Gardener News May 2018

TAKE ONE

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

May 2018

TAKE ONE No. 181

Bracing for a Potential Storm

Penn State Extension/Photo

Penn State Extension/Photo

The adult Spotted Lanternfly has brownish-grey wings with dark black When the Spotted Lanternfly opens its wings to fly, you’ll see a bright spots. red underwing with black wingtips.

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor A Forecast Discussion is simply a discussion.

According to the National Weather Service, a Hazardous Weather Outlook describes potential hazardous weather and hydrologic information of concern in Days 1 through 7. A Winter Storm Watch is issued when there is the potential for significant and hazardous

winter weather within 48 hours.

It does not mean that significant and hazardous winter weather will occur... it only means it is possible.

A Winter Storm Warning is issued when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent. A Blizzard Warning means that conditions are occurring or expected within the next 12 to 18 hours. Then the governor usually declares

a State of Emergency.

I think we all learned something in New Jersey after our fourth nor’easter was mostly a bust. Ultimately, warnings were issued, a State of Emergency was declared, and travel bans were put in place. All were revised, or should I say downgraded, within hours after they were issued. It’s really hard to predict Mother Nature.

This is how I would describe the potential arrival

of the Spotted Lanternfly to New Jersey from what I have learned by speaking to several government officials. We are in a Forecast Discussion period.

And believe me, it is being discussed by the United States Department of Agriculture, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association.

Let me now tell you that the Spotted Lanternfly

is an invasive insect new to the United States. Spotted Lanternflies are native to Southeast Asia, but they have been introduced to other areas of Asia as well—including to South Korea, where Spotted Lanternflies are a major pest to agriculture.

Spotted Lanternfly is a plant hopper, Lycorma delicatula (white) belonging to the family Fulgoridaein the order Hemiptera (true bugs).

T h i s (Cont. on Page 10)

2 May 2018

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

Magnificant Flowers in All Colors

35

Vegetable Garden Headquarters Mother’s Day Flowers

GardenerNews.com

May 2018 3

4 May 2018 It’s official.

The announcements have been flowing concerning the demise of a once-great national chain of stores that served the public for decades with the stuff of children’s dreams and fantasies.

I am talking, of course, about New Jersey-based Toys R Us. I can remember, years back when our children were toddlers, this was certainly a store we visited for toys.

How did this chain grow so big and overpowering, above all the other retailers who sold toys and games? Good buyers, great prices, phenomenal marketing, easy access, amazing locations and enormous selection, I suspect would be the formula, as it is for many successful businesses.

But the marketplace changed, and something newer came along offering the same products, at similar price points. The big difference? This “something new” delivers those items to one’s doorstep the next day. Oh, and those items can be returned without question, perhaps even with free shipping.

Now, that scenario might not be the sole reason for the company’s demise, but there’s a good chance it was a significant factor. Every operation involved in commerce must know that there is always someone looking

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Retailing farmers learning from the shift away from brick-and-mortar

to disrupt the business models of existing giants to establish themselves as the new best game in town. That’s the nature of business.

What happened to the toy giant has been repeated over and over for many different reasons.

While Internet shopping and the rebirth of home delivery is the most recent disruptive force, others have played a role. Bad management, unscrupulous business practices, unresponsive marketing and other failings can all play a role in a business’ demise.

The past and present retail landscape is littered with examples. The great A&P Company once had 4,000 stores.

Sam Goody, Grant’s, F.W. Woolworth, Bradlees and others are among those who’ve had their moment in the sun, only to become touchstones of the past.

This isn’t a new phenomenon. Retailing has always gone through periods of reinvention. Brick and mortar stores in downtowns across our state were self-contained powerhouses serving very localized needs. As time went on, those downtown stores moved out to the suburban malls and outlets. Now we hear of malls struggling to retain tenants, as more and more people prefer to shop without ever setting foot outside their homes.

Farmers in New Jersey are taking notice. Unlike many of the sprawling farms in other parts of the country, where thousands of acres of a single crop are sold in the wholesale and commodities markets, New Jersey’s farmers are more likely to incorporate some aspect of retailing what they grown into their operations.

This adaptation, which their

grandparents never could have imagined as part of the family farm, include on-farm retail markets, community farmers markets, direct marketing, CSAs, and, signaling the acceptance of the Internet’s growing role in consumers’ lives, websites that provide an electronic means of “visiting” the farm to make purchases. I still say there is no substitute for actually stepping foot on the farm and experiencing all the sights, smells, touches and tastes that a working agricultural operation has to offer. But savvy farmers realize that a presence on the web also is a must in today’s marketplace.

Some farmers in our state are hamstrung in efforts to market on-line because their rural areas have not yet been equipped for high-speed broadband. This is an issue the Department is endeavoring to address with the

USDA, so all of our farmers have equal access to these 21st century tools.

You, the consumers, play a huge role in this new realm as well. If you want our great working farms to stay in our midst, think about all the ways, both tangible and intangible, that you can support the Garden State’s farmers.

The feeling, the freshness, the experience and the interactions of going to a farm cannot be duplicated. But if your favorite farmer is marketing on the web, think about supporting those efforts as well.

It will help ensure that New Jersey farmers who keep up with the times reap the benefits of their innovative approaches.

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

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

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May 2018 5

Support NJ Agriculture JERSEY GROWN

Nursery Stock JERSEY GROWN

Sunflower Birdseed JERSEY GROWN

Firewood

JERSEY GROWN

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

Annuals & Perennials Made With

JERSEY GROWN

Wood Birdhouses & Bird Feeders

Governor Phil Murphy Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher

jerseygrown.nj.gov

6 May 2018

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

Salem County Agricultural Agent Dave Lee Retires

Avid Lee, agricultural agent in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), retired on April 1. Lee spent nearly four decades as a dairy/livestock extension agent in Salem County and for the state of New Jersey.

Lee received a bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry from Delaware Valley College and a master’s degree in Animal Industries from Penn State. Over his long career at Rutgers, he expanded his area of expertise to include various aspects of agriculture economic development throughout the county, the state and beyond. He developed several educational programs on an array of topics related to overall livestock and feed crop production as well as crop insurance, animal waste management and financial management for growers. He was well regarded for his expertise on mastitis/somatic cell control, for which he gained regional, national and international recognition.

Considered a prolific “get it done” agent, Lee served as an agriculture leader and innovator who reached beyond his county borders to extend educational programs of value and impact to a vast and diverse audience. In 2014, he received both the RCE County Faculty Person of the Year Award and the NJAES Award of Excellence for Faculty.

He conducted many local and statewide programs on marketing and financial management and was considered an expert on the FINPACK financial tool. This resulted in enhancing activities at the Port of Salem and obtaining a USDA-Rural Development grant to support agricultural development in South Jersey. For over a decade, he was awarded a competitive grant of more than a quarter of a million dollars annually from the USDA-Risk Management Agency.

Lee has trained and mentored a number of students and assistants whom he employed over the years, many of whom have gone on to successful extension agricultural jobs.

On the verge of retirement, Lee commented, “I’m definitely ready to retire, but I’m not ready to stop doing the things I love,” emphasizing again his “get it done” attitude and commitment to dairy and beef farmers and his love for the agricultural industry as a whole.

Study Shows Bt-Field Corn Results in Reduced Pest Pressure in Other Non-GM Vegetable Crops A Mid-Atlantic multi-state study compared the rate of European corn borer and corn earworm damage before and after introduction of Bt-field corn usage on other non-Bt crop fields. The study was published March 12 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Kristian Holmstrom, research project coordinator in the Vegetable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program at Rutgers New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station, is a co-author of the study and provided New Jersey data. Holmstrom manages information from a network of blacklight insect survey traps on farms throughout the state that catch the European corn borer and corn earworm.

Field corn is grown mostly for grain production and animal feed.

In Bt-field corn, the genetic modification donor organism is a naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, and the introduced gene produces a protein that kills Lepidoptera larvae, in particular, European corn borer (ECB). Growers use Bt corn as an alternative to spraying insecticides for control of European corn borer.

As the acreage of genetically engineered corn increased in the mid-Atlantic region, other crops that hadn’t been modified but were vulnerable to that pest became less threatened – particularly, bell peppers and green beans, both economically important to New Jersey agriculture.

Moth populations of both species significantly declined in association with widespread Bt field corn adoption, even as increased temperatures buffered the population reduction. The study showed marked decreases in the number of recommended insecticidal applications, insecticides applied, and ECB damage in vegetable crops in association with widespread Bt field corn adoption.

Both European corn borer and corn earwom have broad feeding and migratory behaviors as economically important pests on many agricultural commodities. ECB is a major pest of green beans and peppers, and both insects are major pests of sweet corn. With New Jersey as a key pepper-producing state in the United States, these vegetable crops are economically important components of the farms in New Jersey and other Mid-Atlantic states.

Note: This article originally appeared in Rutgers Today

GardenerNews.com

From the Director’s Desk

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

Rutgers Student Farm: Outdoor Classroom Cultivates Ecologically-Minded Agriculture

The Student Farm at Rutgers University is a unique agricultural endeavor nestled in the Rutgers Gardens.

Located southeast of the University’s Cook-Douglass Campus in New Brunswick, N.J., the Gardens features a diverse series of ornamental gardens and horticultural collections, hosts a vibrant and long-standing farmers market, and is open to the public throughout the year.

The Farm was established at the Gardens in September 2015 as an initiative of the Office of Agriculture and Urban Programs at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, whose mission is, in part, to support academic and outreach efforts that connect urban and suburban communities with agriculture.

The Farm functions as an outdoor classroom for interdisciplinary place-based coursework, and as a model of what small-scale organic urban and peri-urban agricultural production can be while also facilitating research, education, and discussion regarding the mutual concerns of food security and urban agriculture viability.

The Farm is committed to ecologically-minded organic standards of production and cultivation, with the intent of achieving organic certification by the end of 2020. During its first season, production was limited to several small plots and high-tunnel space as part of a vegetable demonstration and youth garden area. By its second growing season in 2017, the first half-acre of a permanent field site was brought under cultivation with plans to expand to approximately three acres over the next several years.

From May through August, two student interns work alongside the farm manager to learn the day-to-day of small-scale organic farming, from field preparation to harvest. Interns become familiar with a variety of planting techniques, no-till methods of cultivation and weed management, crop rotation and marketing of dozens of different crops.

In addition to these typical farm tasks, interns are also intimately involved with the Farm’s commitment to the emergency food system and participate in weekly harvests and deliveries of produce to Elijah’s Promise, a local non-profit organization whose soup kitchen serves nearly 300 meals a day.

During the University’s summer session, the Farm serves as a living laboratory for an eightweek course offered through the Agriculture and Food Systems Program. The curriculum draws students from a wide range of academic disciplines, as well as individuals already established in professional careers who wish to gain a foundational working knowledge of small-scale farming.

Students enrolled in this course gain hands-on experience in the field related to topics of soil health and fertility, planting and harvesting, pest and disease management, and irrigation and water use within the framework of organic production.

The Farm has also served as both client and site for several design-build projects within the University’s Landscape Architecture Department. Both completed and current projects – such as a post-harvest handling station, storage shed, and chicken tractor – have allowed students to design and build works at a residential scale that explore various green infrastructure options, including rain-water harvesting, green roofs, and use of salvaged and recycled construction materials.

Perhaps most importantly, these projects have helped to foster the exploration of connections between design and agriculture for students, faculty and visitors.

The Gardens is also well underway with another agricultural design project, Cook’s Market, which will be the first permanent infrastructure for the farmers market that was started in 2008.

This structure – which will feature an extensive green roof and electrical hook-ups – will house the diverse array of market vendors who offer locally grown and produced vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meats, wine, honey, fibers, plants and prepared goods, and will allow the market to operate year-round.

Back in the field, this upcoming growing season will witness the installation of a small perennial meadow adjacent to the north end of the field as habitat and forage for native pollinators and other beneficial insect species. The Farm will also welcome its first flock of laying hens, which will be directly incorporated, along with cover crops, into an innovative field rotation focused on long-term soil building and fertility.

In addition to these physical elements of farm growth, this year’s interns will be involved in the piloting of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model that offers members several share options, including the opportunity – in partnership with Rutgers Against Hunger – to purchase a Giving Share for a New Brunswick family or University student in need.

The Farm will also continue its weekly presence as a vendor for Cook’s Market at Rutgers Gardens on Fridays from May through November and the New Brunswick Community Jones Avenue Farmers Market on Saturdays from June through August.

For more information on the Student Farm at Rutgers University, please visit agriurban. rutgers.edu. For more information about Rutgers Gardens, please visit rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu.

Editor’s Note: This month’s column is written by Arianna Lindberg, Instructor/Student Farm Manager, Department of Landscape Architecture, Office of Agriculture and Urban Programs at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

GardenerNews.com

May 2018 7

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

Our Wondrous Native Irises To the garden enthusiast or even novice, spring often conjures up thoughts of Iris blossoms swaying gently in the warm May breeze.

Iris is one of the iconic flowers of spring, yet sadly, many gardeners do not look to some of our North American species that are readily available to add to their garden.

Not surprisingly, Iris is found within the family Iridaceae and contains upwards of 300 species found around the world. The name was first coined by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in 1753. The name comes from the Greek Ris, meaning “rainbow.” and describes the glorious rainbow of floral colors that this group of plants showcases.

Most Irises need to bask in a full day of sunshine to flourish, but the Crested Iris, Iris cristata, prefers shaded woodland conditions. It was first discovered in Western Pennsylvania and initially

named Pittsburgh Iris by the renowned botanist John Bartram (1699-1777) who sent samples to England around 1756.

However, it was not officially named and described until 1789 by the Scottish botanist and Director of Kew Gardens, William Aiton (17311793). The species epithet refers to the three yellow, sometimes orange, crests or ridges that appear in the central white splash. The plants are relatively short, with the twoto three-inch diameter flowers only reaching four to six inches tall, after which the foliage expands to six to 12 inches long.

The flowers appear in earlyMay and range in color from light to dark blue, purple, white or, rarely, pink. One of my personal favorites is “Powder Blue Giant,” whose large yet soft blue flowers blend well with their garden companions.

Foliage is a rich green throughout the summer, turning yellow come autumn before vanishing for the winter. The plants create dense rhizomatous mats, but can spread rapidly

by producing long stolons that terminate with the production of a new plant. This stoloniferous nature allows Crested Iris to rapidly spread into a broad groundcover.

Native to the central portion of Eastern United States, the plants are typically indigenous to mountainous regions and appear in rich woodland soil, ravines or on bluffs at higher altitudes where it is cooler.

They are tolerant of calcareous or acidic soils and are hardy from zones 3-8.

For sunnier locations, consider either Iris versicolor, Blue Flag Iris, or Iris virginica the Southern Blue Flag Iris.

They prefer water retentive soils and are even tolerant of standing water for periods of time. The primary difference, as the common names infer, is their native regions.

Iris versicolor is located in Eastern North America, north of Virginia, while Iris virginica is native throughout Eastern North America, stretching from Florida to Quebec. Both plants were named and described by Linnaeus in 1753. The species epithet of versicolor is from the

Graduate Student Alex Shumaker Wins Competitive Grant for Coral Microbiome Project Alexander Shumaker, doctoral candidate in Microbial Biology in the School of Graduate Studies and a member of the Debashish Bhattacharya lab in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, has been awarded the 2017 PacBio SMRT grant for his proposed research on the coral microbiome.

Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc (PacBio) is the leader in long-read sequencing, offering SMRT Sequencing to help scientists resolve genetically complex problems.

Shumaker, with collaborators in Hawaii and South Korea, recently used PacBio SMRT Sequencing to generate a high-quality genome assembly from Montipora capitata (rice coral). This is an abundant and ecologically dominant reef-building coral species in the Hawaiian Archipelago. The Bhattacharya lab is also using RNA-Seq methods to investigate the mechanisms of response and resistance employed

by M. capitata when faced with environmental stressors associated with climate change.

Reef-building corals are keystone organisms which construct calcium carbonate skeletons that form the foundations of coral reef ecosystems. They are also an ecosystem unto themselves, playing host to photosynthetic endosymbionts that supply the coral host with much of its nutritional energy.

When faced with strong stress conditions, such as thermal challenge caused by ocean warming events, corals may expel these symbionts in a process termed “bleaching.” Bleaching leaves corals energetically deficient and more vulnerable to further stresses and opportunistic pathogens.

As conditions improve, re-colonization of the host by the algal symbionts can facilitate recovery and survival. However, corals also harbor a highly diverse microbial community that has been implicated in diverse roles such as development, disease protection and nutrient cycling. A better understanding of the nature and extent of the contributions of this community to coral health and stress resistance during thermal challenge are critical to the development of improved reef management strategies.

Given that corals could be considered meta-organisms comprised of the host, its algal endosymbionts and a symbiotic microbial community, focusing on any one component of this “holobiont” may provide an incomplete picture of this community’s response to stressors. As such, Shumaker is turning his attention to the M. capitata-associated microbiome.

He will be working with samples collected from reefs in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, HI, over the course of six months, during which there was a natural warming event that resulted in bleaching of coral colonies. Pairs of adjacent bleached and non-bleached colonies were observed over this time and the recovery of algal endosymbionts in the coral tissues were monitored.

Shumaker plans to use PacBio’s long-read sequencing technology to characterize the M. capitata-associated symbiotic microbial community and understand whether differences in the coral microbiome may have been a factor in the recovery of surviving colonies.

“Long-read sequencing facilitates genome reconstruction and can provide greater taxonomic resolution compared to more commonly-used short-read sequencing,” he explained.

Latin Versi meaning various and color for color, describing how the flowers range from various shades of blue to violet, rose and white. The epithet virginica refers not to the current state of Virginia, but to the Virginia Territory, which includes the current states of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, and portions of Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.

Both species produce flowers to three-and-a-half inches across and, once again, the flowers are typically varying shades of blue, but violet and pink forms do appear. The common name of Flag originates from the Middle English word Flagge, meaning “Rush” and refers to the green, rush-like foliage.

Of the two, the foliage of Iris versicolor is slightly shorter, growing to two-and-ahalf feet tall, compared to three feet. The biggest difference between these species actually lies in how the seeds are arranged in the seed pods. Iris versicolor has a double row of seed inside each chamber or carpel, while its cousin has but one. Both increase gradually by

rhizomes, although those of Iris versicolor roots are poisonous.

Arguably, these three species may not be the plants most people envision while conjuring up images of Iris blossoms in May. However, they are fantastic garden plants for those challenging locations in dry shade or seasonally boggy, sunny sites. Requiring minimal maintenance and much joy, these truly are “Wondrous Natives” for your garden!

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

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 May 2018

GardenerNews.com

Master Gardener Symposium Features National TV Personality

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Joe Lamp’l (aka joe gardener®), one of the country’s most recognized and trusted personalities in gardening and sustainability, made a guest appearance on March 24, in the Garden State, at the 11th Annual Rutgers Mercer County Master Gardener Symposium at the Stuart Country Day School in Princeton, Mercer County, N.J. During his unique and informative presentation, Lamp’l shared his secrets about creating a garden that will stand up to all the unpredictable variables in Mother Nature’s bag of tricks. He explained how best to prepare any garden or landscape to perform, no matter how wet, dry, sunny or shady it may be. He also shared his methods of dealing with critters of all shapes and sizes. Learn the tricks of proactive gardening – from soil testing and preparation to fertilization and watering, as well as pest and disease control, all in a more eco-friendly way.

Lamp’l is the creator, executive producer and host of the multiaward-winning PBS series, Growing a Greener World®. He was also a featured columnist for the Gardener News for several years.

morris county park commission

The FrelinghuysenArboretum THYME FOR HERBS WITH THE HERB LADY ( MAY 4)* Caren White offers tips and lore about herbs, and then helps us shop for some of her favorites. Herb-themed refreshments will be served.

This is a member only event that gives you first pick at our annual plant sale before we open to the public.

Sign-up online and become a member today!

23rd ANNUAL PLANT SALE MAY 5 & 6 • 9am-5pm

Stop by for an amazing selection of vegetables, herbs, perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, vines, tropicals, and native plants too. Need advice? Our Plant Experts will be on hand to help you select the perfect plant pick!

THE WORLD OF PEONIES WITH DAN FURMAN (MAY 20)*

At Cricket Hill Gardens, owner Dan Furman grows over 400 varieties of peonies.

His lecture covers botany, history, and cultivation of peonies in Asia and the U.S. Dan will bring lovely peonies for sale.

NATIVE PLANTS FOR CUT FLOWER GARDENING (JUNE 29)*

Kathy Salisbury, formerly President of the Native Plant Society of NJ and currently Director of the Ambler Arboretum at Temple University, returns for a practical talk on the best native plants to grow for cut flowers all season long.

Free Garden Tours May 11 - National Public Gardens Day and June 1 - NJ Public Gardens Day

*Preregistration required, visit arboretumfriends.org 353 East Hanover Avenue • Morris Township, New Jersey • 07960

We Grow Gardeners

GardenerNews.com

May 2018 9 Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Landscape Installation, Curb Appeal, and Value

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A freshly installed landscape this year might cost you $25,000. You’ll have the receipt to prove it. You know what it costs now. But do you have any idea on its value going forward?

Before I go any further, I have to brag a bit. Plants protect water quality. Proper landscaping reduces soil erosion. Plants improve air quality. They lower summer air temperatures around a structure. Landscaping conserves natural resources. Landscaping screens busy streets. Views of plants increase visual satisfaction.

Landscaping reduces crime. Trees and shrubs hide bad views, and they muffle unwanted sounds. As you can see, plants are great. I hope you agree. Water gardens are also nice, for many reasons.

Now, have you heard the term “curb appeal?” I describe curb appeal as how attractive and inviting the exterior of your property looks, viewed from the street. I also look to see how it is planted. Right plant, right place. My concept behind right plant, right place is that if you choose plants that are well-suited to the location where they are planted, they will do well with nature. How much sun does the location receive? Does the soil tend to be wet, dry, or in-between? Is the bed in a high-traffic area or out of the way? What are the maintenance requirements of the plants? Are your plants native to your area? Do you know your USDA hardiness zone?

All of the above questions can be added to the companion planting theory. Certain plants may help each other take up nutrients, improve pest management or attract pollinators. Plants that like wet feet should be planted with other plants that like wet feet, not with plants that like dry feet. Sun-loving plants should not be planted in the shade, and vice versa. In my opinion, companion planting adds value to your property.

The value of an attractive and an inviting landscape to a home’s perceived value has often been stated at 15 percent by real estate agents. To me, as a former landscape professional, design sophistication should be the leading factor that adds to the perceived value of a home (companion planting).

Your landscaping should also have both beauty and functionality.

Let’s discuss plant sizes. When you create a plant list with your landscape professional, believe it or not, size matters. Nursery stock description size varies, depending on whom you speak to. It can be referred to as caliper, container size, flat size, gallons or tree height. The size in the nursery creates the cost of the material.

Then the contractor adds on his costs to install it, and if applicable, guarantee it.

What is that $25,000 landscape worth in a few years? Yes, it will increase in value because the plant material grows from the size it was when you purchased it.

The value of a plant of replaceable size is typically determined by a replacement cost method.

When appraising the value of landscape plants, a few common factors must be considered that influence monetary value. These factors are: How large is it (size)? What kind is it (species)? What condition is it in?

And its location.

Determining the relative contributions of each of these factors is essential when determining the value of plants.

Depending on the size, replacement costs should include removal of the dead or damaged plant, installation, post-transplanting care, and a survival guarantee.

The species of tree alters appraisals in a variety of ways. Simply put, some species are more desirable than others, and, therefore, more valuable. Some take a long time to reach the desired form or size, so an old specimen may be particularly valuable.

The condition of a plant is determined by evaluating its structure and state of health. Assessing plants to describe a condition rating takes skill and experience and should only be undertaken by a trained arborist, horticulturist or a nursery grower/professional.

The location factor accounts for the placement and contribution of the plant to the functional and aesthetic qualities of the property.

What happens if a car or a truck runs off the road into one of your landscape beds? What happens if a brush fire burns your plant material? Words often cannot express the value of our landscape. However, in certain situations, there is a need to have an independent, reliable estimate of the dollar values of landscape plants.

First and foremost, make sure you save the original installation receipt. And make sure it clearly states the material sizes. After the installation is complete, take pictures of all the plants. Pictures make “before and after” comparisons easier and expedite the processing of insurance claims or deductions.

Replacement cost estimates the cost of replacing a plant in the same location with the same species and, if possible, of similar size. However, in most cases, a plant is too large to be replaced by a single plant and still be of equal value. In those cases, appraisers may designate several smaller ones deemed collectively to be equivalent to the original plant. This becomes a matter of calculating the value of the replacement plants and their associated costs.

Often, some type of settlement is involved in the negotiations as well. This usually is found to be the most accurate determination of market value of the tree.

Make sure labor costs, soil amendments and mulching are involved in the total cost of the plant.

I have always believed that landscaping is for now and the future. And how it will, or should, increase in value. And its replacement value.

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 May 2018

GardenerNews.com

Bracing for a Potential Storm (Continued from page 1)

Penn State Extension/Photo

If you see egg masses, scrape them off, double bag them and throw them away. You can also place the eggs into alcohol, bleach or hand sanitizer to kill them.

insect was accidentally introduced into Pennsylvania and was confirmed in the state on September 22, 2014. At first it was found in Berks County.

However, today it has also been collected from Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Schuylkill Counties.

The counties where Spotted Lanternfly has been found are currently under quarantine, meaning that Spotted Lanternfly cannot be moved from within the quarantine area to areas outside. In effect, a Winter Storm Warning for Spotted Lanternfly has been issued.

Spotted Lanternflies go through five stages of growth after hatching from eggs. These stages are quite different in appearance. The young nymphs (or “instar� in scientific literature) are black with bright white spots. The next stages of instars are similar in (Cont. on Page 16)

Penn State Extension/Photo

Newly laid egg masses have a grey, mud-like covering which can take on a dry, cracked appearance over time. Old egg masses appear as rows of 30 to 50 brownish seed-like deposits in four to seven columns on the trunk, roughly an inch long.

GardenerNews.com President Trump’s recent announcement that the United States government was going to levy tariffs on imported steel has caused a great deal of discussion throughout the world business community. If a trade war does develop, there will most certainly be winners and losers, and where any particular industry ends up after all is said and done could be anyone’s guess.

Agricultural trade groups here in the United States are paying particularly close attention to this issue, as they feel that they are somewhat vulnerable to foreign retaliation to these steel tariffs. What actually happens remains to be seen, but this will be an interesting few months as we see how this issue plays out.

By and large, the agricultural industry is not too worried with the rising price of steel that is used to make farm equipment, although it is a concern. They are much more concerned with foreign governments (the Chinese in particular) retaliating by putting tariffs of their own on the United States’ agricultural exports into China.

The main fear with this I can hardly believe that it is going to be Memorial Day in just a few weeks.

Another summer season is yet upon us. All the beautiful produce is on its way and gardens should be planted and starting to grow. We all endured a pretty harsh spring this year, but things are picking up now and everything should be good to go. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on some good Jersey Fresh produce. Among the first things we’ll see are strawberries and spinach, along with asparagus, which I wrote about last month.

Salads are becoming increasingly popular in the American diet. Not just because of health reasons, but also because of their new-found diversity.

Years ago you only had a few types of greens to choose from. Now, there are so many different ones to choose from, such as the super-popular kale All are healthy and make for a great salad.

Salads are all about balance. In other words, you should have a few different

May 2018 11 The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Tariffs and Agriculture

is that this type of tit-for-tat one-upmanship will curtail the ability of United States growers to stay competitive in an already cutthroat international marketplace.

Because agricultural products are one of the few remaining areas where the United States is able to maintain a trade surplus, this is an easy target for foreign governments to target for retaliation.

There are some political motives for this as well.

Some estimates contend that President Trump was able to garner as much as 80 percent of the votes from those were involved in agriculture during the last election. What better way is there for a foreign government to get the attention of our President than by putting the squeeze on him by turning some of his most

ardent supporters against him?

Also, any destabilization of the nation’s food supply, no matter how small, would have to be seen as a victory for our foreign adversaries in some type of a trade war.

I know that it seems somewhat unclear how a small duty that is placed on United States’ exports to China could upset our domestic economy, but a closer look is somewhat more revealing. Let’s say China imposes a 20-percent tariff on U.S. soybeans. On the surface, this just seems like a price increase of 20 percent, right?

Not so fast. First of all, other alternative products become much more cost effective.

Users of these products might just switch to Chinese produced substitutes. But now, all of a sudden, Brazilian soybeans seem like a bargain to Chinese

feed producers, who will do whatever they can to reduce their own costs.

Also, Brazilian exporters, who would then be more competitive in terms of price, might take the opportunity to invest in infrastructure that further facilitates the opening and expansion of this new market. And once this infrastructure is built, it will be that much harder to get these markets back.

Then there is the disruption to the U.S. markets that will occur because of this. The U.S. economy is not prepared to absorb a sudden increase in supply of any commodity. While it is true that the agricultural industry is much more nimble and versatile than it used to be, most of these products are grown and produced on a yearly basis. Any type of artificially

induced sudden price change is sure to wreak havoc throughout the agricultural markets.

Sure, there is the possibility that there will be some winners from this. Along with foreign producers, domestic users of these products will surely benefit from the probable decrease in prices. As they say, there is never an ill wind that does not blow someone, somewhere, some good.

So stay tuned. These types of retaliatory dust ups usually do not tend to end soon or well. Let’s just hope that both sides can come to some type of agreement before there is too much collateral damage.

Think spring!

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.

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

The amazing diversity of salads components to bring a salad together. The crunch factor, such as nuts or croutons for example, or perhaps strips of fried wontons to name a few.

Other components include a good salad dressing, a sweet or sour component, and a cheese or soft component. The salad we’ll be doing this month will have baby spinach, which is a bit more tender than the older version.

Fresh strawberries will add some sweetness, along with some vitamins, walnuts for some crunch, goat cheese for some great flavor that complements the fresh strawberries, and finally a nice balsamic vinaigrette and a good amount of fresh black pepper to bring it all together.

This is a great salad, easy to make and very impressive looking. Good luck, enjoy and tend those gardens!

Strawberry and baby spinach with balsamic vinaigrette (serves 4) 1 pint of fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered 1/2 to 3/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, optional 1 bag of cleaned baby spinach 1/3 cup good quality balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. sugar pinch of salt fresh black pepper to taste 2/3 cup light olive oil method-

-mix balsamic, olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar together and set aside -in a large mixing bowl, add spinach, strawberries, walnuts and red onion -toss together with the balsamic vinaigrette until well coated -top with the crumbled goat cheese and a touch more of the fresh black pepper ENJOY! Editor’s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette, New Jersey.

He has an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University. For more information visit www.TheCrabsClaw.com or phone (732) 793-4447.

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May 2018 13

Burrata Cheese Rocks!!!

By Jeannie Geremia Contributing Writer

This article is a departure from my usual column, as I have in my DNA a need to share when I discover something that I am over the moon about. And since Burrata Cheese has entered my life, and my taste buds are simply delighted, I am sharing this newly found delicacy with you, my gardening friends, as it pairs so well with tomatoes and greens.

First, I have to confess that I am not a denizen of the kitchen. In fact, on our first date, my husband asked me if I liked to cook, and my reply was an emphatic, “NO!” He almost fell off his chair he as he couldn’t believe it, and especially not on our first date.

We were engaged three weeks later, so he recovered from the shock and told me he liked to cook. All these years later, he is the chef in our family, except for my new specialty recipe: Jeannie’s Burrata Cheese Salad. Right about now, this is sending my close friends and family into gales of laughter, except for the lucky ones who have delighted in eating this exquisite salad.

Burrata Cheese deserves a little background first before I tell you how I use it in a salad. It is a form of mozzarella cheese that was developed in the Apulia area of Italy (the heel region of southern Italy) in the 1970s.

It is a fresh mozzarella cheese with a cream-filled center and has a sweet, milky flavor that a person can get “hooked on.”

This is an artisanal cheese that is hand-formed into four-ounce or eightounce balls. It is sold in a 12-ounce container with the balls packaged in water, and

is best eaten within two or three days of purchase. Do check the expiration date, as it is fresh mozzarella. You can find this in Kings or Wegmans Supermarkets and a brand available in both stores is BelGioioso that is hand-crafted by Mimmo Bruno in Denmark, Wisconsin. Mr. Bruno was born in the Apulia region of Italy, and had a need to share this remarkable cheese with the citizens of his adopted country. Kings Supermarkets also carries a creamier centered Burrata Cheese that is made in Union, N.J.,

by Lioni. You will happily discover that Burrata Cheese is less fattening than cheddar, and is quite low in calories.

How lucky are we?!

That’s one component of the salad, so we’ll move to the next ingredients that are a MUST! That is Balsamic Vinegar and one of the best is “balsamico Suite,” made in Modena, Italy. It is pricey, but a little, drizzled on salads, ice cream (yes!) and fresh fruit, goes a long way and is worth it as it is a delicacy in itself – thick, dark, syrupy and sweet.

Next is the Extra Virgin Olive Oil that is essential to this recipe. I read that many popular olive oils are adulterated so I “googled” best, unadulterated olive oils and subsequently purchased Cobram Estate from Australia (first harvest, cold pressed).

Other top ones are McEvoy Ranch Organic olive oil, Corto olive oil, Bariani and Olea Estate olive oil. I listed several so you should be able to find one of them in your local market.

Last are the tomatoes, greens and fresh basil leaves.

I prefer using small cherry tomatoes and love to use mixed colors of red, yellow, orange and red/green grape and cherry tomatoes. Spring

greens, arugula and basil leaves are all else that’s needed, and you are ready.

Here’s how to make Jeannie’s Burrata Cheese Salad: One hour before dinner is served, pour your olive oil into a skillet to coat the bottom. While washing your tomatoes, have the burner on medium, and drop your tomatoes in the pan and cover. When you hear it start to sizzle, turn heat to low and sautee for 30 minutes or so, just stirring the tomatoes on occasion.

As you start to sautee your tomatoes, layer a bed of greens on a large oval platter, and nestle your burrata cheese balls on top of the greens. Place your sautéed tomatoes and olive oil in a bowl to cool for about 15 minutes, then place them on top of the greens around your burrata cheese balls. Drizzle the olive oil you’ve cooked the tomatoes in on your greens and burrata cheese, and drizzle your balsamic vinegar over the entire salad and burrata cheese.

This is a beautiful salad that tastes as yummy as it looks, and I have La Strada restaurant in Neshanic Station to thank for this recipe, as it is an adaptation of theirs that I encountered one year ago. I have since found it on three other restaurants’ menus, but this is the best! 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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Briggs & Stratton Recalls Riding Mowers Due to Risk of Injury

Snapper, Simplicity, and Massey Ferguson riding mowers The reverse-mow option switch can malfunction and allow the riding lawn mowers to unintentionally mow when being driven in a reverse direction, posing a risk of injury to bystanders.

The riding lawn mowers were sold in red/black or orange/black color combinations with a Snapper, Massey Fergusen or Simplicity logo on the hood.

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Bracing for a Potential Storm

(Continued from page 10) appearance, but each stage becomes larger. The fourth instar stage of Spotted Lanternflies, prior to adulthood, is vibrantly red with distinct patches of black and equally distinct bright white spots. The adult Spotted Lanternfly is a winged, flying leaf-hopper about one to one-and-aquarter inches long. During this, the final stage of Spotted Lanternfly development, the insect has brownish-grey wings with dark black spots.

The Spotted Lanternfly is known to feed on more than 70 plant species, including cultivated grapes, fruit trees, and hardwood trees. One tree of particular importance is Ailatus altissima, or the Tree of Heaven. Tree of Heaven typically grows in sunny areas along highways or disturbed habitats in clumps. This widespread invasive tree was introduced from Asia and grows throughout New Jersey. Research suggests that Spotted Lanternfly needs to feed on Tree of Heaven to complete its life cycle.

As do all plant hoppers, the Spotted Lanternfly has sucking mouthparts that it inserts into plant tissues to remove the fluids it needs to survive. Adults and nymphs feed on phloem tissues of young stems with their piercing and sucking mouthparts and excrete large quantities of liquid (honeydew). Feeding creates weeping wounds. Honeydew facilitates the growth of sooty mold.

Weeping sap attracts other insects such as wasps, hornets, ants, bees etc. One additional concern is that Spotted Lanternfly may have compounds in their bodies which could be toxic to animals.

Researchers are working to find out if this is true or not.

I think New Jersey will have a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Spotted Lanternfly very soon.

If they’ve made it to New Jersey as viable eggs, the first instar stage is due to hatch in the MayJune time period. We could have a Winter Storm Watch when the second instar stage arrives in June–July. The third instar, at this point, means a Winter Storm Warning in June–July. A Blizzard Warning may be issued when the fourth instar arrives in July–September. If an active infestation is found, a possible State of Emergency could be declared when and if the adults show up in July–December, in New Jersey.

Egg-laying takes place from September–November. The eggs will be around from October– June. Thank GOD there is only one generation per year.

The arrival of live insects will impact the quality of outdoor life for everyone in New Jersey.

A few dead Spotted Lanternflies were found last year in New Jersey, as well as New York, Delaware, and Maryland, and a small infestation of live ones was found in Virginia. A Warren County, New Jersey, resident brought a Christmas tree home from Pennsylvania, and in the warm house, Spotted Lanternfly eggs hatched. New Jersey Department of (Cont. on Page 19) The honorees and the presenters were all assembled.

The awards placed at the podium. Guests had arrived and were enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The men all dressed in suits and ties, the women dazzled in their dresses and gowns. Members of the media mingled through the crowd, snapping pictures. There was even a stretch limousine at the entrance.

The Academy Awards perhaps? No, that happened a few weeks prior. However, in similar fashion, it was the annual event where New Jersey’s agricultural industry comes together to celebrate and honor someone who has devoted themselves to advance the interests of New Jersey’s farmers and industry.

The theme for the 2018 edition of the New Jersey Agricultural Society’s Annual Dinner Benefit Gala was “Taste of New Jersey.” Approximately 200 guests converged on the Mercer County Boathouse and enjoyed a menu composed almost entirely of New Jersey farm products.

New Jersey Wines and Hard Ciders were sipped, as attendees enjoyed clams and oysters from Tuckerton. Cheeses from area dairy farms were on display.

The menu consisted of beef, bison, and sausage products

Penn State Extension/Photo

Tree of Heaven bark loaded with Spotted Lanternfly adults.

NJ Agricultural Society

By Al Murray Executive Director

A Night of Celebration

from Somerset County, potatoes from Burlington County, fresh scallops and monk fish from Ocean County, as well as turkeys from Mercer and Morris counties. Even the centerpieces were raised in a Monmouth County greenhouse. A variety of wines representing Gloucester and Atlantic counties rounded out a true representation of the Garden State.

Assisted by a cadre of volunteers; including the state officers of the FFA, raffle tickets for door prizes were sold, and a wine company generously donated four cases of wine to be auctioned off in a “cork pull” raffle. The proceeds from the evening are used to support the New Jersey Agricultural Society’s major programs: Learning Through Gardening, Farmers Against Hunger, and the NJ. Agricultural Leadership Development Program.

The first award of the

evening was the Learning Through Gardening Teacher of the Year award. Sonya L. Harris of the Bullock Elementary School in Glassboro was this year’s recipient. Ms. Harris created a garden that would show the students how plants grow, and encouraged them to eat fresh, healthy food. She envisioned the garden to be a space where teachers could use gardening to teach reading, writing, social studies, and science. Not only did this garden become a success, but Ms. Harris has led the expansion of garden education to all the schools in the Glassboro School District.

The second award presented by the society celebrated the heritage and longevity of New Jersey’s farm families. Called the Century Farm Award, this honor is presented to a farm that has been in the same family and operational for at least 100 years.

This year, the society presented

this award to two farm families.

Fralinger Orchards is a fifthgeneration stone-fruit grower operating in Bridgeton since 1903, and Hensel Farms is a wholesale grower of produce and flowers located in Milmay since 1910.

The final award of the evening was the highest honor presented by the New Jersey Agricultural Society. The Gold Medallion is presented to individuals and organizations who have dedicated their life’s efforts towards New Jersey agriculture. This year, the society was proud to present Richard E. Nieuwenhuis the Gold Medallion.

Nieuwenhuis and his wife, Trudy, own Scenic Valley Greenhouses in Warren County.

Rich has a distinguished record of service to his community and New Jersey’s agricultural industry as well. He served on the New Jersey State Board

of Agriculture, then became a director and eventually President at the New Jersey Farm Bureau, and was active in the American Farm Bureau Federation. While in state positions, Rich helped update the Right to Farm Act, served on the American Farm Bureau’s Trade Advisory Committee, advocated for property rights in the Highlands, and during his term as New Jersey Farm Bureau President, led the activities that prevented the New Jersey Department of Agriculture from being eliminated. In addition to his state activities, Rich remains active in local and county organizations as well.

As the night ended, it struck me how it is not just our farms that become part of the fabric of our communities, but the farmer as well.

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

GardenerNews.com

May 2018 17

18 May 2018 You get what you pay for. A professional contractor is aware you will be shopping around for the right landscaper.

Understand that the best price will not always get you the best work. Seriously weigh out what you need and what you will get from the contractor you choose and don’t just compare prices.

Know who you’re working with. Not all landscapers are insured and registered. That low price may be due to the contractor not paying for insurance and taxes. Do your homework and ask to see a landscape professional’s insurance and home improvement contractor registration (for installations over $500). If something happens on your property while the contractor is working, and they are not insured, you will be responsible.

Let us know if you have a budget in mind. As fearful as you are that a contractor will use your budget number against you, it’s important they at least have a range to work with when putting together your proposal.

They want to put together a plan that is realistic and maximized to meet your wants, while staying within your price range.

Don’t be afraid to have your

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Give them a referral.

When the work is complete and you’re in love with your

By Gail Woolcott new landscape, don’t forget to thank your contractor by giving Director of Operations them a referral. Many landscape professionals may not ask you but referrals are our Nine Things Your Landscape Contractor Wants You to Know outright, best source of new business. landscaping done in phases choices and even your watering a special maintenance visit, Please take a moment to email (front yard, back yard, pool, schedules, your landscape and/ prior to a specific date. They them something they can use irrigation, lighting, etc.) Then an or irrigation professionals know will get you ready for the big on their website, post a review overall plan can be created, with what they are doing and why day. Also understand that many on Facebook or Twitter and tell the different phases in mind. they are doing it. clients have the same needs, your friends how great your Let us know if you’re Also speak up if you’re so if you call the day before landscape contractor was. hiring someone else. Once not happy. Since the owner is the event, understand if it’s not you have chosen whom you not always onsite, if something possible.

Editor’s note: Gail Woolcott want to work with, let the other bothers you, let them know.

Stuff happens. If you’ve is the Director of Operations contractors know you have Whether it is the pattern or ever watched an HGTV show, for the New Jersey decided to go in a different color of the paver you don’t about halfway through the show Landscape Contractors direction. The professional like, or something one of the there is always some disaster Association. She was contractor who didn’t get the workers is doing that makes you (not enough time to complete presented with a community project will appreciate your uncomfortable. They can’t fix the project, can’t fit the furniture service award from the honesty and not be offended. something if they aren’t made up the stairs, wallpaper isn’t Borough of Fairview for her Trust your landscape aware of it. And they definitely sticking, etc.) but by the end of assistance in leading the 9-11 professional. You should have would rather change out a paver the show, the completed project Memorial Park project and an idea of what you want, but before the entire patio is laid. is spectacular. Recognize that the Legislative Champion more so how you will be using Everyone is hosting a during an installation or a of the Year award from the the space. Trust your contractor Memorial Day, Fourth of reseeding of your lawn, things Federation of Employers and to make recommendations, as July, christening or birthday may not look pretty. In fact, they Workers of America. She is they have done hundreds of party. Please let your landscape may look downright terrible. currently the State Licensee projects and are aware of the professional know ASAP Many times, demolition or Chair on the National intricacies of what can and can’t (even months ahead) if you killing your lawn first is part of Association of Landscape work with your property. When need a landscape installation the process and your landscaper Professionals International it comes to paver types, planting completed, or if you would like is doing a great job. Give them Certification Council.

The NJLCA Today

May Showers Bring May Flowers...and TICs Survive Floods

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E.

Last month I wrote about ticks. This month, it’s TICs (Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities).

When I teach our New Hire School here at Viking HQ, I impress upon the students the behavior and habits of our Arthropod Invertebrate “friends.” Ants can be extremely challenging to control. I teach that ants can be arboreal (Ants truly want to be in trees, shrubs and bushes as opposed to our homes) subterranean (beneath the ground or in mulch) and structural (meaning commensal – living with man in our homes).

I always get the questions about freezing and flooding.

I’ve covered freezing before, so this month I’m going to talk about flooding and its effect on TICs. TICs are those invertebrates that live beneath the ground. Fauna and flora can be adversely affected by excessive rain, especially when flooding lasts for an extended period of time.

As our solar system continues its 10,000-year cycle of moving towards the sun, Earth’s atmosphere and oceans will warm and the severity of weather events will increase.

The hurricanes and storms we have experienced over the past several years are already resulting in the altering of physical structure and species composition in ecological communities. (Spiller et al.

1998). Given these conditions have happened before over Earth’s long history, let’s look at how invertebrates survive flooding and excessive water situations.

Did you know that millipedes can live almost a year under water? Bristletails can synchronize production of flood-resistant eggs to annual flooding events. Acrobat ants will move their nests from the soil to trees during floods.

Red imported fire ants and Formosan termites will actually come out of the ground, build a round(ish) mass to protect the queen and float downstream until they find ground or a mass of collected wood debris to stop

and set up temporary housing.

Field cricket populations will actually increase after floods.

Pitfall trap studies for crickets show that these creatures get out of town before flooding and survive in higher ground locations.

Subterranean invertebrates have evolved over time (Earth’s history) to deal with flooding.

They do need oxygen like we do, but they don’t need the rapid replenishment that mammals do. They are using oxygen very slowly. Eggs and pupae don’t need much oxygen. Invertebrates with soft skin are able to absorb oxygen from water. Others just create watertight homes that retain their own air. They “hunker down” and survive (most do, that is).

Despite these tactics, a great many TICs will have drowned in the recent floods. Most at risk are soil and soil-ward inhabiting invertebrates on land that has not been flooded frequently in recent decades.

These species are un-adapted to being submerged and most species of earthworm and fly

larvae will drown if their soil is submerged for a few weeks.

Hibernating queen bumblebees and wasps are also likely to drown if flooded.

Floods can be beneficial to soil. Ground water can be recharged during floods, making soil more fertile and increasing nutrients in some soils. Flooding can spread nutrients to lakes and rivers, which can result in increased biomass, so invertebrates that survive flooding can rebound quickly. Flooding can also be detrimental as it can spread pollutants.

And then onto Mosquitoes.

Flooding certainly is a mosquitofriendly event. After a severe storm, mosquito populations can explode, and the diseases they carry can be a danger to humans. Mosquito problems occur in two distinct waves after a flood. The first to arrive are the floodwater mosquitoes, which include the salt marsh (Aedes taeniorhynchus, Aedes sollicitans) and pastureland mosquitoes (Psorophora columbiae, Psorophora cyanescens, Aedes vexans).

These mosquito species deposit their eggs on the soil in areas that are flooded periodically.

When flooded, the eggs hatch five to seven days later, resulting in large swarms of mosquitoes during the warmest times of the year. (Texas A&M study).

The real saving grace is that while flooding does have an adverse impact on Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities, flooding does not occur over entire areas, thus allowing most that have the ability to rise above the flood and relocate.

Editor’s Note: William A. Kolbe, BCE is Director of Technical and Training for Viking® Pest Control based out of Warren, NJ . He is a Board Certified Entomologist and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Entomology with a minor in Ecology from the University of Delaware. Bill is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

His career in Professional Pest Control started in June 1974. He can be reached at 732-356-3100 or visit www.vikingpest.com.

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May 2018 19

Bracing for a Potential Storm

(Continued from page 16) Agriculture officials disposed of the bugs.

Spotted Lanternflies survive the winter only as eggs. The eggs are laid in formed egg-masses on trees, under bark, on rusty metal, on plastic yard objects, on cars and trailers, on outdoor grills, and on many other surfaces.

Early detection is vital for the protection of New Jersey businesses and agriculture. Spotted Lanternfly is an excellent hitchhiker, so if you travel to and from the current quarantine area in Pennsylvania, search your vehicle, your clothing and your cargo thoroughly.

I think it is inevitable it will come to New Jersey, because the Delaware River is not very wide.

It feasts on more host plants than expected, and reproduces more quickly than anticipated.

No widespread spraying of insecticide can be done, because there is no safe chemical that can be used on that scale.

There are, however, effective pesticides that can be used in the farm setting.

There are some natural predators like spiders, praying mantis and tiny parasitic wasps, but they do not seem to be plentiful enough to make a noticeable reduction in the Spotted Lanternfly population yet.

If you find a Spotted Lanternfly, report it!

Take a picture with your GPS function turned on your smartphone or a camera with GPS, of any life stage (including egg masses).

Submit your pictures to: SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov If you can’t take a picture, call the New Jersey Spotted Lanternfly Hotline at 1-833-223-2840 and leave a message detailing the location, how many, the date of the find, and your contact information. In New York, please call 518-457-2087. In Pennsylvania, please call 1-866-253-7189.

I really hope the Governor does not have to declare a State of Emergency. If everyone is vigilant, maybe this destructive pest can be stopped before it travels any further. Remember what the Asian Long-horned Beetle did!

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.

20 May 2018

GardenerNews.com

The Easy To Tame ‘Ginseng’

By Hubert Ling Have you ever thought about raising ginseng, that rare, medicinal herb which is the quintessence of wild woodlands?

You may have had visions of several acres worth thousands of dollars just waiting to harvest. Your attempt, even with just a small test plot, probably ended in failure. Ginseng growing is not for the faint-hearted and requires lots of time, effort, the right soil, exposure, slope, moisture etc., etc.

But don’t abandon all hope. You can raise a close cousin of the American ginseng which will actually grow and thrive under a variety of conditions. This plant is wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis. All you need is shade, moderate moisture, and almost any type of moderately acidic soil.

Wild sarsaparilla is in the ginseng family and contains How many times have you heard, “If a little is good, more must be better”? How about, “Too much of a good thing is bad!”

If someone lives to 100 years old and says the secret to longevity is a daily shot of whiskey and a cigar, that does not mean take three or four shots of whiskey and smoke a case of cigars daily. I once read that car owners in America spend an extra $40 billion dollars on higher-than-required octane gasoline, thinking they will get better engine performance. They will not.

The same goes for lawn and garden products. Do not use too much or too little for best results.

Let’s first look at grass seed; you would think that you could do no harm by seeding extra heavy. That is true, but too much grass seed in a thick pile may not provide a better lawn.

Too many grass seed plants will simply compete in the same space for soil, water and nutrients. Mother Nature will determine which ones survive long-term or not.

Excessive amounts of

many of the compounds which are medicinally prized in American ginseng, but in smaller quantities. Both plants even look alike; they are about the same size: 12 to 20 inches tall, with compound leaves. Both plants can be found growing together, although wild sarsaparilla is much more common.

On careful examination one may notice that that the three to seven leaflets in wild sarsaparilla run along the axis like an ash or walnut leaf (pinnate arrangement) while five leaflets radiate out from a central point in ginseng (palmate arrangement). Both plants have small, whitish flowers in spring arranged in a small sphere about one inch in diameter. However, ginseng berries ripen into a bright red, and wild sarsaparilla berries are a dark purple-black when mature.

Wild sarsaparilla is found only in North America, but here it is widespread, especially in Canada and the Northern United States.

It is only absent from the Deep South, Southwest, and Mexico. In New Jersey, it is widespread in almost every county. New Jersey has three native species of Aralia: wild sarsaparilla, American spiknard a giant size “wild sarsaparilla” which grows to six feet, and devil’s walking stick, which is a mean looking prickly tree that grows to 36 feet tall. Fortunately, the latter is relatively uncommon.

Occasionally, there is a form of wild sarsaparilla which has only three leaflets instead of the usual five. Thus, these plants resemble poison ivy. The resemblance is even greater in early-spring, when young sarsaparilla leaves and young poison ivy leaves have a reddish-brown hue; however, the leaflet edges (margins) of poison ivy are smooth, while sarsaparilla leaflets have small teeth.

The presence of wild sarsaparilla on the forest floor is an indication that the forest is relatively healthy and has been, to a large

part, undisturbed for 30 to 100 years. This is because, although wild sarsaparilla may be common, it grows very slowly. The extensive, deeply buried underground rhizomes allow the plant to survive fires, but full recovery after a burn can take four years or more. So don’t expect your newly transplanted sarsaparilla to spread more than three to six inches a year.

The seeds are not too difficult to germinate after a four-month overwintering moist cold treatment.

However, the seedlings take five or more years to mature, so most people propagate the species by dividing the dormant rhizomes. The plants die back in late-summer, but the rhizome is perennial and individual plants can survive 30 years or more.

Wild sarsaparilla is an important part of the ecosystem. The flowers are utilized by numerous species of bees, flies, and beetles.

Moose, caribou, cattle, and

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

More does not mean better! grass seed will most likely die if they do not get good seedto-soil contact. Different grass seed species require different amounts seeded per 1,000 square feet for best results. Kentucky Bluegrass seeds are smallest, go the farthest, and can spread via rhizomes to fill in bare spots over time. Tall, Chewings, Creeping, and Hard Fescues, along with Perennial Ryegrass, are larger seeds which require more pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet to do an adequate job. Follow seeding rates on packages for best results.

Fertilizers and controls are a whole different story when it comes to applying too much or too little. Let’s first explore fertilizers.

Fertilizers are designed to supplement plant growth

when the soil does not provide sufficient nutrients for optimal growth. Different plants have different requirements, so the market has supplied many different formulas based on the N-P-K numbers on the bag.

The first number is Nitrogen (N) which is needed for “green” growth, the second number provides Phosphorous (P) which encourages strong root growth, and the third number is for Potash (K) which helps supply disease resistance and overall plant health.

There is some leeway with the amount applied of lawn and garden products, but too much Nitrogen can burn existing grass blades and kill the plant. Nitrogen is the main nutrient to be concerned about with over-

application.

Excessive amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potash can negatively affect grass growth and can contribute to groundwater contamination and algae blooms in rivers, lakes, and bay areas. Grass plants can only absorb and utilize certain amounts of nutrients, so leaching or a buildup of nutrients in the soil does no good for the plant, soil, and water quality.

Over-applying or misuse of pesticides can be detrimental to grass plants and the environment, too.

All pesticides offered to the market are vigorously screened by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. These products are determined to work properly when used within the label directions and proper

deer browse on the foliage.

The spicy-sweet fruit is eaten by sparrow, thrush, grouse, black bear, fox, skunk, chipmunk, and people.

Native Americans had many uses for wild sarsaparilla.

The rhizomes were used as an emergency food, as a tea, and for stomachaches and cough. Externally, the root was pounded into a paste and used on burns and to reduce infections. In more recent times, the root bark has been used as a substitute for true sarsaparilla (Smilax officinalis) to make root beer.

Wild sarsaparilla fruits have also been used for jelly and to produce wine. However, because of unknown hazards from ingesting new plant materials and the painfully slow growth of sarsaparilla, I suggest you just enjoy this icon of the wild forest in situ.

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 application rates.

Too much weed killer can damage or kill desirable lawn areas. Too much insecticide may kill desirable insects, and fungicide overuse is both a waste of money and is not good for the environment. Follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines in order to keep pesticide use to a minimum. Be sure to monitor pests and target pesticide use following label directions.

Last month was the 15-year anniversary of the Gardener News publication.

Tom Castronovo, the founder and editor, outlined his many accomplishments and awards. Congratulations to Tom for all that he has done for the lawn and garden industry through education and public awareness. I think he will be able to do more good work in the years ahead!

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

May 2018 21

Expanding Inside-Out

By Brian Bosenberg It is finally earlysummer. Imagine sitting outside with the entire family around the table for dinner.

The barbeque is fired up, the kids are playing on the lawn, the birds are chirping, and everyone is enjoying a beautiful evening.

Sounds like a perfect day enjoying the great outdoors!

There are countless benefits to creating outdoor living spaces: sunlight, fresh air and being able to expand your home’s footprint outside to allow the entire family to come for Sunday dinner. What is an easy way to add function, fun and maybe even a pop of color to your outdoor patio space?

Furniture!

Often as landscape architects we begin creating spaces that reflect the proportions of their surroundings. When designing a new outdoor living space, we turn to the It’s time to put your pretty spring pastels away and reach for plants that will last through autumn and bring drama to your garden.

Defined as the absence of color, black nevertheless packs a punch, adding complexity and a note of gravitas to gardens.

Whether the black is in the flower, stem, or leaf, when used correctly these dark beauties can be the stars or members of a strong supporting cast in your garden’s plant palette.

Black is a perfect foil, accentuating softer colors. It can delineate garden areas or act as a focal point. Black “recedes,” and so adds depth to garden spaces.

Black can also be used to enhance the play of shadow and light, an often-overlooked garden design element.

Even simple flowers, for example Rudbeckia fulgida, gain dimensionality with their shiny black centers surrounded by bright yellow petals. Used judiciously, black imparts an air of elegance and maturity to a garden. Every year’s catalogues contain more and more black flowers and plants, as hybridists are spurred on by their popularity.

If you are new to black plants, the following suggestions are some of my favorites for adding a touch of black magic to your garden.

sizes of the indoor rooms to guide the sizing of the outdoor rooms or terrace spaces. This helps the outdoor space to have a sense of scale that relates to the interior of the home. As we develop these outdoor living spaces, we generally design a space to extend the living area from the insideout. To make an outdoor living space functional and to further add a sense of scale to an outdoor room, we add furniture and other accessory elements.

To begin choosing the best furniture for an outdoor space, think about your desired use of the space.

The nature and frequency of use of the space will dictate the type, size and quantity of furniture needed. Durable, weather-resistant materials are also a great place to start.

Maybe your outdoor spaces allow for different “rooms,” which may include a dining area, bistro tables as well as an intimate seating area near a fire pit.

The dining table should

reflect the number of users of the outdoor space, as well as its overall size. The furniture should be grouped or laid out to create an intimate space to allow for easy conversation between users.

Maintenance is another consideration. Furniture with cushions will need to be washed periodically and stored inside to keep them clean and free of mold. Wood furniture will occasionally need routine sanding and oiling to preserve it.

Now that the functional aspect of furniture has been considered, it is time to have FUN with the furniture!

There are many different design styles and options available. A plethora of colors, shapes, materials and textures are available allowing you to mix and match and explore to reveal your inner design tastes and personality. Furniture is a great way to add a pop of color or style or unique feature to an outdoor space.

For example, colorful and uniquely shaped umbrellas

make a large impact on a space while allowing for some extra shade.

A great benefit to using furniture as a design element is that it is easily changeable.

If your design tastes change or if you would like to exude a different feeling for the space, it is easy to update just by changing something as small as the cushion color. This can make a huge difference without breaking the budget.

Furniture can be moved around the terrace to change the seating configuration and flow that will easily freshen up a terrace or a patio space to create a feeling of renewal and rejuvenation. You can also add accessory items such as fire tables, planting boxes, hammocks, bar carts, or sundials as space enhancements. Barbeque grills now come in different colors too. These items can be the perfect elements to compliment an outdoor space.

Furniture is necessary to add functionality to outdoor

The Garden Historian

By Lesley Parness Garden Educator

Drama Queens: Dark Beauties for your Garden

Cottage gardeners might consider Hollyhock “Black Nigra,” with its Georgia O’Keefe like four-inch-wide black flowers.

Even the old fashioned Scabiosa or Pincushion flower gets a makeover in black with “Ace of Spades.”

Container gardeners can come to the dark side by choosing duck-footed “Inky Fingers” as a filler. Miniature Rose “Louis XIV” whines a lot, but sure looks great on your tea table. If succulents are your thing, try the Echeveria “General Swartzkoph,” - imposingly big and strong.

Mid-border dark beauties include two dahlias- “Bishop of Llandaff,” its dark-red blooms a perfect foil to its black stems, or the sunny, yellow flowered “Mystic Haze.” These are a pair worthy of digging up every fall.

Hydrangea macrophylla “Black Stem” blooms for months with its pink purple flowers atop its

namesake. There are exotic black Iris like “Dracula’s Kiss,” “Hello Darkness,” and “Black Form.”

In the shrub category, Elderberry scores high marks with the more diminutive “Black Negligee,” and its larger cousin “Black Beauty,” with its shock of contrasting sparking pink buds.

Drought-resistant Drama Queens include Sedum “Black Jack” its slightly glaucous leaves, rosy and rosy-red umbelled flowers supported by thick, blacktinged stems.

If you are looking for a tropical feel, or some strong architecture, I recommend Phormiums “Black Adder,” or “Platt’s Black.”

Colocasia, or Elephant Ears, offer size and shine with “Black Coral” and “Black Magic.”

Texturally interesting black ground covers like Ajuga reptans “Black Scallop,” or Mondo grass choices Ophiopogon “Ebony Knight,” or “Nigrescens” can add

allure and sheen.

Even vegetables can get into the mood. Tomato “Black Prince,” sports black on its hefty shoulders.

Bell Pepper “Midnight Dream” has shiny black skin contrasting boldly with its bright green interior and looks great in the garden and on your plate. Don’t forget Eggplants - miniature versions are great for fall containers as in the Ornamental Pepper, “Black Pearl.”

Black is best when used in combination with other colors.

With silver plants, it yields a modern, elegant effect. Black and white is sharp and tres chic.

Black’s somber mood is uplifted when used with chartreuse.

Remember to consider the black itself. Matte black looks different from shiny black and juxtaposing finish is a part of mastering the use of black.

Unless it is your intent to create a gothic garden, use black

spaces, but it also adds FUN! Mixing, matching and adding color with furniture gives us the opportunity to go outside of our comfort zone while keeping the flexibility of being easily changeable.

Furniture can transform a space in many ways. The same patio can be anything from a formal dining area, a relaxing meditation sanctuary or an outdoor bar and party space, just with the various furniture choices. If you have been looking to update your outdoor space, maybe start with some new furniture.

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 deliberately and with discretion for greatest effect. A stagger and scatter approach with black plants can create rhythm, and repetition in garden beds and even larger landscapes.

I hope you’ll add some Dark Beauties to your garden this summer. Then next spring, you can add early Drama Queens. The tulips “Queen of the Night,” an heirloom bred in 1895, and the regal 40-inch-tall “Paul Scherer” can kickstart your garden with a bang, not a whimper.

This article is part of a lecture, “Drama Queens: Dark Beauties of the Garden.” offered

by Lesley Parness. Visit her website, lesleyparness.com for more information.

Editor’s Note: Lesley Parness offers a variety of presentations and workshops for garden clubs, plant societies, and horticultural gatherings. Recently retired from her position as Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, and with four decades of teaching environmental science and garden education, her focus now is garden history. A complete listing of her talks can be seen at lesleyparness.com and she can be reached at parness@verizon.net.

This column will appear in the paper every other month.

22 May 2018

GardenerNews.com

Senate Resolution Presented to Gardener News

Senator Smith’s/Photo

Tom Castronovo, center, Executive Editor and Publisher of Gardener News, received a New Jersey Senate Resolution that was jointly sponsored

by Senator Christopher ‘Kip” Bateman, right, and Senator Bob Smith honoring the newspaper’s 15th Anniversary.

GardenerNews.com

May 2018 23 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

An Opportunity to Plant Something New

Winter Storm Quinn, the powerful nor’easter that hit our area March 6-8 this year, has many of our customers asking about replacement trees.

Quinn came just days after another nor’easter devastated much of the Northeast.

Macro-scale cyclones, nor’easter gets its name “from the direction of the strongest winds that will be hitting an eastern seaboard of the northern hemisphere” (en.wikipedia.org).

Heavy snow and strong winds resulted in widespread tree damage and power outages. Twenty-two inches of the “white stuff” fell quickly, and the result was pure carnage to our trees.

White pines toppled out of the ground, Norway spruce had their heaviest limbs torn from their body and pear and magnolia trees seemed to break right in half.

Two things are certain now. First, these more frequent, powerful storms should have you putting value on maintaining your trees, i.e. pruning for structural integrity. Second, garden centers will be busy this spring recommending replacement trees for residential landscapes.

Cognizant that many residential lots are a half acre or less, here are a few stellar trees to consider going forward.

Bowhall Maple, Acer rubrum “Bowhall” is an upright narrow to ovalshaped red maple type.

Tightly formed and sturdy, “Bowhall” has mediumgreen foliage in the spring and summer with yellow-orange to reddish-orange tones in the fall. Hardy to zone 4, this red maple grows 40 feet tall and only 15 feet wide. Given that Red or Scarlet maples, Acer rubrum, grow 40 feet by 40 feet, “Bowhall’s” ascending branch structure seems to make this cultivar a more suitable contender for smaller footprints.

Chinese Fringetree, Chionanthus retusus “Tokyo Tower” is a tree I have spoken about in the past.

Continuing to impress me year after year, this narrow, upright vase-shaped tree gets smothered with large clusters of white flowers in late-spring. Glossy, darkgreen foliage and goldentan exfoliating bark are even more appealing to me. And let’s not forget blueberrylike fruit in the summer and remarkable yellow fall color. A full sun to part shade tree, this four-season beauty would look stunning banked off the corner of your home or in just about any landscape bed you can imagine. Growing 20 feet tall and only 10 feet wide, Chinese Fringetree will be no threat to your home or garden spaces going forward should these frequent storm surges continue.

Emerald City Tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera “JFS-Oz” has impressed me at several arboretum and private gardens. The largest tree in this article, “Emerald City” grows 50 feet tall and half as wide. Another tree known for its glossy, deepgreen foliage, this tulip tree also has bright, clear yellow leaves in the fall. A refined cultivar, “Emerald City” is a more uniform growing selection, complete with a dominant leader, lending to a straighter appearance. True to form, this tulip tree’s flowers are yellow to greenish-yellow with an orange center. A native tree and hardy to zone 4b, normally I would not recommend a tree notorious for weak wood, however “Emerald City” is not your “normal” tulip tree.

Let’s talk Magnolias!

Unequivocally, this tree type had more damage, after Winter Storm Quinn, than any other. For the simple reason, this tree type is a harbinger of spring and sap was flowing more readily and its buds were about to

burst.

Magnolias seemed to shatter from the sheer weight of the heavy snow.

Many Star and Saucer types, stellata and soulangeana, collapsed, leaving an opportunity to plant anew.

A Sweetbay Magnolia that I am particularly fond of is, Magnolia virginiana “Green Shadow.” The evergreen foliage of “Green Shadow” forms a tight oval tree with fragrant white flowers in the summer.

Another native and a selection of Magnolia virginiana var. australis by the great Don Shadow, people sometimes forget the versatility of this tree.

Reliably evergreen and wetsite tolerant, this cultivar is more narrow than other types. “Green Shadow” establishes a center leader more easily and personally I didn’t see any harm to Sweetbay Magnolia types after Winter Storm Quinn.

Perhaps because they flower in the summer rather than in early-spring.

Quite often, customers come into our garden center and seem to be swayed by the largest tree they can buy for the least amount of money, a lesson hopefully learned at this point. After all, “It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money – that’s all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.” - John Ruskin 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.

USDA Statement on Plant Breeding Innovation U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a statement providing clarification on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) oversight of plants produced through innovative new breeding techniques which include techniques called genome editing.

Under its biotechnology regulations, USDA does not regulate or have any plans to regulate plants that could otherwise have been developed through traditional breeding techniques as long as they are not plant pests or developed using plant pests. This includes a set of new techniques that are increasingly being used by plant breeders to produce new plant varieties that are indistinguishable from those developed through traditional breeding methods. The newest of these methods, such as genome editing, expand traditional plant breeding tools because they can introduce new plant traits more quickly and precisely, potentially saving years or even decades in bringing needed new varieties to farmers.

“With this approach, USDA seeks to allow innovation when there is no risk present,” said Secretary Perdue. “At the same time, I want to be clear to consumers that we will not be stepping away from our regulatory responsibilities.

While these crops do not require regulatory oversight, we do have an important role to play in protecting plant health by evaluating products developed using modern biotechnology. This is a role USDA has played for more than 30 years, and one I will continue to take very seriously, as we work to modernize our technologyfocused regulations.”

“Plant breeding innovation holds enormous promise for helping protect crops against drought and diseases while increasing nutritional value and eliminating allergens,” Perdue said. “Using this science, farmers can continue to meet consumer expectations for healthful, affordable food produced in a manner that consumes fewer natural resources. This new innovation will help farmers do what we aspire to do at USDA: do right and feed everyone.”

USDA is one of three federal agencies which regulate products of food and agricultural technology.

Together, USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have a Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology that ensures these products are safe for the environment and human health. USDA’s regulations focus on protecting plant health; FDA oversees food and feed safety; and EPA regulates the sale, distribution, and testing of pesticides in order to protect human health and the environment.

USDA continues to coordinate closely with its EPA and FDA partners to fulfill oversight responsibilities and provide the appropriate regulatory environment.

This ensures the safety of products derived from new technologies, while fostering innovation at the same time.

24 May 2018

GardenerNews.com

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GardenerNews.com

May 2018 25 USDA to Measure Fruit and Berry Production

The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 181 Published Monthly Reserve Ad Space Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff Executive Editor/Publisher . . . .

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

Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tom Castronovo Clarissa J. Roper Tom Castronovo

May Columnists

Tom Castronovo

Gail Woolcott

Bob LaHoff

Larry Katz

Craig Korb

Todd Pretz

Douglas H. Fisher Lesley Parness Peter Melick Al Murray

Contributing Writers

Bruce Crawford Jeannie Geremia

Brian Bosenberg William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Hubert Ling Gardener News is published monthly by

Gardener News, Inc.

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The Gardener News invites correspondences on gardening subjects of interest. Gardener News, Inc, and its Publisher reserve the right to accept, refuse, or discontinue any editorial or copy, and shall not be liable to anyone for printing errors, misinformation or omissions in editorial or copy. The information contained in articles herein represents the opinions of the authors and, although believed to be accurate and complete, is not represented or warranted by Gardener News, Inc. to be accurate or complete.

All advertising is subject to the Gardener News advertisement rates, and must be PAID IN FULL at time of submission. Publisher reserves the right at its absolute discretion, and at any time, to cancel any advertising order or reject any advertising copy whether or not the same has already been acknowledged and/or previously published. In the event of errors or omissions of any advertisement(s), the newspapers liability shall not exceed a refund of amounts paid for the advertisement.

NOTE: All editorial, advertising layouts and designs and portions of the same that are produced and published by Gardener News, Inc., are the sole property of Gardener News, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form unless written authorization is obtained from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to: Gardener News, 16 Mount Bethel Rd - #123, Warren, NJ 07059. (c) 2018 Gardener News, Inc.

Full Moon, May 10, 2018 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH

Now’s a good time to have your mower blades sharpened, or replaced, which will give your lawn a clean cut. A dull blade tears grass instead of cutting it. Lawns also dry out more quickly with frayed ends, making grass more susceptible to insects and disease. Only cut off one-third of a blade of grass in a single mowing. You can keep your lawn a little on the longer side, too. For example, a lawn in the three-inch range has roots about the same depth. Deeper roots, healthier lawn.

And leave the clippings on your lawn. They’re free fertilizer and they add organic matter.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is currently conducting its end of season surveys for 2017 fruit and berry production. The surveys will collect information about acres, production and prices from more than 3,000 growers in the Northeastern region of the United States.

“The information from these surveys directly impacts our regions’ fruit and berry growers in many positive ways,” said King Whetstone, director of NASS, Northeastern Regional Field Office. “Growers can use the survey results when making business plans and marketing decisions. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) relies on the average yields and prices to administer farm programs. Cooperative Extension uses the data to provide needed outreach and education, and State Departments and agencies of agriculture use the information to aid growers.”

In these survey, NASS asks participants to answer a variety of questions about apples, blueberries, cherries (tart), cranberries, grapes, peaches, and pears; depending on state and version of the questionnaire. For their convenience, survey participants have the option to respond online. As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses and publishes only state and national level data, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.

NASS will compile, analyze, and publish survey results in the June 26, 2018 Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Report. All previous Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts publications are available online at https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.

SPRAY TECHNICIAN NEEDED

Small, growing company (NJ Deer Control) is looking for a backpack spray technician.

Tech is needed to spray landscapes with a natural deer repellent. Must enjoy working outdoors. Landscape/spray tech experience is a plus, but not required. Valid driver’s license is a must. Paid training period then $14-$15 hourly pay with 30-40+ hr work week available! Please send resume for possible interview to info@njdeercontrol.com Deadline: Until filled.

Agricultural Views Photo Calendar Contest

Help fill Farm Credit East’s Agricultural Views 2019 calendar with lots of fresh imagery that illustrates the best of Northeast farming, horticulture, forestry and commercial fishing. They also look for creative photos that celebrate country life in New England, New York or New Jersey. Your photo entry may appear in Farm Credit East’s Agricultural Views 2019 Calendar and also earn you a $100 cash prize!

Contest Entries • Planting, timber, irrigation, livestock or harvest scenes • Industry shots of vineyards, commercial fishing, dairy farms, orchards, vegetable operations, nurseries, greenhouses, etc.

• Action shots in fields, forests, barns or docks • Seasonal photos, such as holiday decorations, 4th of July events, pumpkins, winter scenes, etc.

• Country fairs, roadside markets or farm markets • 4-H or FFA events The rules • Photo must be taken in New England, New York or New Jersey.

• High-resolution (at least 1MB) images digitally submitted via FarmCreditEast.com or on CD. • Do not touch up or add filters to photos prior to submitting.

• No negatives, printed photos or links to web libraries.

• Photos should have horizontal orientation.

• Entries must be accompanied by the form below.

• Images become the property of Farm Credit East. No images will be returned.

• Parties submitting photos certify that they have permission of all individuals shown in each photo and all individuals owning property shown in each photo.

Winning photos 14 photos will be selected for a $100 cash prize each. We will also award $25 prizes for small shots that we run in the date blocks.

Timeline The deadline for photo submissions to the 2019 Agricultural Views calendar is July 31, 2018. Winners will be contacted by October 2018.

Learn more at https://www.farmcrediteast.com/News/calendar-photo-contest

26 May 2018

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28 May 2018

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