers make this a stunning eye-catcher. Although it has petunia-like flowers, this is really a Calibrachoa. The deep-throated flowers are extremely attractive to hummingbirds. Deadheading is not necessary.

These will grow six to 10 inches tall. They trail, so they are also good in hanging baskets and containers. They are cold and heat tolerant, so they will flower for many months continuously. I would love to see these inter-planted with a dark purple flower. Mixing this with petunia Starry Night will give you a unique, out-of-this-world combination.

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.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Visitors to the 2016 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, “Explore America,” started their adventure in the “Big Timber Lodge,” a modern interpretation of classic park architecture, where they were welcomed by National Park Service Rangers and immersive panoramas of the great American landscape.

The show celebrated the centennial of the National Park Service and our country’s majestic natural landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, left, and New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray thought that a tree-lined lawn leading your eye up to a Liberty Bell replica suspended above a rustic wall with an excerpt from the U.S. Constitution inscribed on it made a perfect backdrop for a patriotic garden at this year’s show that was held March 5-13 in the Pennsylvania Convention Center at 12th & Arch Streets in Philadelphia.

They were in the People’s Promenade garden that was inspired by the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.

The Garden State was represented at the show by the Camden Children’s Garden, operated by the Camden City Garden Club, Inc., which is located on the Camden Waterfront, across from downtown Philadelphia. Their garden was called New Jersey Pinelands: The Jersey Devil’s Garden. It was inspired by Pinelands National Reserve. The garden was modeled after a clearing in the Pinelands where the New Jersey Devil and his son live in a cabin and tend to their fruit, vegetable and flower gardens. Some of the produce and flowers are native to the Pinelands.

The Garden State was also represented by the Mercer County Community College Horticulture Program, which is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor.

Their garden was called the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. Their garden was a tribute to the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. Entering at the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, visitors walked along the boardwalk through sand dunes and across the Barnegat and Absecon Bays. In the Cape May region, butterfly and bird habitat gardens surrounded visitors, who then passed through the historic Delsea region.

Both of these gardens won a PHS Silver Medal in the Educational category.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event, and features stunning displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers. Started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the show introduces the newest plant varieties, garden and design concepts, and organic and sustainable practices.

The 2017 show is scheduled for March 11-19.

GardenerNews.com

April, 2016 19

OK, I have never remotely thought about this issue until last week. An old friend called me up and asked me if I could help her with a situation. She is a brand new farm owner and inherited some animals with the farm. One of the horses that she inherited died and she was not quite sure what to do.

Hmmm, neither was I! So, I called up her local Cooperative Extension Office and they told me exactly what all her options were.

Big sigh of relief! One option was to call this very nice woman at “Compassionate Composting” and she will handle all of it, quickly and with dignity, and they were right.

Over the past three years, they have buried 250 animals, 182 of them were horses, the rest goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, cats, dogs and some wildlife. I have a compost pile in my backyard and initially thought this was a pretty weird way to put your horse/pet into its final resting place, but changed my mind after seeing how the whole process was

husbandry and disaster planners lose sleep at night and environmental biologists start doing calculations estimating the volumes of excess nutrients, euthanasia chemicals or atmospheric carbon being introduced into the habitat.

Find the number to your local Cooperative Extension Office and they will tell you what your legal and smartest options are. If your horse is euthanized with lethal injection solution, the animal’s carcass must be buried quickly so other animals won’t attempt to eat the carcass and get poisoned by it. It is illegal to leave it lying there. Huge fines have been imposed on veterinarians who didn’t ensure that an animal was buried, and then birds of prey or other animals died because of the toxicity of the meat.

Wow, I am glad that this situation is over with!

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

It seems as if every couple of years we go through a debate here in New Jersey over whether or not the minimum wage should be increased. On one side of the argument, people say that the current minimum wage, which happens to be $8.38 per hour here in New Jersey, is just too low to support a person or family here in the Garden State. By the way, the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour.

On the other side, usually the first argument that is made is that New Jersey business expenses are already high enough and that an increase in wages would cause our state’s businesses to be that much less competitive.

As a farmer and employer here in New Jersey, I feel that I might be able to add a few points of view to these arguments. First of all, at least from my observations, if an employee is good, they don’t tend to stay at the minimum wage rate for long. As workers develop valuable experience, good work habits and skills on the job, they become a much

The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

“Yikes! Now What Do We Do?” handled. Our other options were cremation in New Hampshire, rendering or landfilling, and this by far was the nicest and most costeffective answer. We were even given the option to get the actual composted soil, about a year or so later, to spread on the pasture, but my friend’s emotional ties to this horse did not go that deep.

Some of the warnings my city slicker friend got while doing the research were obvious, some not so. And, yes we do sing the “Green Acres” song all the time. Let the horse’s body lie there for a week and it will start to bloat, then stink horrifically as it rots. A neighbor said to wrap a chain around its neck and drag ’em into the woods.

It will get eaten. You should

have seen the look on my friend’s face. It will attract bugs, scavengers and even your own dogs, which will feed off the rotting meat – not pleasant.

She did not even want to know about the “rendering” option. Another neighbor offered to dig a hole with his small backhoe and put the horse in it, but could not guarantee the rate of decomposition or if it would contaminate her groundwater. And, when asked if he could take it to his farm, he responded with.

“Oh heck, no,” as he would not take the chance that it might introduce a disease to the crops or contaminate his groundwater. OK, forget that option. All the time, our window of “nice barn smell” was slowly slipping away.

There are around 9.2 million horses in the United State right now, which means that over the next 30 years, roughly 300,000 horses a year will need to be buried, composted, rendered or fed to predators (human or otherwise). That is a lot of horse bodies, and it is significant tonnage.

Assume that the average horse weighs 1,000 pounds; that would mean that approximately 150,000 tons annually of flesh, bone and tissue is being recycled: either through the gut of a predator or scavenger, broken down by bacteria or fungus, rendered into products for cosmetics, horse hair and leather products, or burned to ashes. Where does all this go? Those are the kind of numbers that makes animal

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Minimum Wage more valuable asset to their employer. And, in order to retain this employee, the employer will have to compensate this employee accordingly.

While it is true that New Jersey does have a higher-than-normal cost of living, and it would be almost impossible to house, clothe and feed a family on one minimum wage salary, the fact of the matter is that society cannot expect business owners to just make up the difference. In order for our economy to survive, some sort of economic semblance based on supply and demand must remain.

In our business, we tend to hire quite a few part- time, seasonal employees. Many of these employees are teenagers who are entering

the work force for the first time. And in time, the large majority of these workers develop good skills and become valuable employees, albeit for our relatively short season. We are able to utilize them for a short period, and they are compensated and are, at the same time, gaining valuable work experience, which they will be able to utilize in their future careers.

And for quite a few of these teenagers, a year or two earlier, their parents were actually paying for them to attend summer camp! Now, they are getting a chance to develop some job skills and work habits, which they can use later on in life. Sure, they are not going to get rich doing this, nor are they going to be able to support their families, but they will

be able to become less of a financial burden on their parents ,while at the same time putting a few bucks in their pocket.

If the minimum wage were to be increased as it is proposed, it might have some severe consequences for the state’s economy.

First, it is highly unlikely that businesses would be simply able to just absorb these increased costs. Many businesses would have no choice but to cut back on quite a few of these entrylevel jobs. They would be forced to use different technologies in order to remain competitive in the marketplace. Also, New Jersey companies that compete on a national or international scale would be impacted. In some of

Editors Note: Check out Richard’s photography at; rwperkinsphotography.com the more labor-intensive industries, where labor costs make up a large percentage of their total cost, New Jersey businesses would not be able to stay in business and would be forced to close or at the very least, relocate.

We will be much better off if we can keep more people working in this state.

I know that for those who are in low-paying jobs right now, the possibility of a much higher salary must seem attractive. But I am afraid that the implications of such a drastic increase in the minimum wage will have negative implications for our economy as a whole.

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

20 April, 2016 ONE more month until the official kickoff to summer! I can hardly believe it.

It has come so quickly, after a very nice, warmerthan-normal winter. This is the best time of year, with everything blooming and life returning to the outdoors.

“I’m strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach,” was the familiar refrain of Popeye the Sailorman. That being said, the center of this article is, of course, spinach.

Full of antioxidants, vitamins (including A,C,K,B and C), low in calories and fats, high in fiber and iron, with plenty of potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, it is a true super food.

Which also helps fight against osteoporosis, as well as anemia. And what’s even better is that it’s a Jersey Fresh crop! Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach, with its delicate texture and jade green color, provide more nutrients than any other food.

Grown here in the Jersey, it is one of the first, along

GardenerNews.com From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Spinach is an edible flowering plant with asparagus, to come up in the new year. Abundant and healthy, it can be used in a variety of ways, including salads, soups or simply as a side dish. Relatively inexpensive and easy to come by, it should be used every week, at least once, at your table.

Canned spinach is a thing of the past. Use fresh, whether in the baby form or the adult form. It makes a perfect addition to the average garden salad, a great dip, and is great on a sandwich in place of lettuce. Choose spinach that has vibrant deep-green leaves and stems, with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating, as this

is an indication of decay.

Do not wash spinach before storing it, as the exposure to water encourages spoilage.

Place spinach in a plastic storage bag and wrap the bag tightly around the spinach, squeezing out as much of the air as possible.

Place in refrigerator where it will keep fresh for up to five days.

So, this month’s recipe will still be teetering upon comfort food and healthy Jersey Fresh spinach.

Wilted spinach salad with a bacon-sherry vinaigrette and caramelized shallots. I hope you enjoy it and have fun making it. Next month, get ready to crank up that grill!

Wilted spinach with baconsherry vinaigrette ( serves 2)

1 bunch spinach (or bagged/boxed baby spinach) 6 slices bacon (cooked until just crispy, RESERVE bacon fat) 1 tsp. dijon mustard Salt and fresh black pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar) 2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and chopped 3 shallots, sliced thin and caramelized with light olive oil in a small sauté pan Method - wash spinach and place in a large bowl - mix together bacon fat, mustard, salt and pepper, caramelized shallots and heat slowly in a small sauce pan until just slightly hot -pour over spinach and

toss vigorously with tongs until well coated -place in bowls and top with chopped eggs Enjoy!

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

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Gardener News show it to a friend!

The largest event of its kind in the state New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, right, and New Jersey FFA Association (2015-2016) President Hope J. Cahill design an arrangement together during the 39th annual New Jersey FFA Horticultural Exposition.

Students enrolled in agricultural education programs at 26 high schools and two middle schools from across New Jersey gathered at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor on Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, to compete for prizes in three divisions – Horticulture, Arrangement and Permanent. More than 750 entries were registered and floral industry experts determined the winners of each class, as well as chose a Best of Division for each.

The students were provided with floral materials to create two floral arrangements and asked to calculate the retail cost of one of the arrangements based on the cost of labor, materials and supplies. The arrangements from the event were then sold to the public during the weekend.

The New Jersey FFA Association in the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has more than 2,600 members statewide, who are preparing for careers and leadership in the Tom Castronovo/Photo agriculture industry.

GardenerNews.com Spires Elected to Third Term At New Jersey Food Council’s Annual Membership Meeting 75(1721 1- ĘŠ 7KH 1HZ -HUVH\ )RRG &RXQFLO (NJFC) recently hosted its Annual Membership Meeting at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, NJ. At the event, Judith Spires, Executive Chair of the Board of Directors and CEO of Kings Food Markets Inc., was elected to serve a third and final term as chair. “I am honored to continue to serve as Chair of the NJFC Board,â€? she said. “Over the past two years the Food Council has taken great strides forward. We have implemented a first-of-its kind Leadership Development Program, dramatically increased our scholarship programs and successfully defended the industry against burdensome laws and regulations. I am looking forward to working with the Board of Directors to continue the strong work of the Food Council and to ensure that food retailers and their supplier partners in New Jersey continue to have a strong and dedicated voice in the Garden State under the banner of the Food Council.â€?

Joining Spires as association officers are: Vice Chairman Richard Saker, Saker ShopRites; Associate Vice Chairman Joe McCarthy, Bimbo Bakeries USA; Treasurer Michael Rothwell, Pennington Quality Markets; and Secretary Michael Murphy, QuickChek Food Corporation.

The 2016 officers were joined by the other members of the NJFC Board of Directors as well as representatives from the various retail and associate members of the Food Council for the installation of the new slate of officers.

The New Jersey Food Council is the Garden State’s food industry trade association with almost 400 members representing over 1,200 retail food stores, wholesalers, manufacturing and service companies that supply them.

April, 2016 21

IVM----Integrated Vegetation Management Practices

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. is asking citizens across our nation to reach out on a national, state and local level to see legislation enacted that will lead to growing our pollinator, wildlife and amphibian population, thus preventing their extinction.

This calamity could happen in our lifetime, as the real possibility looms that we will, by mid-century, have lost thousands of species that now inhabit the Earth. Please join with us in taking the necessary steps to prevent this disaster from becoming reality.

Beverly Kazickas, GCNJ Butterflies & BeeGAP speaker and member of the Demarest Garden Club, attended a NationalAffairs and Legislation Conservation Conference held in Washington, D.C., on February 22-25, 2016, and came away with the following: “The many program speakers consisted of U.S. Senators and Congressmen, both Republican and Democrat, along with heads of the National Arboretum, National Environmental Education Foundation, National Parks Conservation Association, Ocean Planning Conservancy, Government Affairs, Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Student Conservation Association, Fresh Energy, and the Chief of Staff White House Council on Environmental Quality. These are some of the industry leaders who spoke at the conference on a variety of environmental issues.

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty of Connecticut, announced that the Pollinator Amendment in the Highway Bill will direct federal and state Departments of Transportation to mow less, seed with native plants, and create Pollinator Corridors/ Habitats along highways throughout the nation.

The Pollinator Partnership website, announced the recent passing of the bill along with the following facts: Highway right-of-ways (ROWs) managed by State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) represent about 17 million acres of opportunity where

significant economic and conservation/environmental benefits can be achieved through integrated vegetation management (IVM) practices, that can significantly reduce mowing and maintenance costs for State DOTs, and help create habitat, forage and migratory corridors that will contribute to the health of honey bees, monarch butterflies and other native pollinators, as well as ground nesting birds and other small wildlife.

Neighboring agricultural lands and wildlife ecosystems will benefit through improved pollination services.�

Now that we’ve accomplished our initial goal of having the black swallowtail butterfly designated as New Jersey’s official State Butterfly, we want to continue National Garden Clubs, Inc.’s President Sandra Robinson’s call to work for environmentally friendly legislation, and we can do our part here in New Jersey by working toward obtaining more sponsors for Senate Bill S724, which establishes “Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Program.�

Thank you to Senator Cruz-Perez for being the initial sponsor of this important bill. Please write, phone and e-mail your local state senators, assemblymen and assemblywomen to sign on as sponsors/co-sponsors and ask that a duplicate bill be introduced into the New Jersey Assembly. This is a win/ win bill for New Jersey, as it will help create much needed corridors of native plants for our pollinators, reduce costs to the state and municipalities by eliminating unnecessary man hours spent on mowing and by eliminating the need for spraying pesticides/herbicides that are creating havoc by decimating our pollinator population and causing a “blot on the landscape� on roadside vegetation in summer and autumn.

For years, it’s been a source of outrage and disbelief that states and municipalities can come along and fine people for growing so-called weeds (much needed host plants for pollinators), then turn around and spray hazardous

chemicals on our roadsides with resulting brown, dead, and dying vegetation that resembles nothing less than a war zone. The harm it does to all wildlife and humans as these chemicals seep into our groundwater is mind-boggling and needs to STOP! In addition to Senate Bill S724, we ask that you advocate for the passage of three other environmentally friendly bills recently reintroduced into the Assembly

by Assemblywoman Marlene Caride: A3397: Directs DEP to classify neonicotinoid pesticides as restricted use pesticides; A3398: Requires pesticide applicator to notify beekeeper when applying pesticide within three miles of registered honey or native beehive or beeyard; A3400: Requires training for pesticide applicators and operators concerning pollinating bees.

Please go on the New Jersey State Legislature website and familiarize yourself with the steps that it takes to have a bill become law and help to have these important environmental bills enacted into law.

The good news is that our monarch population overwintering in Mexico has rebounded to where monarchs covered 10 acres this winter, up from a paltry 1.6 acres two years ago, but a far cry from the 45 acres they covered back in 1996. Our efforts of planting milkweed for monarchs must continue and I encourage all of you to plant milkweed, along with a variety of native plants, plus dill, fennel and parsley, for our black swallowtails.

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

22 April, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Highlights from the Charming Springfest Garden Show New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher stopped by the award-winning Springfest Garden Show on its opening day March 17, which also happened to be St. Patrick’s Day. It was a good day to be celebrating the green at Springfest, as the show celebrated its 20th anniversary of beautiful colorful and green garden displays, bountiful garden shopping and the beloved scents and scenes of spring from March 17-20. More than 10,000 visitors enjoyed the sun-drenched venue, whose centerpiece is The Springfest Conservatory at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. Springfest is a fundraiser for a division of the non-profit New Jersey State Fair, a 501c (3) corporation.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, left, learns how to build and take care of a terrarium from Louise Vanderhaeghen in the 3 C Sons boutique.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, right, discusses the Jersey Grown program with Erik Kelly, owner of Erik Enterprises Landscaping, LLC.

Could 2016 be the Year of the Carrot for You? (Continued from page 1)

modern day carrot is believed to have originated in Afghanistan and was purple, scrawny, and pungent. Over time, cultivation by Greeks and Romans resulted in roots that were plumper, tastier, and came in shades of purple, red, and black. It wasn’t until the late- 16th or early-17th Century that the orange, appetizing carrots that we know today were bred by the Dutch in Europe.

Carrots (Daucus carota) are members of the Apiaceae family, which also includes culinary plants such as aniseed, celery, coriander, dill and parsnips. They are biennials, meaning that they will flower in the second year of growth, but are typically grown as annuals (grown and harvested in the same year). There are several different carrot types and they are primarily divided up by shape.

Carrots are easy to grow from seed and perform best when directly sown into a garden bed or patio container.

According to Johnny’s Select Seeds, carrots need consistency in their growing conditions: they grow best with

no wide swings in temperature or moisture, and straightest and smoothest in deep, loose, fertile sandy loams and peat soils with good moistureholding capacity. To the extent a grower can influence the environment, these favorable conditions are most effectively achieved through correct bed preparation, spacing and timely weeding and watering.

Carrots prefer welldrained, deeply-worked soil: preferably to an 18-inch depth for the longer varieties, though a shallower depth may suffice for shorter varieties. Heavier soils are okay for half-long or round types.

Allow for at least 12 inches between rows; 18 inches is ideal. Spacing also depends upon the variety grown and its top height. Smaller-rooted or smaller-top varieties, such as Atlas (Parisian Market type), Caracas or Adelaide, can be packed in a little more closely than some of the larger Nantes and Imperator types. Spacing needs are also dictated by the width of the cultivation equipment being used.

Consider planting pelleted seeds with a precision seeder to

achieve neat, accurately spaced carrot rows and minimize labor and waste.

Carrots do require that a more precise science be applied to the timing of weeding efforts. To minimize labor and maximize results, weeding and cultivating the carrot planting should take place at least three, and preferably four times during the growing season.

The development of a healthy carrot crop requires moisture in sufficient quantities at the correct times throughout the growth cycle — not too dry and not too wet. Here are the specifics.

In the beginning, from sowing to emergence of the cotyledons, low volumes of water should be supplied frequently. Keep in mind that if the soil dries up and a crust forms, seedlings will have a difficult time emerging, and stands will be compromised.

To reduce germination issues if a crust does form, your next best step is to make sure the soil surface stays moist, to help mitigate the effect of the crust.

As the carrot tops begin to develop more leaves, adequate soil moisture should

be maintained, but with less frequency and less volume than during the first growth stages. By this time the small plants are established, and the reduction in frequency and volume induces the roots to grow longer.

Towards the end of the lifecycle, as roots are increasing in size, watering should be less frequent but with greater volume.

Depending on your location and experience level, providing optimal growing conditions for your carrots can be more difficult to achieve than it is for other roots and tubers, such as potatoes or onions.

Like these other vegetable standards, however, there is a steady, year-round demand for carrots. When provided their basic cultural requirements — a properly prepared growing bed, appropriate spacing, and timely weeding and watering — carrots will reward the extra time and attention they are given with their flavor, versatility and marketability.

We encourage you to use the guidelines here to establish generally favorable conditions, then optimize to grow the finest

carrots possible in your region.

My Mom always stored carrots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator’s vegetable bin. And she always avoided storing them near the apples.

I later found out that apples emit ethylene gas that can give carrots a bitter taste.

I’ve also been told that carrots help burn fat. Hint, hint…

By the way, I never got into the carrot juice thing.

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.

The National Garden Bureau and Johnny’s Select Seeds helped contribute to this story.

GardenerNews.com

April, 2016 23

One of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen is at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, located in National Harbor, Maryland.

This hotel, situated in the Oxon Hill community, opened in 2008. In August 2014, I resided there for a few days for the IGC Trade Show, a show dedicated to the continued success of the Independent Garden Center. A mixed-use space of residential, office and retail, the hotel sits along the shores of the Potomac River, across from Alexandria, Virginia.

At a cost of nearly $900 million dollars to build, this waterfront resort has a gorgeous 19-story glass atrium, with sweeping views of the Potomac. And with all that money spent, it was refreshing to know that they didn’t skimp on the landscape! A gorgeous grove of Pond Cypress trees, Taxodium ascendens, frame both sides of the resort’s atrium. A sweeping vista that can be appreciated either from the Potomac or from inside this grand architecture has continued to hold my attention.

“Taxodium is a genus of one to three species (depending on taxonomic opinion) of extremely flood tolerant conifers” (Wikipedia). I mention this because I am always amazed at the number of willow and birch trees I sell, an immediate default

clothing it. Typical golden-orange color turning bronze in the fall is worth waiting for and the fact that it shows resistance to winter snow and ice load and tolerates wet soils are clearly added selling points. Finally, “Peve Minaret”! If you ever wanted a cool, dwarf tree with remarkable texture begging to be admired, look no further.

2010’s Collector Conifer of the year, “Peve Minaret” has rich green foliage in the spring, redbrown markings in the fall and a tiered outline, giving it a unique presence. A Netherlands selection

by Pete Vergeldt, I have seen this perform admirably in containers in the Northeast for years.

Google “Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Marriott” and you will see why I am so enamored with the Taxodium they chose in front of their 19-story glass atrium.

Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Denizens of the Swamp for homeowners, when people want a wet–site tolerant tree.

Taxodium and Metasequoia, for that matter, never seem to come to mind. I suspect it’s because Pond Cypress, Bald Cypress and Dawn Redwood are not mainstream names people are familiar with. An undeniable truth that familiarity breeds sales in my industry and others. Truth be known, Taxodium and Metasequoia are far more durable and are almost capable of a natatorial lifestyle. Occurring naturally in the southern part of North America, these deciduous conifers grow pneumatophores, or cypress roots, near bodies of water.

Woody projections, or knees, that rise above the water are said to help carry oxygen to their root systems.

Pond Cypress, Taxodium ascendens, is one of my favorites and sits off the corner of our driveway. Light-brown and deeply furrowed bark help add to its winter interest. Fine, uniquely

textured foliage that is bright green and changes to a russet color in the fall clearly drives people’s interest. I have even heard their autumn color described as “Fox Red,” an interesting and telling description. The cones on this tree are short, globe-shaped and purplish when they are young. “Nutans,” the cultivar I selected for our home, has all of the characteristics I mentioned with a slightly pendulous habit to this upright tree. Be on the lookout for “Prairie Sentinel,” too! A fastigiate selection that has withstood temperatures of -20°F, it too has soft, fine-textured foliage.

Native from Virginia to Florida and Louisiana, they are truly magnificent, appreciate full sun and are unyielding to heavy winds.

Common Baldcypress, Taxodium distichum, is another native from Delaware to Florida, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas.

A species, not as slender as ascendens, can grow 50 to 70

feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide.

Pyramidal by nature, as it matures, Baldcypress is a lofty, deciduous conifer that is highly adaptable to wet sites, and dry ones for that matter, once it is established. The “knees” of distichum are more pronounced than ascendens, and form in shallow waters. There are a few cultivars I am particularly fond of, ”Cascade Falls” being one of them. “Cascade Fall’s,” as it matures, reminds me of the Sesame Street character Mr. Snuffleupagus, the woolly mammoth without tusks. A weeping Baldcypress, with fine foliage and a dramatic winter form, this cultivar’s foliage is a sage-green in the summer.

From Cedar Lodge Nursery in New Zealand, ”Cascade Falls” becomes a large dynamic focal plant in full sun.

“Lindsey’s Skyward” is an exciting new form of an ancient tree type. A fastigiate selection by Mike Lindsey, this narrow beauty has small, flat, green needles

Editor’s Note: Bob LaHoff is co-owner of Hall’s Garden Center and Florist in Union County, a member of the Union County Board of Agriculture, the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, ReevesReed Arboretum Buildings and Grounds Committee, a lifetime member of the Conifer Society and past member of the retail council for Monrovia Growers. He can be reached at (908) 665-0331.

24 April, 2016

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26 April, 2016

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