Gardener News June 2018

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

June 2018

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

TAKE ONE

GARDENERNEWS.COM

No. 182

New Jersey Departments Start Veterans Apprenticeship Program

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Pictured from left to right are: Chris Kleinguenther, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Commodity Inspection and Grading; Thomas Taylor, Agricultural Products Agent, Bureau of Commodity Inspection and Grading; New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher; and Tom Beaver, Director, Division of Marketing and Development, New Jersey Department of Agriculture. in conjunction with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, has developed an apprenticeship/ The New Jersey on-the-job training program Department of Agriculture, for returning veterans. The

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

program is part of the GI Bill. It helps active-duty personnel transition from active duty to the workforce with incentives to excel in sanctioned programs.

Participants in the program must train at least 120 hours each month to enroll. The Department’s first participant is Thomas Taylor, a five-year veteran who served one tour

of duty in Iraq as a heavy equipment operator. Taylor has been with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture since July 2017. His duties range from, (Cont. on Page 13)

2 June 2018

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

Who says conifers only come in green?

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June 2018 3

Four Generations of Organic Gardening Expertise.

For over 88 years Espoma OrganicÂŽ has defined the naturally beautiful garden. While much has changed, our philosophy has remained the same: develop the finest, most effective natural & organic gardening products that work in harmony with nature to grow beautiful lawns & gardens.

Visit us at: www.espoma.com for inspirational ideas and organic growing tips!

4 June 2018 It might have seemed for a while there, throughout March and April, that we’d never see a break in the looooooong winter of 2018.

Surely, it will go down as “The Winter of the Nor’easters,” as our region was pummeled by no fewer than five of those storms, starting in early-March and lasting into April.

But here we are, and June is indeed ready to start bustin’ out all over, as Rodgers and Hammerstein would say.

Also busting out all over is the bounty from our New Jersey farms.

Don’t let the grip that Old Man Winter grudgingly relinquished upon our weather fool you. Our farmers lived up to their well-earned reputation as innovators and adaptors to fight back and get as close to on-schedule as possible.

In general, reports from the field indicate most of the incredible Jersey Fresh agricultural products consumers love and demand from produce retailers are one week to (at most) two weeks behind their normal schedules due to the extended cold-and-wet spring.

Not only was the cold a concern, but the seemingly endless string of rainy days also

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

New Jersey farmers work to outsmart Old Man Winter

hampered our farmers’ efforts to get items moved from their early stages of production in greenhouses and other enclosures out into the field.

The ground throughout the state was water-logged this spring. Now imagine taking an enormous, heavy, solidly built tractor out onto that soggy ground and having it get stuck there.

You’d be talking about potential damage to both the ground so important to your operation and, more immediately, to a piece of heavy machinery in which you invested a great deal of financial resources to purchase and maintain.

And so, our farmers added waiting for the ground to dry sufficiently to the threat of overnight frosts. Fortunately, as mentioned, farmers in New Jersey plan for the fact that Northeastern winters can be stubborn.

Through the use of cold frames, high tunnels, hoop houses and greenhouses – and various coverings that can be used in the field for those plants that must be moved outdoors – farmers here in the Garden State move forward with production even when conditions outdoors might be less than ideal.

These enclosures are important tools in the farmer’s arsenal, providing protection for young plants from extended nasty weather, while also enabling them to maximize exposure to the sun (on the few days that it did come out this spring).

These adaptations over the years have been extremely helpful to agriculture in the northern states, helping to simulate the warmer weather that comes earlier in the year to our southern counterparts, and providing the jump-start needed

to move right into the field once we warm up.

One sure sign that New Jersey produce is on its way is the annual re-emergence of our Department’s Jersey Fresh Availability Chart and Market Forecast. Our Division of Marketing and Development starts putting this list out to the produce industry and consumers once the first early-season products are ready to head to market.

The first of these lists appeared in the last week of April. While there were five already-available products being harvested in light-to-fair volume – asparagus, cilantro, dandelions, leeks and spinach – a list of 15 more were forecast to begin harvest in the following week to 10 days. By the time you are reading this, that list, and the volume of produce, are sure to have expanded greatly.

In discussing this wild winter and spring, you may not have realized that this is the second year in a row in which February, on average, was warmer than March in New Jersey.

In fact, the cold and wet spring we just came through is, historically, more like the springs New Jersey was used to decades ago. Only relatively recently have we seen the warmer temperatures arrive early and stay put through summer.

What we know for sure is that New Jersey’s dedicated, hard-working, adaptable and innovative farmers know how to work with whatever Mother Nature throws at them. And that is a win for produce-buying consumers everywhere.

Editor’s Note: Douglas H. Fisher is New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture. He is the department’s executive officer, secretary to the State Board of Agriculture and a member of the Governor’s cabinet. Secretary Fisher fulfills executive, management and administrative duties prescribed by law, executive order or gubernatorial direction. He can be reached at 609.292.3976.

For more info, please visit: http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture

morris county park commission

The FrelinghuysenArboretum DEER RESISTANT NATIVE PLANTS* Wednesday, June 6 • $20.

Michael Van Clef will speak about native plants that deer often leave alone, plus tricks and tips to grow other native plants that are not deer resistant. Michael has 25 years of experience in white-tailed deer management.

This program eligible for 1.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: TO SPRAY OR NOT TO SPRAY?* Saturday, June 23 • $20.

Learn about techniques for adopting IPM principles and practices to your landscape, so that chemical use is the last resort. Disease-resistant plants, biorationals, systemics, nematodes, and more are all discussed by horticulturist Marc Zukovich, Professor at County College of Morris.

This program eligible for 2.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s

NATIVE PLANTS FOR CUT FLOWER GARDENING* Friday, June 29 • $25.

Kathy Salisbury returns for a practical guide to the best native plants to grow for cut flowers. Learn to cultivate, cut and condition native trees, shrubs and perennials for beautiful arrangements. Kathy is Director of Ambler Arboretum at Temple University and former President of the Native Plant Society of NJ. This program eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s

MORRIS CTY COMMUNITY GARDEN OPEN GATES WEEKEND Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15 • FREE!

Visit Community Gardens throughout Morris County. Be amazed at the beauty and diversity of the plants and gardens that support local food pantries and foster civic engagement. See website for map and details.

353 East Hanover Avenue • Morris Township, New Jersey • 07960 *Pre-registration is required

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June 2018 5

6 June 2018

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

SEBS Scientists Publish Study that Could Spawn Better Ways to Combat Crop-Killing Fungus

Rutgers-led genome research finds fungus pathogen that causes disease in rice became harmful 21 million years ago About 21 million years ago, a fungus that causes a devastating disease in rice first became harmful to the food that nourishes roughly half the world’s population, according to an international study led by Rutgers University–New Brunswick scientists.

The findings may help lead to different ways to fight or prevent crop and plant diseases, such as new fungicides and more effective quarantines.

Rice blast, the staple’s most damaging fungal disease, destroys enough rice to feed 60 million people annually.

Related fungal pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms) also infect turfgrasses, causing summer patch and gray leaf spot that damage lawns and golf courses in New Jersey and elsewhere every summer. And now a new fungal disease found in wheat in Brazil has spread to other South American countries.

Results from the study published online in Scientific Reports may lead to better plant protection and enhanced national quarantine policies, said Ning Zhang, study lead author and associate professor in the Department of Plant Biology and the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

“The rice blast fungus has gotten a lot of attention in the past several decades but related species of fungi draw little attention, largely because they’re not as severe or not harmful,” Zhang said. “But they’re all genetically related and the relatives of severe pathogens have been littlestudied. You have to know your relatives to have a holistic understanding of how the rice blast pathogen became strong and others did not.”

The study is the outcome of a 2016 international symposium at Rutgers–New Brunswick hosted by Zhang and Debashish Bhattacharya, study senior author and distinguished professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology. The National Science Foundation, Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, and School of Environmental and Biological Sciences funded the symposium by researchers from the U.S., France and South Korea.

The scientists studied Magnaporthales, an order of about 200 species of fungi, and some of the new members were discovered in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. About half of them are important plant pathogens like the rice blast fungus – ranked the top fungal pathogen out of hundreds of thousands. After the first sign of infection, a rice field may be destroyed within days, Zhang said.

To get a holistic understanding of how the rice blast fungus evolved, scientists genetically sequenced 21 related species that are less harmful or nonpathogenic. They found that proteins (called secretomes) that fungi secrete are especially abundant in important pathogens like the rice blast fungus.

Based on previous research, the proteins perhaps became more abundant over time, allowing the fungi to infect crops, Zhang said. The researchers identified a list of genes that are abundant in pathogens but less so in nonpathogens, so the abundant genes might promote pathogens that can infect crops. The results will allow scientists to look into the mechanism behind the infection process.

“With climate change, I think the rice blast problem can only get worse because this is a summer disease in warm climates where rice is grown,” Zhang said, adding that wheat, turfgrass and other important plants may also be affected.

Note: This article originally appeared in Rutgers Today.

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From the Director’s Desk

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

2018 Implementation of Revised Standards for Soil Restoration after Site Disturbance

Authorized by the Soil Conservation Act of 1937, Soil Conservation Districts have been working on farmland in New Jersey since 1938, advising farmers about management practices to conserve soil. Good quality, healthy soil is a valuable natural resource–not only supporting high yielding crops necessary to feed our population, but also having important roles in the environment: infiltrating and storing rain- or snow melt water, filtering and conducting it to groundwater, supporting essential food webs, recycling organic matter and participating in important nutrient cycles, etc. Loss or degradation of soil, such as by erosion, leads to harsh conditions for vegetation, requiring greater inputs of irrigation, fertilizer, and even pesticides to establish or maintain the desired plantings.

New Jersey’s official efforts to protect soil and water quality from non-agricultural land disturbance was authorized by the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act (SESCA) in 1976.

Legislators at that time recognized sediment as a source of pollution and saw that nonagricultural and urbanizing development had accelerated soil erosion, contributing to water pollution and degradation of natural resources. The law then was intended to implement “a statewide comprehensive and coordinated erosion and sediment control program to reduce the danger from storm water runoff, to retard nonpoint pollution from sediment and to conserve and protect the land, water, air and other environmental resources of the State.” [www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/anr/agriassist/chapter251. html] Soil Conservation Districts have been enforcing conservation regulations (SESC Standards, the required stabilization measures) on any sub/urban development project involving land disturbance of 5000 square feet or more ever since.

However, besides the immediate and often obvious impacts of erosion, soil disturbance frequently also leads to less apparent degradation by compaction, that is, tight-packing of soil particles with simultaneous reduction in porosity. During preparation of land for building, compaction is required to create a stable foundation for the structure, but the soil compaction often extends into areas ultimately intended for growing vegetation without regard for the plants’ requirements of lessdense soil. Clearing land, stripping topsoil, and traffic of heavy equipment over exposed soil on development sites, especially during periods of wet soil, almost assures that soil will be compacted and limits its ability to function naturally as in its original condition. Soil compaction not only limits depth and extent of vegetative rooting, but also restricts water and air movement through soil profiles, negatively affecting natural processes of a landscape, such as infiltrating, storing, and filtering precipitation, exchanging gases, and supporting a healthy balance of soil organisms. These factors are important for establishing a sustainable, low-input ecosystem as well as reducing runoff and erosion. Reducing runoff also decreases risk of nutrient pollution (eutrophication) in water bodies.

With increasing scientific evidence of soil quality impacts, the New Jersey legislature passed a law in 2011 that modified existing SESC Standards to help assure that soils disturbed by development or other non-agricultural activities would be restored to a functional condition. It recognizes that activities such as clearing, excavating, storing, grading or transporting soil exposes it to possible compaction as well as erosion. While the existing SESC Standards had established regulations for minimizing erosion during and immediately after the disturbance, the “Soil Restoration Law” of 2011 gave recognition to the longer-term effects of soil disturbance and degradation on the landscape. The additional measures are intended to verify that sustainable, functional landscapes can be maintained after the disturbance.

The 2011 legislation is commonly referred to as the Soil Restoration Law (www.njleg.state. nj.us/2010/Bills/PL10/113_.PDF). It directed that existing soil erosion and sediment control standards be modified to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, cost-effective restoration of the optimal physical, chemical, and biological functions for specific soil types and the intended land use. It took years of committee work, subject to New Jersey Administration approval, to develop a regulation attempting to balance “maximum extent possible” and “cost-effective”.

Finally in 2017, modifications of the SESC Standards for “Topsoiling” and “Grading” were accepted as fulfilment of the Soil Restoration Law. The main practices required to achieve soil restoration include loosening the subsoil, or evidence of non-compaction (in the Grading Standard), and a minimum 5” (firmed – but not compacted) depth of good quality topsoil adequate for plant rooting (in Topsoiling Standard). Soil Conservation Districts have begun enforcing this regulation in 2018.

Thousands of acres have been developed while the terms of the Soil Restoration Law were being defined, but for any future soil disturbances, developers will have a higher goal in assuring disturbed soils are restored to optimal physical, chemical, and biological functions. In turn, this will make future land management more successful, less demanding, and less costly.

For more information, this website provides many details about New Jersey’s soil conservation regulations: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/anr/nrc/njerosion.html.

Editor’s Note: This month’s column is written by Stephanie Murphy, Ph.D., Director, Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory.

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

An Orchid of Ease

Orchid plants conjure up mental images of dramatically beautiful flowers, only to be matched by equally dramatic and challenging cultural needs.

Most orchids are epiphytic plants, growing in the welldrained but moist organic litter found in tree canopies throughout tropical regions.

One would then think that growing winter-hardy orchids as a groundcover for New Jersey gardens would be preposterous.

However, for over 30 years I have grown them and watched the terrestrial orchid called Chinese Ground Orchid, Bletilla striata stretch into an impressive clump with very little care and even less cultural prowess.

Orchids actually belong to their own family named Orchidaceae, containing over 763 genera and 28,000 species, making it one of the largest plant families on Earth. Bletilla striata is native to regions of China, Korea and Japan. In

1784, it was originally named Limodorum striatum by Carl Thunberg (1743-1828) who discovered the plant growing in Japan. Limodorum comes from the Greek meaning “Gift of the Meadow,” describing the grassy habitats where it normally dwells.

The plant was properly named in 1878 by the German botanist and orchid enthusiast Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach (1823-1889). The name describes it as being a similar, yet smaller version of the South American orchid genus Bletia, which was described and named in 1794. Both names honor the Spanish pharmacist and botanist Luis Blet, which is very appropriate for Bletilla since the Japanese used it to treat gastrointestinal distress, malaria, respiratory ailments and malignancy. The species epithet originates from the Latin stria meaning a furrow or pleat and refers to the parallel pleats in the leaves that run longitudinally from the tip to base of the 12-inch-long leaves.

Bletilla striata is the Type Species for the genus, which

contains between five and seven species. The leaves and flowers emerge from pseudobulbs, which are thickened stems that serve as food storage organs.

The leafless flower stems are borne at the base of a leaf and ultimately reach 16 to 18 inches tall. Three to seven purple-pink flowers appear along the upper third of the stem in late-May into June.

Typical to the Orchidaceae, the flowers consist of three sepals and three petals. The sepals initially act as the protective covering to the flower bud, before transitioning into attractive floral parts. They are narrower than the petals, with one sepal pointing straight upwards and the remaining two resembling a pair of outstretched legs that would support the flower were it sitting on the ground.

The two broader upper petals resemble the shoulders of the flower, while the third is modified into an outwardly projecting lip or labellum that is used by pollinators as a landing pad. Located above the labellum is a roof-like structure called

Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardeners Honored at Annual Luncheon The Rutgers University Master Gardener Program of Somerset County, a volunteer organization of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, recognizes the outstanding work accomplished by members each year at a volunteer recognition luncheon.

The luncheon took place on April 11. The Master Gardener of the Year was awarded to Johanna Oster. Linda Lewis received the Master Gardener Award of Excellence. The Irene O. Sabin Award was presented to Judith Cohn. In addition, Special Recognition Awards were given to the following Master Gardeners for their exemplary contributions to the organization: Mousumi Patel, Linda Barbian-Bell, Shona Erlenborn, Bob Schwartz, Fran Phair, Tom Polefka, George Daniel, Lauren Randolph, Maura Sache, Steve Sawin, Linda Sims, Hal Beder and Veronica Guarraia. The Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardeners are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of their fellow Master Gardeners.

Garden tour of Chanticleer Join Bruce Crawford, Director Rutgers Gardens on a day to Chantilcleer, one of the most romantic, imaginative, and exciting public garden in America.

Thursday, June 28, 2018 For more info, please visit http://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu/GardenTours.html or call Mary Ann Schrum at (732) 932-8451.

En Plein Air – Creating Art in the Gardens Whether you are an experienced artist or a beginning enthusiast, the Gardens in springtime are a wonderful inspiration for creating your own artwork. Join artist Wes Sherman as he leads you on an exploration of landscape as a contemporary genre!

Saturday, June 16, 2018 Hort Farm No. 1 - Holly House-NJ Garden Club Hdq. George H. Cook Campus 130 Log Cabin Road New Brunswick, NJ For more info, please visit http://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu/Springclasses.html

the anther cap that provides a cover, as well as protection, for the reproductive organs.

Unique to orchids, the male stamens and the female stigma are actually fused into what is commonly known as a “column” or botanically termed a gynostemium. For Bletilla, the column is visible and located under and at the rear of the anther cap. Similar to flowers of Milkweed or Asclepias, pollen grains are fused into sacs called pollinia. This modification allows the pollinator to transfer not merely a few grains of pollen from flower to flower, but an entire pouch of pollen.

There are numerous cultivars of Bletilla striata, but the most widely available form is “Alba,” which sports attractive all-white flowers. The plants are best located in welldrained soils in light to partial shade, replicating the shade provided by tall grasses of its homeland. It has proven to be hardy throughout New Jersey, but the leaves can be damaged by late-spring frosts. Come November, the leaves often assume very attractive shades

June 2018 7 of yellow before withering for the winter.

Chinese Ground Orchid is certainly not a rapidly spreading plant, but when planted 12 inches apart, it can make a very attractive groundcover.

If you have been challenged by orchids in the past, this is a plant well worth exploring.

With its exotic flowers and ease of culture, it is an orchid more gardeners need to recognize and discover.

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

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

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

8 June 2018

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New Jersey Legislative Update Oroho’s Legislation Addressing Nuisance Deer Passes Senate Environment Committee

Senator Steven Oroho’s bipartisan legislation to improve deer management in New Jersey to reduce car crashes and crop damage was approved by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.

“It’s no secret that deer can be a nuisance in New Jersey’s rural and suburban communities,” Oroho (R-24) said. “Car accidents involving deer account for thousands of collisions a year across the state. Farmers in my district tell me that deer account for 70 percent of their wildlife crop damage. This legislation is practical, bipartisan, and will benefit New Jersey as a whole.”

Oroho’s legislation, S-2419, expands the lawfulness of deer hunting on forested land that has experienced deer damaged in the past year.

It also forbids the intentional feeding of deer unrelated to hunting, clarifies the legality of deer baiting for hunting purposes, and establish a “Hunters Helping the Hungry Fund” to support Hunters Helping Hungry (HHH).

HHH is a nonprofit that works with regional food banks to provide hungry New Jersey residents with nutritious, high-protein venison meat, which has been donated to the organization by deer hunters.

Oroho noted that New Jersey ranks 13th in the nation in terms of deer-vehicle crashes, and that there are no natural predators to deer in the Garden State.

“The purpose of this legislation is to maintain a healthy deer population that remains compatible with current land use practices and public safety,” Oroho added. “Expanding deer hunting while feeding the homeless is a win-win for all.”

Advanced: Bateman Bill Protecting Drinking Water from Harmful Chemicals

Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-16) to protect New Jersey’s families from contaminated stormwater by permitting municipalities to establish and operate stormwater utilities has passed the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.

“Stormwater runoff carries debris, bacteria, and chemicals that can harm our drinking water,” said Bateman. “Appropriate stormwater infrastructure and management can protect New Jersey’s families by keeping harmful pesticides, fertilizers, and gasoline out of our tap water.”

Bateman’s legislation, S-1073, provides for management of stormwater systems that commonly go unmonitored to protect New Jersey’s drinking water and waterways from being polluted.

The Environmental Protection Agency warns that stormwater running off impervious surfaces in urbanized areas can infiltrate rivers and coastal waters, impacting drinking water and beaches. This past summer, beaches across New Jersey were closed due to warning signs of dangerous pathogens in the waters.

“Stormwater runoff can impact the health of waterways and people across New Jersey if not managed correctly,” said Bateman. “Clean water is a human right. It is critical that we provide New Jersey families with sanitary water. This includes protecting our rivers, beaches, lakes, and most importantly our drinking water.”

The legislation now moves to the full Senate.

Bog Turtle Now One Step Closer to Becoming NJ’s Official State Reptile

The bog turtle crawled one step closer to become New Jersey’s official state reptile today, following the State Senate passage of legislation sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman and inspired by students from Princeton.

“I really have to hand it to the students who worked so hard to shed light on the dangers the bog turtle is facing in New Jersey. We are passing this bill today because of their efforts,” Senator Bateman (R-16) said. “Encouraging the next generation to get involved in the legislative process and reach out to their elected officials is incredibly important. It’s something that every parent, teacher, and legislator should do. I know that these kids have a bright future ahead of them and I look forward to watching them continue to fight for the causes they believe in.”

Senator Bateman introduced the bill after a group of students and teachers in Princeton began raising awareness of the plight of the bog turtle in New Jersey. The students built a turtle garden at the school and started a campaign to encourage their local officials to protect the bog turtle by naming the creature the New Jersey State Reptile.

Two students involved in the fight to save the bog turtle joined Senator Bateman to testify in support of his bill on March 26 at the Senate State Government Committee hearing. Their teacher, Mark Eastburn, was also in attendance to testify in favor of the legislation and to see it pass the State Senate on April 12, 2018.

“Dozens of students at a time have come to my room during recess to write letters and post cards to state legislators and nearly every school in New Jersey, and I am so happy that their efforts were supported by Senator Bateman,” Eastburn said. “Some may question whether New Jersey needs a state reptile, but the truth is that a diverse group of children have advocated for a cause that they cherish, and are seeing for themselves the importance of bipartisan cooperation.”

“I am excited that our students are able to understand how a bill becomes a law with this turtle project,” Community Park School Librarian Bevan Jones, who has also assisted Princeton students with their advocacy for this legislation, added. “Now they know that they can make a difference in the world and that their voices matter.”

The bog turtle, one of the smallest and rarest turtles in North America, is endangered in New Jersey. Previously, the reptile could be found in all but three counties statewide. The US Department of Fish and Wildlife and the NJ DEP have partnered with land owners to preserve bog turtle habitats, recognizing the critical need to protect the turtle from extinction.

Although a majority of US States have a State Reptile, New Jersey has yet to designate one.

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June 2018 9 Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Trees offer social, environmental and economic benefits throughout their lifetime

I was very impressed as I was traveling through the Borough of Chatham. I was there to drop off copies of the Gardener News at the Borough of Chatham Library on Main Street. I also drop them off at Kings Food Markets, also on Main Street.

Much to my surprise I spotted multiple tree banners on the street lights.

I found out that Chatham Borough in Morris County, N.J., is all about trees. The Borough has been designated a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation since May 2001. This honor goes to communities that have a tree ordinance, a legally established Shade Tree Commission, a comprehensive urban forestry program, and an annual Arbor Day celebration.

Did you know that trees reduce water runoff by breaking rainfall, thus allowing the water to flow down the trunk and into the earth below the tree? This prevents stormwater from carrying pollutants into the bay, streams, rivers and ultimately into the ocean. And we all know how I love the ocean. Do you also know that when mulched, trees act like a sponge that filters this water naturally and uses it to recharge groundwater supplies?

The beauty of a well-planted property and its surrounding street and neighborhood can raise property values by as much as 15 percent.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Tom Castronovo/Photo (USDA), the net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. And that one acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.

According to the USDA Forest Service, trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 to 50 percent in energy used for heating.

Trees also make our streets quieter. Did I mention that Main Street in Chatham is lined with trees?

They reduce noise by absorbing sound, especially at high frequencies. A band of trees and shrubs planted on a raised berm can reduce highway noise by six to 10 decibels.

The Borough also has a Tree Protection Ordinance which extends to trees on private property. This ordinance was adopted in 2001. A permit is required to cut down any tree over six inches in diameter. The permits may be obtained from the Department of Community Services. There is a small fee related to the number of trees involved. The fee may be waived if the Construction Official or a Certified Tree Expert determines that the tree is dead.

The purpose of the tree protection ordinance is as follows: The Borough Council finds that the preservation, maintenance, protection and planting of trees aids in the stabilization of soil by the prevention of erosion and sedimentation; reduces storm water runoff and the potential damage it may create; aids in the removal of pollutants from the air and assists in the generation of oxygen; provides a buffer and screen against noise and pollution; provides protection against severe weather; aids in the control of drainage and restoration of denuded soil subsequent to construction or grading; provides a habitat for birds and other wildlife and otherwise enhances the environment; protects and increases Tom Castronovo/Photo property values; preserves and enhances the Borough’s physical and aesthetic appearance; and generally promotes the public health and welfare. The regulations contained herein are designed to maintain such beneficial impacts while not interfering with the right of the Borough property owner appropriately to preserve, protect and remove trees.

I personally honor and salute the Borough Council in Chatham for their continued commitment to protect and promote the planting of trees.

Remember, planting a tree is a lifelong investment. How well this investment grows depends on the type of tree selected and the planting location, the care provided during planting, and the follow-up care after planting.

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

10 June 2018

GardenerNews.com

Understanding Soils

By Brian Bosenberg It is essential to life on Earth as we know it, necessary to grow the food we need to survive and can contain billions of organisms within a single gram.

Soils are a fundamental element of life, the Earth’s atmosphere, and are critical for any successful landscape.

The diversity of soils is unfamiliar to most. New Jersey alone has hundreds of soil types, varying from very sandy soils to ledge rock. Soils are often named: Sassafras sandy loam, Abbottstown silt loam, Annandale and Gladstone gravelly loams, etc., are examples of soils classified by their region.

Soils can vary greatly even within smaller sites. Varying moisture content and bedrock depths can create different growing conditions for plants.

Plants have evolved to grow in soil with certain conditions or properties, performing better with certain pH levels, In almost 40 years in the lawn industry, I have never seen such unusual spring weather as there was this year. Cold, wet and then warm …repeat. Mother Nature couldn’t make up her mind!

In the past few weeks, many have asked “How do I control crabgrass, it’s too late isn’t it?” Well, the weekend weather has limited our time to apply lawn products; hopefully you were able to apply your crabgrass preventer in May. Remember, crabgrass germinates over a long period of time, not just when the forsythia blooms.

There are many factors that contribute to crabgrass establishment.

First, crabgrass only grows in sunny areas of the lawn. Soil and air temperatures can affect how quickly crabgrass germinates. Disrupting the soil after applying crabgrass preventer by raking the soil or kids playing on the lawn can open the floodgates for crabgrass to establish. There are potentially millions of crabgrass seeds in your lawn. They just need to get

moisture content or nutrient concentrations.

Knowing the soil type is essential for successful plant selections.

Soil, commonly referred to as dirt, is defined in the Soil Science Glossary as “The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the Earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants. It is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occur on the land’s surface, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment.”

It can be referred to as the “skin of the earth” and contains countless organisms that are the decaying remains of once-living things.

According to the Soil Science Society of America, there are seven general roles

that soils play: First, soils serve as media for growth of all kinds of plants. Secondly, soils modify the atmosphere by emitting and absorbing gases. Third, soils provide habitat for animals that live in the soil (such as groundhogs and mice) as well as organisms (such as bacteria and fungi), that account for most of the living things on Earth. Fourth, soils absorb, hold, release, alter, and purify most of the water in terrestrial systems.

Fifth, soils process recycled nutrients, including carbon, so that living things can use them over and over again. Sixth, soils serve as engineering media for construction of foundations, roadbeds, dams and buildings, and preserve or destroy artifacts of human endeavors. Finally, soils act as a living filter to clean water before it moves into an aquifer.

As you dig into the ground, you’ll see soil is made up of layers, or horizons (O, A, E, B, C, R) which form the soil profile. The horizons are defined as: O–(humus

or organic) Mostly organic matter such as decomposing leaves. The O horizon is not present in all soils. A-(topsoil) A good material for plants and other organisms to live. E– (eluviated) Leached of clay, minerals and organic matter, leaving a concentration of sand and silt particles of quartz or other resistant materials –often found in older soils and forest soils. B–(subsoil) Rich in minerals that leached (filtered down) from the A or E horizons and accumulated here. C–(parent material) The deposit at Earth’s surface from which the soil developed. R– (bedrock) A mass of rock such as granite, basalt, quartzite, limestone or sandstone that forms the parent material for some soil.

As an anchor for plant roots and as a water-holding tank for needed moisture, soil provides a hospitable place for plants to take root. Some of the soil properties affecting plant growth include: Soil texture (coarse or fine); aggregate size, porosity, aeration (permeability); and

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Will I get crabgrass this summer? to the surface, get some warm weather and sunlight, and they can take off.

It’s now June, if you apply Dimension crabgrass preventer now, you may get some crabgrass control.

Note that I used the words “may” and “some” meaning do not expect 100-percent control.

If you are not interested in trying to prevent crabgrass anymore this year, the best way to curb crabgrass growth is a healthy, thick-growing lawn. Feed your lawn and apply grass seed to get grass growing in thin areas before crabgrass blades actually start to show up in July and August.

The level of crabgrass establishment will also depend on the weather. If it is a scorching hot and

dry summer, and your lawn goes dormant or dies, the crabgrass will thrive.

Remember, we can’t predict Mother Nature, so we have to prepare before the wrath of summer weather arrives.

This means following a sound lawn care program starting last fall with feeding and seeding your lawn.

The next problem is what about dandelions? They seemed to come out for a day and then disappear with cold weather many times this spring. Control of broadleaf weeds usually happens in May, but again the weather confused us all as to how and when to control these weeds.

As long as earlysummer weather does not become hot and dry, you can effectively control broadleaf

weeds. Temperatures over 85 degrees and grass under stress from heat and drought are not times to try and control broadleaf weeds; you may injure some good grass.

Broadleaf weeds have to be actively growing and exposed for best control, whether you use granular or liquid control. Be sure with weed and feed granules that you apply to a damp lawn either in early-morning when some dew is present or after you lightly sprinkle the grass for five minutes. This is best so the granules stick to the weed leaves for best control.

Remember, do not mow two days before or after you apply broad leaf controls and do not water-in after application or have rainfall

water holding capacity.

Microorganisms are the primary decomposers of the soil and help to promote plant growth and long-term survival. Understanding your soil properties is the first step to success in your garden!

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Jersey and United States Departments of Agriculture are sources for soil information in New Jersey.

See https://websoilsurvey. nrcs.usda.gov/app. Visit the website to access the online soils mapping to find the soil map for your property. There is a wealth of information available.

Editor’s Note: Brian W. Bosenberg is a practicing landscape architect licensed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maine and Vermont, and a principal in the firm of Bosenberg & Company Landscape Architects, Far Hills, N.J. He can be reached at 908-234-0557, info@bwbosenberg.com or www.bwbosenberg.com in the forecast for two days after application. Broadleaf weeds can take up to 30 days to disappear from the lawn.

The weed killer needs to be absorbed by the plant and then work its way down to the root system for compete control.

Large quantities of broadleaf weeds can be present because you have low soil pH. Lawns thrive when the soil pH is between 6.2 to 7.0, so apply calcium carbonate-based products to raise soil pH levels. Soil test kits are available at most stores or contact your local Rutgers Cooperative Extension office for a soil test kit. This provides a complete analysis of your soil to avoid future disappointment with your lawn applications.

Now it’s time for you to enjoy your fist trip to the beach or have a picnic on your picture-perfect lawn (I hope!).

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 Like most everyone else, I thought this winter would never end. Despite an occasional sunny day, followed by weeks of cold, wet, overcast skies, it seemed like spring was also taking its good old time getting here as well. My suspicions were confirmed when listening to my farmer friends complain about delayed plantings, wet fields, and crops that are behind by two weeks or more.

This got me to thinking.

I wonder what would happen if summer didn’t come. Well, thanks to a lap top and the internet, I learned that just over 200 years ago, in 1816 to be precise, the world went without a summer! As you might imagine, the effects were disastrous – particularly in the Northeastern United States and Northern Europe.

The story begins with the April 10, 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora - the largest volcanic eruption ever recorded in human history. This Indonesian volcano spewed millions of tons of ash, dust and sulfur dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere.

The resulting debris acted as a giant “cosmic umbrella” that shielded the earth from the sun’s warming rays for almost an entire year. The average

June 2018 11 NJ Agricultural Society

By Al Murray Executive Director

A Chilling Thought – No Summer?

global temperature dropped an estimated 3 to 6 degrees F. As winter 1816 gave way to spring, farmers throughout the Northeast went about their normal activities, preparing fields and planting crops. However, the weather was not going to change. Tender vegetable plants froze and had to be replanted – only to freeze again. Driving sleet and hail storms knocked all the blossoms off the fruit trees. The corn and grain harvest completely failed, and livestock either froze or starved to death.

A snow storm on June 8 left 18- to 20-inch snow drifts in Philadelphia, and Cape May reported frost five straight nights in late-June. In late-August, frost was even reported in Virginia.

The weather so affected former President Thomas Jefferson’s farm, that over two thirds of his crops were destroyed, plunging him so far into debt, that he

would never recover.

In Europe, things were far worse. Failed harvests occurred through out the British Isles and Northern Europe. A severe famine resulted that led to mass starvation. Riots and looting broke out in many European cities, and the worst typhus epidemic ever recorded ran rampant. Food prices spiraled out of control for both humans and livestock.

In the U.S., the “year without a summer” is credited with helping to begin the great migration towards the west. People from all over the Eastern Seaboard began to look westward. In Vermont alone, over 15,000 people set out for a new life in what is now “America’s Heartland.”

Could this happen again?

Natural disasters can occur at any time, so yes, it’s feasible.

The Mt. Tambora eruption is

considered a once-every-1,000years occurrence. So, hopefully it is something we will never see.

As for the agricultural disaster that followed, farming and technology have made great progress in the ensuing 200 years. In 1816, most of the world’s farmers were considered “subsistence” farmers; they grew primarily for themselves, living from harvest to harvest.

Railroads did not yet gain prominence, so regions had to rely on their own resources for food. The fact that the Northeast was both the most populous section of our young country and most affected by this disaster made it particularly painful.

On the bright side, the advances in the field of agriculture are astonishing, and seemingly unending.

Biotechnology, information management, enhanced production practices, improved fertilizers, irrigation,

better crop varieties, pest control, greenhouse and high tunnel production, increased yields and a global transportation network help make us less vulnerable to the large-scale effects experienced 200 years ago.

In 1816, a farmer had only his experience, and that of his neighbors, to cope with challenges. Today, our farmers have a vast support network that includes Extension, a state and federal Department of Agriculture, as well as scientists and researchers from all over world all working to advance and protect this industry.

While we might not ever be able to control the weather, it is re-assuring that we are getting better in controlling the aftermath.

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

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

Length of Service Recognition

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Rodger Vargas, left, receives an appreciation plaque from Tony Catanzaro, owner of Regency Landscape, LLC, for 20 years of outstanding service at the Millington, Morris County-based company. The plaque was presented to Vargas during a morning breakfast meeting before all of the company’s landscape professionals. Regency Landscape has been designing, installing and maintaining fine landscapes since 1986.

12 June 2018

GardenerNews.com

GardenerNews.com

New Jersey Departments Start Veterans Apprenticeship Program (Continued from page 1)

but are not limited to, fruit and vegetable inspections, animal feed inspections, and food safety inspections.

Taylor is the first of what the Department hopes will be many participants in this program. Upon completion of the apprenticeship program, participants will have in-depth knowledge of. and all relevant certifications to conduct. agricultural inspection and food safety programs on behalf of the Department. Taylor continues to work in the Apprentice Program, and so far as met or exceeded all of his monthly goals.

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.

June 2018 13 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

“Welcome to the Jungle”

Magnolia honors the French botanist Pierre Magnol (1638-1715) and there are several that differentiate themselves from “Star” and “Saucer” types.

I have a friend who moved to Tampa, Fla., and I am always amazed at the color and bold texture his plants afford him. Bright colors and tropical vegetation are indicative of warmer climates and have me covet what he now takes for granted. Often when I land at Newark Airport, after visiting my friend Ján, we talk about how “devoid of color” we are here in New Jersey during our coldest months. However, there are some magnolia that, despite their tropical appearance, are truly “hardy” and have me reminiscing about my friend and Tampa’s climate.

Umbrella Magnolia, Magnolia tripetala, is tropical looking with huge, single white flowers in the summer.

Typical of all the magnolia discussed in this article, it is their enormous leaves that drive the “tropical vibe.”

Umbrella Magnolia has its name because its leaves are held in whorl-like clusters at the stem tips, in an umbrellalike configuration. Large, shiny, oblong leaves, almost two feet long and 10 inches wide, makes you think of the tropics, almost dismissing the fact that this tree is native to the Appalachian Mountains.

Found in ravines and along streams from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, Magnolia tripetala grows almost 30 feet tall and about half as wide. Malodorous (earthy), creamy white flowers, almost a foot wide, are followed by pink, cone-like fruits in the fall. Hardy from zones 5-8, Umbrella Magnolia enjoys moist, fertile, welldrained soil in full sun to part shade. Important to note, this magnolia can be confused with Bigleaf magnolia; however, the leaf base of Umbrella is “V-shaped” and Bigleaf is

“B-shaped” (bernheim.org).

Ashe’s Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla ssp. ashei, is my second choice of these “tropical beauty” types. “A tropical look for temperate gardens” (www. rarefindnursery.com), Ashe’s Magnolia has gargantuan leaves and flowers. Their flowers are a foot wide, fragrant white and maroon at their base. Papery-textured leaves, up to two feet long, give this an impressive presence in the right garden setting. Ashe’s Magnolia is hardy to zone 6 (5) and reportedly flowers in adolescence, as early as two to three feet tall.

A spreading, deciduous tree that flowers in the earlysummer, some liken the flower scent to that of jasmine and citrus. Another native that enjoys moist, well-drained soil, keep this one away from wet areas! Another good tip for this magnolia is pruning it in the late-summer or winter to prevent the bleeding of sap.

Capable of growing 10 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, remember trees don’t read books and often can surpass textbook verbiage. I have personally seen a 30-foot-tall Magnolia ashei at a private residence in Basking Ridge, N.J. This scaled-down version seems to fit today’s modern garden quite well. Let’s not forget its showy, rose-colored fruit or the fact that most magnolia are deer-resistant.

The last of the large “banana leaf type” magnolia, discussed here, is Cloudforest Magnolia, Magnolia dealbata.

Previously considered to be a variety of Magnolia macrophylla, recent taxonomic research now suggests it belongs to a number of species, M. nuevoleonensis, M. rzedowskii, M. vovidesii as well as a few others.

Magnolia dealbata is a large tree found in the cloud forest of Northern Oaxaca, Mexico. Last year, I was gifted a Cloudforest Magnolia from a good friend and it has survived, despite this past

winter’s lasting grip on us all.

Mexico has been touted as a good place to see magnolia.

However, recent deforestation has proven this more difficult.

Thought to be extinct at one point, Cloudforest Magnolia was rediscovered in 1977. Used for timber and as a medicinal plant for heart problems, Cloudforest’s colossal leaves and flowers are a given here, too. A larger tree than Magnolia ashei, Magnolia dealbata grows 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. Hardy from zones 5A- 10A, bright shade is recommended for this deciduous beauty. This will be my first year having this tree in our garden, and despite its diminutive size, I am expecting great things.

Every time I see a largeleaf magnolia I can’t help but think of the song “Welcome To The Jungle.” A song by American rock band Guns N’ Roses, featured on the debut album, “Appetite for Destruction” (1987).

The story goes, the lyrics were inspired by an encounter Axl Rose and a friend had with a homeless man coming out of a bus in New York.

The homeless man yelled out, “You know where you are?

You’re in the jungle baby; you’re gonna die!” Despite the fact that the lyrics are reflective of two runaways, initially making their way in the world, the lyrics somehow strike a horticultural chord with me.

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, Reeves-Reed 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.

14 June 2018

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After a very cool April, it finally feels like spring.

Even today, April 30 as I write this, it is still raw and cold. So I took a long walk this evening to see how things are looking.

One good thing about a slow warm-up is that everything (or so it seems) is in bloom. Forsythia, magnolia, cherries, crabapples, viburnum and early rhododendron, all in bloom at once, and redbud just starting. It is really quite spectacular. Lack of a late frost or freeze let showy bloomers put on a show, and they did. The cool nights enhanced colors and kept the show rolling along. Rare is the spring when all these plants bloom at once.

Another observation made is there are no leaves on large shade trees (at least in my area). Red and Norway maples are in full flower, and oaks are just starting, but not a leaf in sight. That will change with the first blast of warm weather, but I am enjoying it for now. I just want some shade so I can get my tender plants out

Tree Notes

By Steve Schuckman NJ Certified Tree Expert of the house and under the trees. Remember folks, your indoor plants will sunburn when you put them outdoors after a long, dark winter.

Keep them in the shade for awhile.

OK, so it is beautiful out there but now it is time to get to work! Those weird snowstorms in March did a number on many trees.

Your arborvitae and Leyland cypress are probably a mess and may not be salvageable.

Almost every tree suffered some kind of damage, especially trees with thick, dense crowns. These species collected all that heavy, wet snow and the result was broken branches that either came down or are still up there. Magnolias took a big hit, as did Japanese maples

IT’S SPRING!

and dogwoods. All of this damage must be addressed as soon as possible, and proper pruning performed.

What about those big shade trees? I have observed many small breaks in big maples and oaks, and these must be dealt with immediately. Once fully leafed out and with branches full of water, it won’t take much to cause these broken limbs to fail. If you have large shade trees on your property, hire a New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert and get an evaluation, and do what is necessary to make the tree healthy and safe.

Homeowners do not often consider tree maintenance, but they put lots of time and effort (and money) into their lawns. Remember, a blade

of grass won’t kill you, but a falling limb will.

Small ornamental trees, such as dogwood, cherry and magnolia, should be mulched and fertilized. I prefer one to two inches of good hardwood mulch out to the dripline, and a general all-purpose granular fertilizer applied before mulching. Your Licensed Tree Expert can provide you with the best advice. Why fertilize your trees? Because you paid lots of money to take away all the leaves last fall. No natural nutrients remain. Trees in the forest don’t need fertilizing, because there are no elves cleaning up the leaves.

It is very important to have your trees inspected by a professional, especially

after such a weird winter.

Some work you may be able to do, but the big stuff is best to left to qualified arborists.

Finally, some comments about Emerald Ash Borer.

This pest, now widespread in New Jersey, is more serious than I once thought.

Infected trees become brittle and dangerous, and must be removed immediately.

In Montclair, where I first found this pest in 2016, hundreds of street trees are infected, and most of the trees damaged in the March snowstorm were ash. If you have ash on your property, your choice is to treat or remove. I recommend the latter. There are better trees.

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

Spotted Lanternfly Update

• Many agencies and universities have joined forces to find solutions to control Spotted Lanternfly.

• Spotted lanternfly is a planthopper.

• A pregnant female may have up to 200 eggs. She will lay 30-50 in one egg mass. The egg masses may be found on any hard surface area. It should be noted that rusty metal is attractive to the insect. Eggs may be laid anywhere on a tree. They will be found in the top branches and trunk all the way down to ground level. There is a thick covering on the eggs. As this dries, it resembles a smear of mud. Fresh egg masses are glossy looking, but as they age they become dull and may crack. Currently there is no known pesticide that will kill the egg masses. They must be scraped off in a downward motion of any surface on which they are found. Once they are scraped off they should be placed in a plastic bag with a little alcohol or hand-sanitizer in the bag.

• Spotted Lanternfly makes use of over 70 different plant species.

• Damage reported on basil, blueberry, cucumber and horseradish.

• Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) has been adapting to life in Pennsylvania. It has expanded its range rapidly, primarily by hitchhiking on vehicles and cargo.

This gives it the potential to severely hinder commerce in the region if other areas begin to embargo Pennsylvania goods. That’s why it’s crucial for everyone in the quarantined area to do their part to stop the pest’s primary means of spreading.

• As the pest has adapted and multiplied, the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA) has adapted strategies for containment, control, and quarantine to effectively battle the pest. In February 2018, PDA began rolling out a new permitting system for businesses, municipalities, state and federal agencies, and other organizations working within the 13-county quarantine zone. The physical permit — a hangtag for vehicle rearview mirrors — is designed to indicate that the permittee is aware of the Spotted Lanternfly and follows procedures to prevent spreading the pest from one location to another.

• The permitting process begins with training on SLF, after which a 20 question multiple-choice test will be offered by PDA. The test is taken by a manager or supervisor, who then receives “permits” in the form of hangtags for the company/organizational vehicles. PDA is asking persons who take the training and exam to share the information with others in their organization. Each permitted group will be provided with enough hangtags for all business vehicles used by the group.

• If an organization or business in the quarantine area uses vehicles for their business activities, or actively ships materials, they need to obtain permits.

• The SLF permitting process is new. It will take time to reach all organizations and businesses. PDA and its partners are working to conduct group trainings as quickly as possible. An online training and exam process is under development to make the permitting process much more accessible.

Until it is available, testing sessions are provided by the local PDA regional offices.

• Permitting will remain in a pilot phase until there has been sufficient opportunity for permits to be acquired. With the permitting pilot, the PA Department of Agriculture is working towards compliance assistance, rather than punitive enforcement. However, the SLF quarantine remains in effect, independent of permitting. Malicious movement of spotted lanternfly may be prosecuted under the authority of that quarantine.

• The New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association held an information session in April 2018 about this devastating, invasive pest. Videos of the presentations can be found at https://njaes.rutgers.edu/spotted-lanternfly/

GardenerNews.com

June 2018 17

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18 June 2018

GardenerNews.com

To Spray or Not to Spray

By Jeannie Geremia Contributing Writer

This, my gardening friends, is the ongoing dilemma facing gardeners, farmers, nurserymen, municipalities and the public, as we continually face new (to us) pests, diseases and weather disrupters caused increasingly more by climate change.

This was brought home to me all the more as I was asked to do a pollinator garden presentation to The West Jersey Rose Society at Medford Leas this past April. Roses can be demanding if we’re looking for perfect specimens and a rose aficionado who is so passionate about roses to join an organization dedicated to the genus Rosa, also wants to grow the most perfect rose, as flower shows and competition feed into the whole dynamic.

How was I then to present a program encouraging these rose enthusiasts to attract our seriously endangered pollinators with plants that are irresistible to them, if these gardeners are spraying and using systemics? I hit the books as I sought to be measured in my approach, and just offer my own experiences plus alternatives. The following is the tact I took to have these enthusiastic gardeners consider the consequences of raising that perfect rose.

First, from all that I have experienced in my own garden and in many articles, bees are the pollinators that are attracted to roses – butterflies, not so much. With that knowledge, gardeners should plant their roses far from any pollinator garden, if the perfect rose is the goal and systemics and sprays are utilized. Please use netting to prevent bees from sipping the deadly nectar and collecting the equally deadly pollen.

In my research, I happened upon a book that was written in the 1950s about growing roses, and

quoted to my audience from a chapter on enemies of roses that listed chemicals from A to Z including DDT. I related how Rachel Carson in her campaign to eliminate DDT, was vilified by the chemical companies and scientists who had an agenda, but consequently her unrelenting advocacy to save the environment by banning DDT saved so many of our wildlife species, including our country’s symbol, the eagle.

We are still battling the use of chemicals that not only harm our pollinators, but our children, pets and ourselves by overuse when an Integrated Pest Management system should be utilized.

The good news from the West Jersey Rose Society is that a majority attending the program are growing their roses organically. In my research, I also found best companions for roses, and that includes all members of the onion family, including those divine Alliums. Not recommended for plantings with roses is boxwood, due to competing root systems.

Our native roses are particularly disease- and pestresistant and include Rosa virginiana, Rosa carolina, and Rosa palustris, the East Coast swamp rose. My yard is home to oak and hickory trees, so I’ve been limited, but do love my French Romantica rose, “Leonardo Da Vinci.” It’s a floribunda deep-pink rose that is longlasting and impervious to rain.

David Austin’s roses, especially “Abraham Darby,”, also are glorious and that old French Bourbon climbing rose, “Zephirine Drouhin,” gave many years of joy in a north semi-shady setting.

The sad news for all rose growers is the prevalence of Rose rosette disease also known as witches’ broom, a virus caused by the eriophyid mite that wreaked havoc on the invasive multifora roses, but has spread to cultivated

roses.

It manifests its presence by displaying red pigmentation on the underside of leaf veins, followed by increased growth of shoots that are disfigured, and brittle with a proliferation of thorns, and all parts are varying shades of red. The only remedy is removal and destruction of the plant. This disease seems to have impacted the variety of rose species available at our local garden centers, but some of the aforementioned native roses seem resistant, so do ask for our natives.

Leaving you on a high note as we breathe in the smells and savor the beauty of June is a passage from the writings of Henry David Thoreau in a book of his journeys on the waterways of his beloved New England countryside, edited by Dudley C. Lunt from the Masterworks of Literature entitled “The River.”

“We now have roses on the land and lilies in the water—both land and water have done their best—now just after the longest day….

The floral days. The red rose, with the intense color of many suns concentrated, spreads its tender petals perfectly fair, its flower not to be overlooked, modestly yet queenly on the edges of shade copses and meadows, against its green leaves, surrounded by blushing buds of perfect form; not only beautiful, but rightfully commanding attention; unspoiled by the admiration of gazers.”

Enjoy!

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

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

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GardenerNews.com Is it me, or does it feel as if things are changing faster than they used to? Perhaps it is true, or maybe I am just showing my age. Or maybe it’s a little bit of both.

At least in agriculture, and I don’t believe that agriculture is too different than most other industries, radical changes and industry-altering events seem to be hurled our way with much more frequency than in years past.

Let’s just talk about new types of pests that are harmful to crops grown here in the United States. This year, it is the East Asian Tick and the Spotted Lantern Fly. A few years ago, it was the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and the Spotted Wing Drosophila.

Before that, it was the Plum Pox Virus, the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Long Horned Beetle. And before that…, well you get the picture.

It seems as if we are being inundated by a neverending stream of destructive invasive species. One after another, they hitch a ride here somehow, decide that they like it, and then stay for a while.

You don’t have to be selling your home to add curb appeal and make your property look “new to you!”

There are multiple ways to increase curb appeal, but let’s focus on the landscape. The first thing you want to do is take stock of what you’re working with. Are there any dead or sparse plants? Do you have areas of grass that won’t grow around trees? Do you have overgrown shrubs? Are there features you don’t love or have the time or ability to maintain?

This should help determine your next steps.

Next you want to clean up. If there are any dead or dying trees or shrubs, get them out of there! Give your lawn a makeover by fertilizing, weeding and mowing. If you are not a professional, I suggest hand weeding, as not using the proper amount of chemicals, or avoiding them, is not a simple task. While you’re down there, continue weeding into your beds to get rid of all those dandelions, clover and other nasty weeds. They can strangle and take water away from the plants you do want to keep.

Next up, create an edge where your grass meets the

June 2018 19 The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Our Rapidly Changing World

And why wouldn’t they like it? The world’s most abundant food supply coupled with a vast array of suitable climates and a transportation system set up to move them around the country with ease. Then they just set up shop in an ecosystem that is largely free from their natural predators. This, my friends, is what we really need a wall for.

It looks as if the abovementioned pests are, for the most part, here to stay. Each of these invasive pests, in their own way, has wreaked some type of havoc on the crops that are most susceptible to them.

Some have even necessitated the use of quarantines and eradication programs to try and stop their spread.

And while there has been some limited success in stopping the spread of these

pests, for the most part, once they are here, the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak. They quickly become our “new normal.”

Of course, all of these pests emerge, establish themselves, and proliferate in different manners. Take the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug for example. This pest arrived rather suddenly and quickly spread throughout New Jersey. The first couple of years, it caused extensive damage to certain fruit and vegetable crops (besides being a nuisance to homeowners).

But after a couple of years, the overall impact of this pest seems to have lessened. Either weather conditions play a part in keeping this stink bug at bay or the populations of predators have increased in response to this new food

source. Nevertheless, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug appears to be here to stay.

The Spotted Wing Drosophila is another story, however. This pest appears to be quite at home here in New Jersey. Unlike the Stink Bug, this pest is not nearly as easy to recognize. What this fly does is lay eggs in many types of soft fruit cultivars, especially berries. When these eggs hatch, the larvae emerge and then feed on the inside of the berries.

Needless to say, this does not make for a very pleasant eating experience.

Early-season berries such as strawberries seem to show few effects from this pest. But later-ripening berries such as blackberries and fall-bearing raspberries are particularly susceptible to the Spotted

The NJLCA Today

By Gail Woolcott Director of Operations

driveway, walkways and garden beds with an edger, to create a crisp and clean look. Prune back all those overgrown rose bushes and give yourself some cut flowers for the dining table.

Any shrubs should be trimmed at least once a year, after they have bloomed (if they are the flowering type). Try not to create what the industry likes to call “meatballs” by trimming your shrubbery into a perfect orb.

When you have completed weeding your beds, spruce them up with a little mulch.

Purchase your mulch from a reputable nursery or garden center, as many (particularly dyed) mulches are made from pallets, old building wood, etc. and may contain nails, treated wood (which are bad for plants) or other foreign objects.

Now let’s get planting.

Time for Curb Appeal Flowers and new shrubs can redefine the look of a house! Use potted plants along walkways, steps and especially around the front door. Although you should include lots of colors and textures, make sure the potted plant material has something in common with those near to it.

Otherwise you’ll end up with what looks like a crazy mishmosh of plant material that does not look polished.

For lower maintenance, add perennials to your flower beds, with annuals in front of them, so you will have something new each year to look at, but with less work. Plants should be installed in masses, instead of in straight lines. These groupings look much more natural and give you the opportunity to provide different places for the eye to wander.

If you have bare spots

around trees that just won’t grow grass, it is likely due to the shade. Why not replace the grass with flowers that thrive in the shade? Or even try some groundcovers, like periwinkle or Hosta.

Finally, let’s make your property inviting. When looking at your house, are the garbage cans sitting in front of the garage; can you see the air conditioning units; or is your neighbor’s yard a sorry sight?

There is a wonderful thing called screening that can help.

For the garbage cans, you can put a few small shrubs on the side of your house to hide them, which can also be used for the air conditioners.

Give the A.C. units room to “breathe,” but a nice boxwood or skip laurel would work well.

Let’s make it more interesting, though. How about

Wing Drosophila.

As a matter of fact, just about any non-treated fallbearing raspberry grown in New Jersey will now more than likely contain these larvae. On the bright side, these pests are controllable with a variety of treatments. so all is not lost. But we are now going to have to deal with this new pest year in and year out for the foreseeable future.

So what new surprises will this growing season bring?

We have already started to hear about a couple of new pests. Let’s just hope that the reality of these new pests does not live up their hype.

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. planting a wildflower garden around the front and side of the unit? Or install a trellis with climbing vines (flowering).

For that neighbor’s yard, it’s all about Arborvitaes, Yew or Cyprus. But wait, you might try a living wall with planting pockets for vegetables or your favorite herbs.

Whatever you decide, consult with a landscape professional who can either help you plan or do the entire project for you. They will be most knowledgeable about plants and turf in your area and help you freshen up your landscape in no time.

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

She was presented with a community service award from the Borough of Fairview for her assistance in leading the 9-11 Memorial Park project and the Legislative Champion of the Year award from the Federation of Employers and Workers of America. She is currently the State Licensee Chair on the National Association of Landscape Professionals International Certification Council.

20 June 2018

GardenerNews.com

Light An’ Fluffy

By Hubert Ling Tall meadow rue Thalictrum pubescens can get tall if given the right conditions, which are moist soil, full sun, and slightly acid-rich soil.

With these conditions, plants can shoot up eight feet. Generally, however, tall meadow rue is four to six feet tall and makes a nice backdrop for shorter, more colorful plants. Even in medium dry, deep shady areas, the plant will still bloom reliably, but it may only be three feet tall.

In nature, tall meadow rue generally grows along stream banks and in roadside ditches, both in the sun and the shade. It is a common plant from Canada down south and west to Mississippi.

In New Jersey, it is found in almost all counties.

The plant is generally grown for its delicate, highly dissected leaves. Each leaf Hello there, everyone!

Summer is sooo back, finally!

What a rough spring we had, huh? Unbelievable, really. I know we are Jersey folks, but that one was rough.

It’s all over now, though, and happy days are here again.

YAY! Time for boardwalks, gardens, beaches, cookouts and super fresh produce from Jersey! I’m well back into my “grill zone” at this point. Tis the season, take advantage, you know how quick it goes.

I so want to do vegetables, and I will, but I’m stuck on chicken. A nice, basic grilled Jersey squash would go great with this, but I needs me my chicken!

To make the grilled squash, just cut the squash lengthwise, lightly grill it with a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper, and cut it into bite-sized pieces when it’s done. Grilled chicken, kind of, at least.

I was reading some recipes over the winter about cast iron skillets and grilled chicken. This chicken can also be, or should be, spatchcocked chicken. Yes,

is divided up by branching fanlike into several sectors which contain rounded or lobed leaflets strung along the leaf sub-branches. The whole effect produces a uniquely attractive, airy, fern-like foliage.

Tall meadow rue also has numerous clusters of small (one-third inch) white flowers in late-June. Flowers are borne on long branching stems. Initially, each flower hangs drooping downwards, enclosed in four to six wide sepals. While maturing, the flowers turn upwards and the male flowers explode like miniature star bursts, each with 50 to 100 stamens.

Numerous flower clusters on long stems adorn the tops of the plants like a light and fluffy snowdrift.

If you look carefully at the flowers, you will notice they have no petals. The white puffs you see are actually the relatively wide stamen filaments, which are so numerous that the white color of the flowers is

prominent. Plants are male or female, although a few plants may have flowers with both stamens and pistils.

Flowers which are completely female (having no stamens) are smaller and much less conspicuous. They contain four to 20 yellowgreen swollen ovaries, each with a single short, curved white stigma. When mature, each ovary will contain just one seed and develops a rich brown color.

Even with attractive foliage and flowers, tall meadow rue is generally unknown to most home gardeners in the U.S.; however many species of Thalictrum with white or pink flowers are popular in gardens around the world.

Our New Jersey tall meadow rue is very easy to grow, and once established it will be with you for life and beyond. Propagation is by seed or root divisions.

Sow seeds as soon as they ripen in the fall. However, the seeds may not germinate

until the second year. After the seeds ripen, meadow rue leaves turn a pleasing yellow color before the plant retires for the winter. There are generally no severe pests, and the plants will probably do well enough to give several away to new homes each year.

The genus name for tall meadow rue is from ancient Greek θάλικτρον or tháliktron translated as meadow rue (a meadow growing plant with leaves divided into many leaflets like rue plants genus Ruta).

The leaf stems and flower stems are generally hairy, hence the species name pubescens which means hairy. In New Jersey, we have two native species of Thalictrum in addition to tall meadow rue. There is purple or skunk meadow rue, which has light-purple flowers, but also has a very pungent odor.

And we have early meadow rue, a smaller plant very similar to tall meadow rue but much shorter (about 15 to

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Spatchcock Chicken spatchcocked, which I have spoken about before, is an excellent method for any type of bird. It is simply a butterflied bird that cooks way more evenly so that it doesn’t get dried out. Trust me, it works well, it shouldn’t be a trend. It also reduces the cooking time significantly.

First off, to spatchcock the bird, you need to take the whole bird breast side down and remove the backbone.

Place the bird on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife or preferably kitchen shears, cut down both sides of the spine, completely removing it. Next, turn the bird over and press down on the breast plate until it breaks, and you have a butterflied-style chicken. Note, you will need two medium- to large-sized cast iron skillets for this

recipe.

Next, you will need to dry rub your bird. There are a ton of pre-made spice rubs out there and many are awesome. You can also create your own, just check on-line.

I really like a brand called Borsari, available at Whole Foods or on-line. The thing is that this recipe is more of a technique than other recipes I have written about.

As far as the cast iron skillets are concerned, they will be placed on the grill to get superhot before you start the chicken. Once the skillets get nice and hot, you will put them to one side of the grill and turn off the other side. You will be turning off the opposite side of where the skillets will be, that way the hot air will swirl around, creating a convection type

grill. The grill will be closed the entire time you are cooking, and you will need a thermometer to check the chicken, 165 degrees is what you’re looking for.

One of the cast iron skillets will be placed upon the other with the spatchcocked chicken in between. Good luck with this. It is super fun to cook, just make sure you have good heat-resistant gloves while touching the skillets!

“Grilled” spatchcocked chicken (serves approx. 4 people.)

3 pounds whole chicken dry rub, enough to generously rub entire chicken olive or vegetable oil, enough to lightly coat chicken 2 medium- to large-sized cast iron skillets

20 inches tall) which blooms in late-April. Early meadow rue is also easy to grow and is a valuable addition to your spring garden, but you might not want to grow skunk meadow rue, although it is probably very deer-resistant.

The Iroquois used tall meadow rue externally as a body wash and to stop nose bleeds; the Montagnais people of northern Quebec used the leaves to flavor baked salmon. The flowers are well utilized by bees and butterflies and the plant is reasonably tolerant of moderate rabbit and deer grazing.

If you have room in your garden for a medium or tall fern-like plant, tall meadow will make a great addition to your yard and is available commercially from several sources online.

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 method-spatchcock and rub chicken and let sit, overnight or at least 1 hour -heat grill on high with cast iron skillets, for about six to eight minutes, depending on grill -place chicken, skin side down, in one skillet -lower heat, and brown chicken on skin side, a few minutes or more -turn chicken over onto other skillet and place second skillet on top of chicken -place on either side of grill, over medium heat, turning off other side -close grill, check temperature every five to 10 minutes until chicken is 165 degrees -let rest for five to eight minutes, cut up and enjoy!

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

GardenerNews.com

June 2018 21

News from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture N.J. Department of Agriculture Celebrates 30th Anniversary, Upgrades to Horse Park of N.J. New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Douglas Fisher celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Horse Park of New Jersey and the completed upgrade to its Grand Prix Show Ring during the 16th Annual Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event.

The Horse Park of New Jersey is a non-profit organization which has been in operation since May of 1988 and is managed by an all-volunteer staff, which includes current Horse Park President Allyson Jeffery. The Horse Park’s mission is to make available to the public a wide range of equine activities which are educational, competitive and recreational in nature, such as clinics, seminars, demonstrations, programs for the handicapped, trail rides, horse shows, combined events, polo, dressage, hunt races, rodeos and driving marathons.

“The Horse Park is a beautiful setting to have so many equestrian events take place,” Secretary Fisher said. “During these 30 years, the Horse Park has established itself as one of the premier equestrian locations in the country as witnessed by the horses and their riders that come from all over the world to compete here during the Jersey Fresh 3-Day International. We are pleased that the Grand Prix Show Ring has been upgraded to make the horse park an even better place for horses and riders to display their skills.”

This year the Jersey Fresh Three-Day is a U.S. Eventing Team qualifier for the World Equestrian Games that will take place in North Carolina in September. The Horse Park has also been a regular site for the U.S. Equestrian Olympic trials in recent years.

Jeffery hopes the upgrading of the Grand Prix Ring, as well as the planned upgrade to two other show rings, is a first step in the park continuing to be a top destination for local, state, national and international competitions.

“We must find a way to broaden the Park’s economic base and strengthen our infrastructure so we can continue for another 30 years,” Jeffery said.

“One of our goals for 2018 is to spread the word as to the Park’s important role on so many fronts. Improving our arena footing is just a start to the much more critical need to establish firm financial footing for the Park.”

While the park is on the international stage for the 3-Day event through this weekend, it also plays host to a variety of local and state equine and agricultural events throughout the year, which include horse shows, handicapped riding, high school level competitions and 4-H and FFA activities.

“We could not be more excited to see the fruits of our labor go back to all the riders and horses that use this park,” Jeffery said. “We hope to work with the Department of Agriculture on future projects as we continue to expand and grow the Horse Park of New Jersey.”

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture launches new Jersey Fresh website.

Please visit findjerseyfresh.com

N.J. Department of Agriculture Honors Two Schools in Elizabeth for Fruit and Vegetable Program New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Douglas Fisher and USDA representatives presented Jerome Dunn Academy and George Washington Academy with the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program VIP Award.

The award program highlights schools in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program that are doing an exceptional job at promoting fruits and vegetables and healthy lifestyles to their students. Jerome Dunn Academy and George Washington Academy, which are in the same building and share the same FFVP, were selected for the first-place prize for providing a comprehensive program integrating the entire school community in program and wellness activities.

“The FFVP can be transformative not only to the students who are consuming more fresh produce, but also to the school environment itself,” Fisher said. “Schools treat the FFVP as an educational opportunity when all students get to enjoy a healthy snack together, learn about fruits and vegetables and celebrate the farmers who grow them. We congratulate the Jerome Dunn and George Washington Academies for their exemplary efforts.”

The two academies offer the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, a Federally funded initiative that provides grants to schools to provide fresh produce as snacks to students in schools where 50 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced-price meals.

“Our students love the program and they look forward to each serving day and what will be served,” said physical education teacher and the academies’ FFVP Coordinator Lacey McConkey. “This has been such a great opportunity for our students. They see me in the hallways or in my office and want to talk about fruits and vegetables.”

Secretary Fisher presented the school with a trophy. The school will also be able to choose a salad bar, nutrition education resources or a piece of equipment to aid in delivery of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. After the presentation, the officials visited a class where students were learning about the importance of healthy eating habits.

The Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy in the Passaic Public School District was awarded second place honors and Toussaint L’ouvertureMarquis de Lafayette School in the Elizabeth Public School District received third place honors in this year’s award program. The schools will receive trophies and banners with the FFVP logo.

The Department awarded $4,085,227 in grants to 155 schools in 14 counties serving 75,029 students through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for the 2017-2018 school year. The program provides students with fresh produce as snacks during the school day to teach them about proper nutrition and increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. Additional funding was given to schools that purchase produce from New Jersey farmers for the program.

22 June 2018

GardenerNews.com

Food Waste Resonates Beyond the Trash Bin

By Jan Suszkiw USDA/ARS Here’s a thought to chew on before you toss out that unfinished meal or oddly shaped fruit or vegetable: U.S. consumers waste nearly a pound of food per person per day. So says a study published today by a team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists in the journal PLOS ONE. That food waste, in turn, is equivalent to about onethird the daily calories that each American consumes— about 327 million individuals. Interestingly, fruits and vegetables—key components of a high-quality diet (as defined by the 20152020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans)—were the most wasted food items, the team determined from their computer-aided analysis of eight years of available food

survey data.

Zach Conrad, a postdoctoral nutritionist with the ARS Grand Forks (North Dakota) Human Nutrition Research Center, together with fellow nutritionist Lisa Jahns and colleagues from the University of Vermont and University of New Hampshire, conducted the food-waste study to fill gaps left by prior research that sought to establish links between diet quality and environmental impacts. In this study, the team notes that food waste should be factored into such efforts because of the substantial resources used to produce food, including cropland and amendments like pesticide and fertilizer, as well as irrigation water.

For example, using a powerful computing tool known as the U.S. Foodprint Model, the team determined that from 2007 to 2014,

U.S. consumers discarded 150,000 tons of food daily— waste that corresponded to the yearly use of an estimated 30 million acres of land (7 percent of total U.S. harvested cropland), 780 million pounds of pesticide, 1.8 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer and 4.2 trillion gallons of irrigated water. Each represents potential costs to the environment and the farmers who dedicate their time, land and other resources to growing or raising food that’s meant to be eaten.

The study also found that— • U.S. consumers wasted almost a pound (422 grams) of food per person daily, which is equal to 30 percent of daily calories consumed and 25 percent of daily food eaten by weight.

• Of 22 food groups studied, fruits, vegetables, and mixed fruit and

vegetable dishes (39 percent of total) were wasted the most—followed by dairy (17 percent) and meat and mixed-meat dishes (14 percent).

• Growing fruits and vegetables—signatures of diet quality required less land than other crops but more water and pesticide.

The researchers note that while their study used the best-available food survey data, there are limitations to it and that additional research is needed. The findings nonetheless underscore the importance of improving diet quality hand in hand with using measures that reduce food waste and avoid overburdening the environment. Efforts like the U.S. Food Loss and Waste Challenge to create greater awareness of food waste issues, educating consumers on properly preparing and storing

fruits and vegetables, and discerning natural ripening from spoilage can also help.

“Food waste is an issue that plays out at many different levels,” says Conrad. “Looking at them holistically will become increasingly important to finding sustainable ways of meeting the needs of a growing world population.”

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency.

Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America.

Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

Editor’s Note: Jan Suszkiw works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

She can be reached at 301-504-1630 or by emailing Jan.Suszkiw@ars.usda.gov

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June 2018 23

NEW JERSEY LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION MEET AT STORR TRACTOR The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) held an informative evening and learning session on how landscape contractors’ websites and social media advertising can be costing them big dollars on their insurance premiums. The meeting took place on May 10 at Storr Tractor’s corporate location in Branchburg, Somerset County, N.J. Shay Leon and Brian Lenskold from the A.J. Gallagher Insurance Company examined landscape contractors’ websites and discussed issues and problems associated with advertising and insurance company underwriting. They explained the dos and don’ts of posting pictures on their websites. Listing their company’s services correctly without sending up red flags. How insurance underwriters view their website and how it affects their coverage and rates. And the current state of the insurance market. After the insurance presentation, Storr Tractor representatives educated the attendees on the latest and greatest Toro equipment that can help the landscape contractors perform better in their maintenance programs.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Maria Albuquerque, left, Administrative Assistant, NJLCA, and Joe Bolognese, Associate Director, NJLCA, at the sign-in table at Storr Tractor.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Craig Lillis from Grounds Care Landscape checks out a new 96-inch Toro Z Master 7500-D in the Parking lot of Storr Tractor.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Shay Leon, left, and Brian Lenskold, from the A.J. Gallagher Insurance Company, in the meeting room at Storr Tractor.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Chris Markham, co-owner of New Jersey Deer Control, checks out an antique Toro Model C tractor in the showroom at Storr Tractor

24 June 2018

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June 2018 25 New Jersey American Water Requests Odd/Even Watering in Monmouth County

The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 182 Published Monthly Reserve Ad Space Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff Executive Editor/Publisher . . . .

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June Columnists

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Gail Woolcott

Bob LaHoff

Larry Katz

Craig Korb

Todd Pretz Douglas H. Fisher Steve Schuckman Peter Melick Al Murray

Contributing Writers

Bruce Crawford Brian Bosenberg Hubert Ling

Jeannie Geremia Jan Suszkiw

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Full Moon, June 28, 2018 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH

Strawberries come in many sizes. Berry size is influenced by the variety, growing conditions, and time of picking during the season. Some might prefer large berries, even though some of the smaller varieties may be tastier. Dry, firm, fully ripe berries are best. Caps should be green and fresh looking. A stained box may indicate that some of the berries in it are overripe.

Strawberries look better and keep longer when they are picked and handled correctly. Because they are a very tender fruit, they will bruise and discolor any time they are squeezed. Handle them gently, at all times, whether you are picking them, placing them in the container, or handling the filled containers. At a Pick-Your-Own farm, be careful that your feet and knees do not damage plants or fruit in or along the edge of the row. Avoid placing the picked berries in the sun any longer than necessary.

Cool them as soon as possible after picking.

Customers Asked to Begin Conserving Water Now to Avoid Possible Summer Restrictions Later In preparation for the summer season and as lawn irrigation systems are turned on, New Jersey American Water is asking its Monmouth County customers to use an odd/ even schedule for outdoor watering to potentially avoid more stringent summertime restrictions of water usage.

“We hope that our Monmouth County customers will voluntarily adopt odd/even watering as they have their lawn irrigation systems turned on,” said Kevin Keane, senior director of Coastal Operations. “Practicing odd/even watering now will help us manage a finite supply of water, yet our customers will still be able to maintain their lawns and gardens.”

New Jersey American Water is asking customers to observe the following odd/even outdoor irrigation guidelines: Water your lawn or garden only on odd days of the month if your street address is an odd number (i.e., 23 Oak St., 7 Maple Ave.); Water your lawn or garden only on even days of the month if your street address is an even number (i.e., 6 Oak St., 354 Maple Ave.); and water early or late in the day to minimize evaporation.

The best times for this are typically between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

These recommended guidelines do not apply to the following: Watering of sod or newly seeded lawns if daily watering is required (Although it is recommended that any planting of new sod or seed that has not already taken place be delayed until the fall.); Use of private wells for lawn irrigation; Commercial uses of outdoor water, such as for nurseries, farm stands, power washing, plumbing, and commercial car washes; and Watering of athletic fields Additional tips and information on wise water use are available on New Jersey American Water’s website at www.newjerseyamwater.com under “Water Information.”

USDA Announces Plant Variety Protection Board Appointments U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of 14 members to serve two-year terms on the Plant Variety Protection Board. Two alternate members were also appointed.

“Innovation in the plant and seed industry has always been vital to agriculture, making it possible for us to meet the needs for food, clothing and other goods that American families, and the world need,” said Secretary Perdue. “With their great experience as farmers and in the plant breeding seed industry, these board members will help continue the tradition of this robust American agricultural sector.”

Newly appointed members are: Academia Sector Representatives • John Beuttenmuller, Greenwood, Fla. • Joshua Freeman, Quincy, Fla. • Albert Tsui, Pullman, Wash.

• Katherine White, Detroit, Mich.

Farm Sector Representatives • Shannon Douglass, Orland, Calif.

• Wendell Shauman (Alternate), Kirkwood, Ill. General Interest Sector Representatives • Heidi Nebel, Des Moines, Iowa Government Sector Representatives • Brent Burchett, Frankfort, Ky. • John Heaton, Sacramento, Calif.

• Patrick Kole, Eagle, Idaho • James Sutton, Atlanta, Ga. Seed Industry Sector Representatives • Eloy Corona, Research Triangle Park, N.C. • John Duesing, Johnston, Iowa • Kelly Keithly, Yuma, Ariz.

• Stevan Madjarac, Chesterfield, Mo. • Charles Brown (Alternate), Bay City, Wis. The Plant Variety Protection Act secures intellectual property rights for developers of new varieties of plants. The board members represent farmers, seed industry, trade and professional associations, and public and private research institutions.

26 June 2018

GardenerNews.com

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June 2018 27

Exotic Tick Species Found in Middlesex County The National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) confirmed on May 11 that the Longhorned tick Haemaphysalis longicornis was found at Rutgers University–New Brunswick’s Cook Campus farm in Middlesex County, in a patch of high grass along College Farm Road.

Samples were collected during a May 10 statewide “Tick Blitz” led by the Rutgers Center for Vector Biology. Statewide results of the Tick Blitz, including confirmation of whether Longhorned ticks were found elsewhere in New Jersey, will be available in the near future.

Longhorned ticks found thus far in New Jersey have tested negative for pathogens dangerous to humans or animals.

Earlier this year, the Longhorned tick was confirmed to be at a Hunterdon County farm and at a Union County park. Various local, state, and federal animal health agencies, as well as Rutgers–New Brunswick, are working together to identify the range of the ticks and develop a plan to eliminate them from the areas where they are found.

The Hunterdon County location where the tick was confirmed in November 2017, completed tick elimination treatment on May 3, 2018. Tick surveillance on the premises and in the area is ongoing. The Union County premises where ticks were collected by Rutgers University in May 2017 were confirmed as H. longicornis by the NVSL on April 28, 2018. There were also additional ticks collected at the same site on April 21, 2018 which were confirmed as H. longicornis by the NVSL on May 4, 2018.

The exotic ticks found in Union County were also located within small isolated area with tall grass. Tests on the exotic tick identified on a sheep in Hunterdon County in November failed to reveal any tick-borne diseases.

Like deer-ticks, the nymphs of the Longhorned tick are very small (resembling tiny spiders) and can easily go unnoticed on animals and people. Although specimens identified in New Jersey have not been found to carry pathogens, Longhorned ticks in other countries have spread disease to humans. They are known to infest a wide range of species including humans, dogs, cats, and livestock.

If unusual ticks are detected in livestock animals or if there are any questions regarding livestock, please contact the State Veterinarian at (609) 671-6400.

Unusual ticks detected in wildlife should be immediately reported to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics at (908) 637-4173 ext. 120.

Persons with questions about tickborne illness in humans can contact their local health department (http://localhealth.nj.gov) or the New Jersey Department of Health at 609-826-5964.

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28 June 2018

GardenerNews.com