Gardener News September 2015

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

September, 2015

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

TAKE ONE

GARDENERNEWS.COM

No. 149

Refreshing and Brilliant Jersey Wine

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Grape grower and winemaker Mike Beneduce inspects his Blaufränkisch wine grapes on his family’s 16-acre Pittstown vineyard.

Who doesn’t like a great glass of wine?

According to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the Garden State produced 1.5 million gallons of wine last year and ranks fourth in the nation in per capita wine consumption.

This is one industry that is on the move.

The Garden State has three federally designated American Viticultural Areas, the largest and most bountiful being the Outer Coastal Plain in the southern half of the state, which boasts sandy soil, extensive sunshine, relatively mild winters and moderate breezes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay. Vintners say this microclimate mirrors that of France’s legendary Bordeaux region. A second area, the Central Delaware Valley, straddles New Jersey and Pennsylvania north of Trenton. Farther north is the third region, the Warren Hills area in Warren County.

I’ve traveled out to the Rutgers Snyder Research and Extension Farm near Pittstown in Hunterdon County on several occasions.

This 390-acre farm is the Rutgers University Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Snyder Farm initiates and disseminates research applicable to the production of a variety of food and fiber products, including grain crops, tree (Continued on Page 19)

2 September, 2015 G A R D E N C E N T E R D I R E C T O R Y GardenerNews.com

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

Saturday, October 3 10AM to 1PM

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 3

Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

HARDY BARDY MUMS Thousands to Choose from!

An unhealthy, unprofessional, hazardous contractor I recently had the unfortunate opportunity to meet up with the most unprofessional contractor of all time.

This contractor was working in the neighborhood installing a new paver walkway and patio.

A windy, stinky dust storm was blowing in my direction as I was cutting the lawn. I knew by the smell that it wasn’t good.

Here’s the problem. This contractor was dry cutting pavers with a gas operated, heavy-duty, hand held power cutting saw and using a backpack blower to move the hazardous cloud away from the saw operator, creating a large red plume of deadly airborne dust.

After several minutes of smelling the dust and walking through the hazy air, I had to seek the source.

I walked down to the street to avoid the poisonous cloud that was blowing from the west. As I approached the property where the work was being done, I could clearly see what was going on. I walked up the front lawn looking for the business owner or supervisor. Counting quickly, there were about seven to eight men on the job. There were five in the front of the house and two in the backyard. Only two of them were wearing paper dust masks. In my opinion, they should have been wearing full-face air-purifying respirators.

I found the person in charge in the backyard. I politely asked him if he could change the way his crew was cutting the pavers to cut down on the dust because I was concerned. I told him where I came from and that the dust cloud was blowing in my direction for quite some time. Without hesitation he told me not to worry about it and started to walk away from me. I asked him again with a little more concern in my voice. He continued to walk away. I then told him that the cloud was hazardous to my health and to the people who were working in it. He wanted to know how I knew it was hazardous.

I told him that I owned and operated a landscape business for over 20 years and I was familiar with the proper and safe installation of pavers. I then asked him to use a hose to control the dust instead of the backpack blower.

He then became irate and downright nasty, telling me to “F off” and gave me the middle finger at the same time. At that point, I told him that I was going to call the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services if he didn’t have his men stop. He then started screaming at the top of his lungs to get off the property. He said if I had a problem I should call the homeowner. As I left the property I told him it was also against the law to dry cut pavers. I think he clearly knew that he was wrong. The New Jersey law prohibiting this type of work is (N.J.S.A. 34:5-182).

My stop request was denied. The contractors kept dry cutting the pavers until the end of the day, forcing me to retreat from my outdoor gardening activities.

I felt sorry for the men doing the job as well. They were covered with the dust from head to toe. I wonder if they knew how bad it was. I hope they don’t have health issues in the future.

According to the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services (NJDHSS), the cloud of dust you see when a contractor cuts or grinds concrete, brick, or stone is not just harmless dust…It contains crystalline silica…and IT CAN KILL. Most crystalline silica is in the form of quartz. Common sand is almost 100-percent quartz. Fine particles created by cutting and grinding can get deep into lungs. Most concrete and masonry products contain large amounts of sand.

When you inhale the dust, silica particles scar your lungs, causing a disabling, irreversible, and incurable lung disease called silicosis. The NJDHSS also says the construction industry has one of the highest numbers of deaths due to silicosis. And that hundreds of workers die of silicosis each year in the U.S. and hundreds more become disabled and are unable to take care of themselves and their families.

Breathing dust containing crystalline silica has also been linked to other diseases such as tuberculosis, kidney disease, and lung cancer. Symptoms can include fever, weight loss, and night sweats. These symptoms can become worse over time, leading to death.

The NJDHSS also says the key to preventing silicosis is to keep dust out of the air. And to use cutting tools that provide water to the blade or grinder when sawing or grinding concrete or masonry.

I wonder if this business provides annual medical examinations for all their workers who are exposed to crystalline silica, as the NJDHSS suggests. And if the company’s training includes information about the serious long-term health effects from this type of dust.

By the way, I did not make any calls that day, but, maybe I should have. Next time I will.

As always, I hope you find the information in the Gardener News informative and enjoyable.

Until next time…Keep the “garden” in the Garden State.

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

Gladly Accepting SNAP EBT Cards

4 September, 2015 Right now, as you look over the grounds around your house and in your garden, you are noticing the subtle changes of the season. Summer has been good to us and we appreciate the colors, tastes and smells of the season. Certainly in the flowering beds, there is a vibrancy that we know is soon to fade after offering us such colorful palettes of beauty.

Alas, it is time this month to turn toward the fall displays that we will want to dress up our yards. Every season has varieties that either thrive or tolerate changes in weather that are on the way. September is a great time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. It gives the plants a chance to develop a strong root system and ready them for spring blooming. Don’t forget to plant your flower bulbs to ensure a rainbow of color in the spring.

Pansies come to mind if you want a colorful display that adapts to hardier weather.

Check out your garden centers now for the greatest selection of combinations that can dazzle the passersby. Plant perennials like asters and perennial grasses to round out your display.

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Gearing Up for Fall in New Jersey Agriculture There is really no one way to fashion your plot. Some people rip up all their bedding plants. Others cut the tops off of plants and chop them up for mulch. Sometimes a variety will re-seed and pop up again the following year.

You really need to know your plants in order to make these decisions. The experts at your local garden center can be very helpful in guiding you through this process to come up with a sensible plan.

In much of the state, we can still plant some fruits and vegetables this month.

Blueberry plants, broccoli, greens like leafy lettuce, garlic, radishes and spinach can be sown up until October 1.

Speaking of produce, the Jersey Fresh season is still in high gear right now. I want to encourage you to visit our

150 farmers markets around the state. Each one is different and has so many offerings.

I have personally visited scores of them as Secretary of Agriculture and always find myself uplifted after the experience. There is so much to see, do and enjoy at your local market. September brings us the greatest selection of product and is the most abundant agricultural harvest of the seasons. Pumpkins will soon be here, peaches are sugar sweet, some apples are starting to show up and we can still stock up on fruits and vegetables of every description and variety.

There are three more county agricultural fairs in September to round out our season. The Open Space Pace Festival of Horses will take place Saturday, September

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Emmy Award-winning television host, entrepreneur and best-selling author, looks over the August Gardener News at the IGC East Show in Baltimore, Md. Millions of people rely on Stewart as a resource of useful “how-to” information for all aspects of everyday garden living, cooking, entertaining, home renovation, collecting, organizing, crafting, holidays, healthy living and pets.

19, at Freehold Raceway in Freehold, Monmouth County.

There you can see a parade of horses, some impressive equine demonstrations, live harness racing, a petting farm and later on enjoy a concert and fireworks.

The Bergen County 4-H and Master Gardener Fair will take place September 19 and 20 at Overpeck County Park in Leonia. The fair features science demonstrations, watching baby chicks hatch, a butterfly exhibit, Master Gardener exhibits, plant clinics and hands-on activities for kids.

Camden County’s 4-H Fair also is September 19 and 20 at Camden County College in Blackwood. Featured will be South Jersey wine and craft beer sampling, face painting, pony rides, and amusements

for the kids and multiple 4-H displays, exhibits, and plant clinics.

Finally, we will celebrate New Jersey Wine Week, a promotion with the Garden State Wine Growers Association, the last week of September. The week honors our state’s wine industry for being a growing contributor to the state’s economy. Several wineries plan events and offer specials during this week. Check the Association’s website for specific information.

This fall, be sure to go out and enjoy the many agricultural activities and support our farmers and garden centers.

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

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 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 Chris Christie Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher

jerseygrown.nj.gov

6 September, 2015

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE From the Director’s Desk

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

Fall Lawn Maintenance, Part I Properly developed and maintained landscape lawns not only have an aesthetic value but also reduce soil erosion, water runoff, mud and dust; increase infiltration of rain water; increase soil organic matter; and moderate air temperature and deter rodents and other pests around buildings.

Worn-out lawns are not as effective at infiltrating rainwater and stabilizing soil and jeopardize water quality during rain storms. Soil eroding from landscapes with poor vegetative cover carries nutrients (nitrogen and phosphates) during rainstorms into water bodies, which lowers water quality from sediment and nutrient pollution.

Fall is an excellent time to improve the health and durability of a lawn. Essential steps for fall lawn care include: 1) assess site conditions that require adjustments in your management program, including the underlying soil; 2) correct for any deficiencies in site conditions; 3) if the lawn needs overseeding, select better adapted grass species and varieties; and 4) fertilize, mow and water, properly Assess the Lawn Consider your landscape conditions for a lawn. Heavily shaded sites (less than six hours of direct sunlight) do not provide good growing conditions for many grasses. Seed containing tall fescue or fine fescues are good choices for lawns with shade.

Severely sloped landscapes increase water runoff, thus retaining less water, and are more difficult to mow. Tall fescue and fine fescues are more tolerant of droughty soil conditions on slopes. Fine fescues are slower-growing grasses, reducing mowing on sloped landscape areas, and are more persistent when infrequently mowed in summer.

Sandy soils retain less water and nutrients needed for plant growth. Establishment of lawn grasses on sandy soil is a challenge to properly manage irrigation and fertilization, which have to be applied frequently, but in smaller amounts than on loamy and clayey soils. Fine fescues are adapted to sandy soil and need less water and fertilizer once established, compared to other grasses. Tall fescues can also grow well on sandy soils, but need more fertilization to establish than fine fescues; once established, fertilization can be lowered on tall fescue.

Compacted soil limits root growth of plants and encourages more rainwater to run off the landscape, thus decreasing the availability of water for plant growth. Compacted soil is relatively easy to diagnose - it is difficult to dig with a shovel or penetrate with a screwdriver even when moist. Soil de-compaction greatly benefits the persistence of lawns and other landscape plants. Aerators can be leased that pull one-and-a-half- to three-inch deep soil cores/ plugs from established lawns. Coring holes should be two to three inches apart. Some landscape contractors provide this service.

Severely compacted soil needs multiple treatments and can be aerated in both the spring and fall. Topdressing the lawn with compost before or after aerator treatment is also helpful.

Compost can stimulate activity of soil organisms that gradually helps with de-compacting.

Apply at least one cubic foot (approximately 7.5 gallons) of compost for every 100 square feet of lawn area. Cloddy compost should be passed through a coarse (half-inch) screen before topdressing to help it filter down between the leaf blades and onto the soil. A larger quantity of compost can be applied but may require more brushing, raking or dragging to break-up clumps.

Soil Testing and Fertilization A healthy soil leads to a healthy lawn. Proper soil fertility is important for long-term vigor and persistence of grasses and soil organisms. A lawn’s ability to withstand pests, heat and drought is greatly reduced if the underlying soil is lacking essential nutrients and organic matter or the soil pH is too acidic.

Don’t guess – a soil test is necessary to determine the proper quantities of fertilizer, lime and organic matter to apply. For information on how to soil test, contact your county Extension office or visit http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/howto.asp.

Apply limestone only when soil test results indicate it is necessary; that is, excess acidity or low pH. Lime neutralizes excess soil acidity and adjusts pH into the preferred range of 6.0 to 6.7, making soil nutrients more available to plant roots.

Soil test results help to determine the quantity of phosphate, potash and other nutrients needed. Per New Jersey law, phosphate may only be applied if justified based on a soil test or if the lawn is being established for the first time or being repaired. Soil test recommendations for phosphate and potash are used to calculate the nutrient ratio needed to select a fertilizer grade with the correct proportions of recommended nutrients. Recommendations from the Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory provide information on the proper fertilizer grade for a lawn.

You can find more information on selecting a fertilizer grade at http://profact.rutgers.edu/Pages/ training_module.aspx?CID=62.

Part II will appear in the October issue and will cover fertilization, mowing and irrigation.

Editor’s Note: This month’s column is written by Dr. James A. Murphy, Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Management in the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology.

GardenerNews.com

“Going Native in Your Garden” Workshop The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset County will present a workshop to the public on the benefits of native plants on Saturday September 26th at the Ted Blum 4H Center at 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater.

There will be two sessions of the same workshop.

The morning session will begin with 9am sign in and the afternoon session with 1pm sign in. They will run approximately two hours and provide information on New Jersey’s native plants, their care and the advantages to the environment of “going native”.

The cost for this program is $20 and includes a complimentary native plant to take home. Preregistration is necessary, as space is limited. No walk-ins will be allowed.

The registration deadline is Friday Sept 18th.

Payment (checks only) should be made out to Rutgers University and mailed with your name, address, phone number and email to: RMGSC, Cooperative Extension of Somerset County, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3587. A confirmation of the registration will be sent. Call the office at 908-5266293 with any questions.

Rutgers Master Gardeners will be on site to provide instructions on caring for native plants and to answer other home gardening questions. Soil Test Kits will also be available.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact your local Extension Office for information regarding special needs or accommodations.

Rutgers Gardens Farmers Market Friday’s 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM till November 20.

School of Environmental and Biological Sciences Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 112 Ryders Lane GPS Use 140 Log Cabin Road New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Phone: 732-932-8451

Jenny Carleo, ARMA Agent for Cape May County, Earns Distinguished Service Award Jenny Carleo (CC ’99, GSNB ’03), agricultural and resource management agent for Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, was recognized with the 2015 Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. The award honors members with at least 10 years of outstanding service to Cooperative Extension, who have been active in professional development, have an effective Extension program and are endorsed by their state membership and State Extension Director.

As state coordinator for the USDA-funded Annie’s Project New Jersey program since 2012, Carleo has led the team in securing over $360,000 in funding. Annie’s Project, risk management educational program that began in the Midwest and spread throughout the country, is based on a real farm woman, Annette Fleck, who spent her lifetime learning how to be an involved business partner with her farm husband. The program was created by her daughter, Ruth Hambleton, who became a Cooperative Extension educator in Illinois. Annie’s Project takes Fleck’s farm management experiences and shares them with farm women living and working in the highly complex business of farming.

Annie’s Project, a six-week course, was tailored to meet the needs of New Jersey women farmers, and focused on the following five areas: farm risk, including marketing and pricing, production risk, financial management, human and personal risk and legal risk.

Through Annie’s Project New Jersey, Carleo’s leadership enabled the project team to offer farm business management programming to over 278 women farmers and business owners in New Jersey as well as reaching another 470 participants through nationally broadcast webinars.

Carleo also conducts applied scientific research on horticultural crops that are actively grown in Cape May County. Her research and education programs are targeted to local farmers who strive to continuously improve their knowledge and best practices.

GardenerNews.com I think that most people, even if they have not been Boy Scouts themselves, are familiar with the Scout Motto, which is “Be Prepared.� And as a former Boy Scout myself, I learned many times how important it was to follow this motto.

Whether it was not having warm enough clothes for a winter camping trip, or not having new shoes broken in properly before a hike, or even something as simple as not remembering to bring matches in order to start a camp fire, these were all instances where the simple act of being prepared would have saved either a sleepless night, blisters on my foot, or a meal of cold hot dogs.

Needless to say, these early lessons helped to augment how important preparation really is.

Our farm currently travels to seven different farmers markets each week during the growing season. For each one of these markets, we load up our box truck with fruits, vegetables, flowers and baked goods and then travel to a town where we set up our display and then try to sell

September, 2015 7 The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Be Prepared our products. And preparing for a farmers market is not that dissimilar from preparing for a camping trip.

First of all, you have to have the right amount of product to sell. While this might seem like a given, it is important to be able to correctly anticipate how much product you will be able to sell on any given day.

And there are a lot of factors that go into this. The weather is usually the biggest factor.

Because these markets are outdoors, a rainy day will severely limit the amount of foot traffic through these markets.

Because a great deal of the products we sell are very perishable, it is not all right to just load the truck to the top and hope for the best.

Many of the items we sell

are prepared just for that day. Pies and donuts are baked fresh. Many of our leafy green items are cut and bunched that very morning.

Our cut flower bouquets are also usually prepared with the specific intent of selling them that same day. Plus, just like a camping trip, you don’t want to be carrying around a lot of excess stuff that will just get in the way of the products you really need. But then again, you don’t want to run out of product halfway through the market day either.

It is also necessary to have the right equipment that is needed to sell your products.

This includes tables, tents, scales, change, signage material, bags, and anything else that might be needed to sell a truckload of fruits and vegetables.

Generally speaking, once you get to a market, your truck is committed for the duration.

It is usually not feasible to just run home and grab three extra rolls of quarters, an additional table, or batteries for the scale. If these items are forgotten, you must live with the consequences.

Another way in which preparation is key is that when we arrive at some of these markets, we have to be able to hit the ground running.

Speed is of the essence when it comes to unloading the truck and setting up our displays.

It is not uncommon to have people approach you looking to purchase something soon after your arrival.

And because we never want to pass up a sale, we have to be able to accommodate their requests while still being

able to get set up in a timely manner.

So instead of waiting to get to the market to package our items, we will try to do as much as possible back at the farm. There is nothing that slows down the setup of a market like having to box up one hundred pints of cherry tomatoes. It is much easier to have tasks like these done ahead of time.

So, while there is still plenty of the growing season left, come on out to one of our farmers markets and say hello. We look forward to seeing you!

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

USDA to Survey Fruit Growers about Chemical Use +$55,6%85* 3$ ĘŠ 7KH 8 6 'HSDUWPHQW RI $JULFXOWXUHÂśV 1DWLRQDO Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey fruit growers in 11 states, including New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, for its biennial Fruit Chemical Use Survey.

The survey will collect information on pesticides and fertilizers used, acres treated and rates applied to more than 20 fruit crops. Beginning this year, NASS is partnering with USDA’s Economic Research Service to ask a set of questions about growers’ microbial food safety practices. These data will help measure the impact of the recently passed Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) which focuses on preventing foodborne illness by reducing microbial contamination of food products, including produce. “Pesticide data already made this survey a vital tool for the entire U.S. fruit production sector. With the additional information about the microbial practices, this survey is more relevant than ever to the entire nation,� said King Whetstone, Director, Northeastern Regional Field Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. “I hope every grower understands the importance of these data and will take the time to respond to the survey if they receive it.�

The Fruit Chemical Use Survey will provide much needed information about current crop production practices used in the United States. The results of this survey will paint a detailed picture of pesticide use and other pest management practices used by fruit growers across the nation. “Growers benefit from providing this information because it is used to re-register products for their use, to illustrate the industry’s environmental practices and to assure the quality of U.S. food to consumers here and around the world,� said Whetstone.

Within the next few weeks NASS representatives will contact selected growers to arrange in-person interviews to complete the survey. To safeguard all individual responses, NASS will publish only aggregate data, ensuring the confidentiality of all individual respondents.

Survey results will be published in NASS’s online database, Quick Stats, in July 2016. This database and all NASS reports are available on the agency’s web site: www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.

8 September, 2015

GardenerNews.com Legislation signed into law to Protect New Jersey’s Bee Industry Acting Governor Kim Guadagno signed three bi-partisan, unanimously passed bills supporting beekeepers in New Jersey on July 31, 2015 at the Rutgers Gardens in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, N.J. “Bees are central to New Jersey’s rich agricultural history, and, more important, to New Jersey’s agricultural future,” said Acting Governor Guadagno. “These bills collectively provide appropriate protection to New Jersey’s growing beekeeping industry, support the Garden State’s commercial and recreational bee industry, and heighten public awareness of the importance of bees to our food chain.”

“Bees play a crucial role in the food chain and New Jersey’s agriculture industry as a whole,” said Senator Steven Oroho. “With honeybee populations hit hard by disease in recent years, beekeepers’ efforts to manage and maintain bee populations have become increasingly important. These new laws recognize that importance by making it easier for commercial and hobbyist beekeepers to operate throughout New Jersey.”

As New Jersey’s official insect, honeybees are among the most wellknown, popular, and economically beneficial insects. In addition to honeybees, New Jersey’s more than 3,000 registered beekeepers also tend other bee species that are critical to crop pollination, like mason and bumblebees.

Honeybees are social insects that live in large colonies of up to 80,000 bees.

According to the Department of Agriculture, more than 80 percent of U.S. food crops are pollinated by honeybees. In New Jersey, pollination is crucial for the state’s blueberry, cranberry, pumpkin, squash, strawberry, peach, and apple crops, as well as a wide variety of annual and perennial flowers and tree species.

The following three bills were signed: A-1294 (Dancer, Space, Andrezejczak, Caride/Van Drew, Oroho) - Extends Right to Farm Act protections to commercial beekeepers, with some restrictions.

A-1295 (Dancer, Space, Andrezejczak, Caride/Van Drew, Oroho) Establishes exclusive State regulatory authority over apiary activities and allows for delegation of monitoring and enforcement authority to municipalities.

A-1296 (Dancer, Space, Caride/Van Drew, Cruz-Perez) - Establishes penalty for destruction of man-made native bee hives.

E. coli Gets a Boost from Lettuce Disease

By Kim Kaplan ARS Public Affairs Specialist Escherichia coli O157:H7, a bacterium that causes foodborne illness in humans, is more likely to contaminate lettuce when downy mildew is already present, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

Downy mildew, a lettuce disease caused by the fungus-like water mold Bremia lactucae, is one of the biggest problems that lettuce growers must deal with.

But microbiologist Maria Brandl, with the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit in Albany, California, has been investigating why so many E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks can be traced back to lettuce fields when E. coli O157:H7 sources are as diverse as undercooked beef, sprouts, raw dairy, shelled walnuts, fruits and vegetables.

ARS is USDA’s chief in-house research agency.

Lettuce leaves are actually a harsh place for microbes to survive.

But the epidemiological evidence is indisputable about how often lettuce is the source of E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

In earlier research, Brandl found that E. coli O157:H7 preferred cut, injured and younger leaves to undamaged and older ones. Then, she collaborated with ARS geneticist and lettuce breeder Ivan

Simko from the Crop Improvement and Protection Research Unit in Salinas, California.

They found that under warm temperature and on wet leaves, E. coli O157:H7 multiplied 1,000-fold more in downy mildew lesions than on healthy lettuce leaf tissue. Even on dry lettuce leaves, where most bacteria struggle to survive, E. coli O157:H7 persisted in greater numbers when downy mildew disease was present.

The researchers also found that E. coli O157:H7 did not grow as well in downy mildew lesions on the lettuce line RH08-0464, bred by Simko and a colleague to be less susceptible to the lettuce disease, as the bacteria did on Triple Threat, a commercial variety that is highly susceptible to downy mildew.

The exact factors that caused less growth of E. coli O157:H7 in the more resistant line still need to be carefully explored. But if a genetic hurdle to E. coli O157:H7 colonization could be bred into commercial lettuce varieties along with downy mildew resistance, it would add a new defensive line to contamination of lettuce, helping farmers to improve the microbial safety of their crop as well as control their number-one plant disease problem.

Editor’s Note: Kim Kaplan works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She can be reached at (301) 504-1637 or by emailing kim.kaplan@ars.usda.gov

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 9 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Google These A little over a month ago, MSN-Travel came up on “my homepage” and had “80 Unreal Places You Only Thought Existed In Your Imagination.”

Not surprisingly, a good number of places represented on their list had to do with plant material. Since my articles are limited to 775 words in the Gardener News and a picture is worth 1,000 words, I figured I could tempt your appetite with the names and a brief description of some of those highlighted on their list.

“The Tunnel Of Love” is a tree-lined romantic railway line located in Klevan, Ukraine, a three-kilometer section of private railway that serves a fiberboard factory near the town of Klevan. A myriad of plant material woven together that shimmers and comes alive as the train rolls through it. It is said that couples go there and make a wish, and if they are sincere in their love, their wish will come true.

“Deadvlei” is a white clay pan located inside the Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia.

Also written DeadVlei or Dead Vlei, its name means “dead marsh.” Surrounded by some of the highest sand dunes in the world, there are species of plant material that have perished some 700 years ago. The remaining skeletons of these trees, Giraffe/Camel Thorn tree, Acacia erioloba, are now black because the intense heat has scorched them.

“The Wisteria Flower Tunnel” located in the city of Kitakyusha, Japan, is home to an incredible 150 Wisteria flowering plants, including 20 different species. The Wisteria Tunnel, Kawachi Fuji Garden’s main attraction, allows visitors to walk through an enchanted tunnel exploding with color. The end of April and beginning of May is the best time to view this horticultural treat.

“Dragon Trees” Dracaena cinnabari, is arguably the most famous plant of the island Socotra, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Yemen. Evocatively named dragon’s blood, this tree has been described as “upturned, densely packed crown having the shape of an uprightly held umbrella” (Wikipedia). This evergreen species is named for its dark red resin, aka Dragon’s Blood, a substance revered since ancient times. Used to color wool, varnishes and plaster, decorate houses and pottery, for ritual magic and for medicinal purposes, including as an antiseptic, antiviral and for treating tumors.

“Arashiyama Bamboo Grove” is one of Kyoto, Japan’s top sights! Almost like standing in another world, beyond anything you think you know or have seen before, for that matter. A sprawling bamboo grove that shimmers in the light and sways with the breezes that caress its giant stilts. It is these towering stalks that seem to stretch your sight and maybe your imagination. Built in the 14th Century by a shogun to honor the passing of a Japanese emperor, a temple stands amidst the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Surrounded by these majestic giants, it is here where Japan’s history metaphorically links mans’ strength with this plant, making this a true “Bucket List” experience.

“Glendurgan Gardens” sit on the shore of beautiful Helford estuary in Cornwall, England. Glendurgan is one of the great sub-tropical gardens, exhibiting exotic trees, shrubs and flowers, all nestled in this sheltered valley location. Their massive laurel maze (.75 mile) is an instant hit with visitors of all ages. Designed by owner Alfred Fox in 1833, the maze is designed to resemble a coiled serpent curled up in the lawn.

This warm, mild microclimate has ferns, palms, orchids, camellias and rhododendron all living in harmony.

“The Blue Universe” consists of about 4.5 million Baby Blue Eyes, Nemophila menziesii, carpeting the hills at Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan. Photographer Hiroki Kondo calls this landscape “the blue universe,” whose flowers peak at the end of April to the beginning of May. This California wildflower validates the argument for mass planting.

“Canola Fields” is located in Yunnan, China (Luoping County in Qujing Prefecture). Noted for its beautiful spring scenery (May/June) when its fields of canola or rapeseed flowers are in full bloom. A spectacular sea of golden flowers helps amplify the surrounding mountains that are seemingly within reach.

When you Google image these breathtaking places, be mindful that you will have to catch your breath. It is amazing to see what nature, with a bit of coaxing by people, can create. Time and energy coupled with passion and an ability to read the terrain properly have given the world many WOW experiences. And just think, I have only touched upon a few of those 80 “Unreal Experiences You Only Thought Existed In Your Imagination.”

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.

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10 September, 2015 Last month I talked about ticks that are all over the Northeast in huge numbers this summer.

Knock on wood, only one person I know got the bullseye and jumped right on the antibiotic regimen.

Staying in the Northeast for this article, I was in Southern Massachusetts last weekend for a birthday party. This party included a piñata that was really fun for the young kids and hard to hit after spinning them round and round blindfolded. I could not help think that if someone spun me round and round while blindfolded I would no doubt fall over. To let all the children get a chance, they even raised the piñata up and down so it would not get broken by the first couple of boys.

After all the girls and boys got a chance to whack it, the birthday girl broke the large blue and green Seahawk (Seattle Seahawks) and the candy blew all over the ground.

The significance of the Seahawk piñata was not lost on me. This is hardcore

GardenerNews.com The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

“That Was NOT a Candy Wrapper!”

New England Patriots country my friends, have no doubt about it. The kids scrambled to pick up all the brightly wrapped candies and after a few more games came the birthday cake. I mean, this event was exhausting.

Well, now it came time to clean up after the kids, who had either gone home, were napping or trying on her new presents. I was cleaning up the piñata fragments and throwing everything into a recycling trash bag. I reached into a shrub that was near where the piñata was hanging and upon picking up a lime green, brown and white candy wrapper, excruciating pain shot into my hand! I dropped it and watched as it slowly

wriggled away. What the heck was that? I thought, shaking my hand up and down trying to dissipate the bee sting-like pain.

Upon a closer look, I was amazed at what I was looking at, never seeing one before anywhere in my travels, which have been extensive.

I ran to get my camera, took a number of photos and then went right to my laptop after the homeowners did not recognize it either - the amazing saddleback caterpillar!

They range from Florida to Massachusetts and as far west as Kansas, so it is not like this critter is rare by any means. They are around one inch long, quite stubby and very

colorful, ergo making me think I was picking up a discarded candy wrapper. They have these spiked horns on either end covered with “urticating spines” and that is what they whack you with to inject the venom. There is also a row of smaller stinging organs on each side, so the little guy is well prepared for battle, coming or going!

The bee sting-like burn subsided fairly quickly and like other stinging insects that inject venom, the website I read said people are affected all the way from an itching sensation, to a burning sensation, to having to go to the ER for a severe allergic reaction.

Reading further, I was told to place Scotch tape over

the affected area and strip off repeatedly to remove the spines. Apply ice packs to reduce the stinging sensation, and follow with a paste of baking soda and water. If I have a history of hay fever, asthma or allergy, or if allergic reactions develop, go to the ER immediately.

I know all about baking soda and water because I use that for any type of bite, poison ivy, sunburn, etc. to soothe the affected area.

Good stuff! The parents were concerned for their children’s safety so back out in the yard I went with gloves on this time. I was curious myself to see if there were a group of those critters in the shrubbery, albeit at the northernmost tip of their territory. I could not find any, even the one that stung me. Back in the kitchen, a color photo of the culprit was blown up on the frig, just in case.

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

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

New England Aster

By Hubert Ling As fall approaches, savvy gardeners wait in expectation for the annual aster displays. New Jersey has a rich, diverse range of asters, with over 30 native species. The word aster comes from the Greek for “star,” and white asters light up like little stars at twilight.

Asters range in color from white to rose to violet to blue. Asters also range in size, from pigmy adults at six inches to giant members of the largest species at eight feet.

Some, such as bog asters or stiff asters, are found singly or with a few friends. Others grow in large crowds which can extend over several dozen feet and produce a dazzling display of color.

The New England aster can form spectacular rose-violet or blue- violet carpets along such famous roads such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Fortunately for us, wild asters are long-lived perennials and are easy to grow from seed or divisions.

In fact, you might want to avoid two rambunctious species: the white wood aster and the white panicled aster. Both of these tend to fill any available spaces in your garden.

The New England aster (Symphyotrichum novaangliae) is my favorite because of its color, ease of culture and prolific mounds of 1¼- to 1½-inch blooms.

Some people fault it because it is rather robust and generally grows up to five feet. However, if you have the room, let it grow unpruned behind shorter plants, providing your garden with a rich, textured backdrop.

The plant grows naturally in most of Canada and the United States, except for the extreme southern regions, and is one of the earlier, September-blooming asters.

New England asters do not

require mulch or a soil rich in organic matter.

Asters are related to sunflowers, thistle, coneflowers, goldenrods and many others in a large group known as the composites.

Composites generally have two types of flowers: a highly modified ray flower, which looks and acts like the petal of most flowers, and minute disc flowers, which, unmagnified, look like yellow fuzz in the center of the flower head.

New England aster has long, violet, ray flowers, opposite leaves without long-leaf stems (sessile), which partially wrap around the fuzzy main stems.

This aster is classified by the USDA as FACW which means that it will grow well in moderately dry areas as well as boggy areas. It generally does best in full sun but will tolerate a considerable amount of shade. The New England aster is the ancestor of many of the commercial garden

asters and is also known as the Michaelmas daisy.

Propagation is normally done by sowing seeds. The seeds do not need a cold period of stratification, but I generally sow them in the fall after they ripen but before they all blow away.

Sow them on a slightly acid or neutral garden soil or on commercial seedling mix. Since the seeds are so small, don’t bury them too deep. Keep them mostly on the surface or at most a quarter-inch deep. Good germination should occur in about one week at 70°F. Seeds will be available at the New Jersey Native Plant Society’s annual seed exchange. Check our website for details.

If you want to ensure that all your plants are the exact same color, use rhizome cuttings. Seedlings often mature into plants with different shades of roseviolet or blue-violet. I think that is part of the adventure of raising these plants. You

never know exactly what shade your plants will be.

Crushed New England aster plants emit a moderately pungent aroma, slightly like moth balls.

The plants generally are not heavily browsed by deer, although almost everyone has a “deer will eat anything” story. The plant’s aromatic compounds were put to use by Native Americans as a root tea for diarrhea and fevers. The root was also smoked as a tobacco substitute and sometimes smoked to attract game.

This aster is generally robust and disease-free, although occasionally a few plants may have some powdery mildew and aster wilt. Contact me and let me know about your adventures with asters or other natives.

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

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 11

The Show for Independent Garden Center Owners The IGC East Show Extravaganza took place on August 3-6 at the well-known Baltimore Convention Center in the heart of Baltimore’s spectacular Inner Harbor. IGC is the world’s largest trade show and conference for independent garden center owners, managers and buyers.

The show presented an expansive and carefully selected showcase of garden center products available at wholesale, from around the world, from rising-star suppliers. IGC is a MXULHG VKRZ ʊ WKLV PHDQV WKDW HYHU\ H[KLELWLQJ company has been meticulously screened to ensure the products offered for sale are relevant to garden centers. In addition to the trade show, IGC offered show attendees comprehensive educational industry programs, with 30-plus seminars and workshops that included strategies on customer service, merchandising, advertising, marketing, signage, social media, branding, store design, landscape, inventory, sales in-store and online, POS, family business plans and buying.

There were garden center store tours on Monday, August 3, and keynotes led by the brightest minds in business August 4-6. Martha Stewart took the IGC Show stage at 11:30 a.m. on August 4 for a standing-room-only keynote with IGC Founder and CEO Jeff Morey.

They discussed the gardening and consumer lifestyle trends that matter most to the success of independent garden center owners and operators.

Other keynote addresses were provided by Lloyd Traven and Robert Hendrickson.

IGC is the preeminent trade exhibition and conference for independent garden center retailers. The show was not open to the general public. The IGC Chicago Show convened at Tom Castronovo/Photo Navy Pier’s Festival Hall on August 18-20.

America’s most trusted lifestyle expert and teacher Martha Stewart, left, and IGC Founder Next year’s IGC East Show moves to July and CEO Jeff Morey on the big stage during the IGC East Show’s free keynote on August 4.

26-28 at the same location.

Tom Castronovo/Photo Tom Castronovo/Photo

Rob Bardy, left, owner of Bardy Farms in Warren, Somerset County, N.J., met a new plant friend at the IGC East Show on August 4.

Bob LaHoff, left, co-owner of Hall’s Garden Center in Berkeley Heights, Union County, N.J., discusses the show’s success with IGC Founder and CEO Jeff Morey at the front entrance of the IGC East Show on August 4.

12 September, 2015 This month, members of the NJLCA will be volunteering their time, resources and materials to build an outdoor classroom and sensory garden at the Forum School in Waldwick, N.J. The Forum School is a private, non-profit, non- sectarian day school for children with Autism and other neurological dysfunctions. Every year, members of the NJLCA participate in a “Day of Service Project,” helping a local community.

In the past, the NJLCA has designed and built gardens for elementary schools

GardenerNews.com The NJLCA Today

By Jody Shilan, MLA Executive Director

NJLCA Day of Service 2015 This project is incredibly unique and will feature builtin classroom seating, raised planters, inscribed concrete pavers, an irrigation system, cedar trellises, a pondless waterfall, and tree removals.

Naturally, plantings will be included as part of this

meaningful and relevant for students with special needs, so she talked to her dad, who introduced the idea to our volunteer committee, which unanimously approved it. After talking to several special needs schools, Danielle and the committee

range of the students’ needs and abilities.

The Forum School Outdoor Classroom and Sensory Garden is a 50-by-50-foot space that will be bisected by a five-foot paver walkway, containing inscribed pavers

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Jason Rinaldi from Kindergan Landscaping in Bergenfield operating the Bobcat skid-steer loader; Mike Farrell from Green Meadows Landscape Contractors in Oakland operating the Kubota compact excavator; and Jody Shilan, executive director of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, checking the material delivery schedule on his cell phone.

The NJLCA prides itself on the generosity and professionalism of its members, who have donated over $500,000 in goods and services to New Jersey communities during the past seven years. From rebuilding the Eisenhower Middle School Courtyards, to the renovation of Little Ferry’s Little League Field, to the design and construction of the Fairview 9/11 Memorial Plaza, NJLCA members are second to none when it comes to giving back.

service project. Some of the plantings will be installed

by Forum School students as an extension of their curriculum, while others will be installed by NJLCA volunteers as well as students at Eastwick College, located in Ramsey, N.J. Eastwick College student Danielle Goldstein, daughter of NJLCA Treasurer Rich Goldstein, brought the sensory garden concept to the NJLCA for our Day of Service project. Danielle wanted to do something

agreed that the Forum School was a perfect fit for our Day of Service project.

After performing a site analysis of the space, a conceptual plan was created and presented to Forum School Principal Brian Detlefsen, along with several of the teachers.

Everyone was very excited about the concept of having an outdoor classroom for the students, with garden spaces that served a variety of functions, accommodating the broad

from parents and local community businesses.

The garden is composed of four spaces. To the left side of the walkway will be the outdoor classroom that will consist of a two tiered concrete bleacher-style sitting area accommodating approximately 50 to 60 students. Twenty five to 30 students will be able to sit in the bleachers, while an additional 25 to 30 will be able sit or stand on the 500-square-foot lawn panel adjacent to the bleachers.

To the right of the walkway will be three garden spaces approximately 15-by20 feet each, with each serving a different need.

The first garden will utilize built structures to stimulate students, including a water feature, wind chimes, a PVC intercom system and “stepping stones” comprised of various sizes of sand and stone. The second garden will include sensory plants that have unique textural qualities, a scent or aroma, or are visually stimulating.

The third space will contain well tilled soil so that students can experiment with their own garden.

Depending on donations, each garden space will be adorned with a bench, cedar trellis and “mailbox” which will contain hand tools for each garden.

The NJLCA has always been an incredibly generous organization when it comes to community involvement and volunteerism. Our members truly believe in giving back to their communities regardless of whether they are donating a tree for Arbor Day, cleaning up a local park or fundraising for one of their own that needs help. They understand how fortunate they are to be working in an industry that not only supports their families and the families of their employees, but also provides a service that brings so much joy to their clients in an intelligent and environmentally responsible way.

If you would like to volunteer your time or have materials or equipment to donate, please contact us at 201-703-3600.

Editors Note: Jody Shilan, MLA provides landscape design services for landscape contractors and homeowners. Jody is also a professional speaker, green industry consultant and host of radio talk show, Landscape Live! He has a BSLA from Cook College, Rutgers University and an MLA from The University of Massachusetts and is currently the Executive Director of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA). He can be reached at 201-7832844 or jshilan@NJLCA.org

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 13

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GardenerNews.com

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GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 15

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GardenerNews.com

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For more information, call NJLCA at (201) 703-3600 or visit www.NJLCA.org

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 17

Buttered Popcorn for the Garden!

Annuals were traditionally defined as plants that proceed from seed, to flower and finally back to seed before perishing with the autumn frosts. Over the past 20 years, tropical plants have suddenly become the new “annual.”

“Tropicals” are a perennial in their native provenance, but function as an annual in colder garden regions unless brought indoors.

Popcorn Plant, botanically known as Senna (Cassia) didymobotrya is one Tropical that has recently been receiving much attention from our garden visitors and students alike.

Popcorn Plant is a member of the Fabaceae, or Pea Family, and is native to tropical regions of Eastern Africa. Senna has between 260 and 350 species, with most of the members scattered pantropic, although several species are winterhardy in northern gardens.

The genus was originally authored in 1753 by Carl I’m gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler.

Working all summer to try and earn a dollar.

Every time around this time of year, I start humming this tune, written

by Edie Cochran back in 1958 and covered by many artists, while hustling to get the next crops ready in time for the fall.

Mostly it’s because summer has come to an end, not because of the lyrics to the song. The song brings back memories listening to 92.3K Rock in the summer, and they would play the tune covered by The Who way back when, while I was planting Mums and Poinsettias for the upcoming seasons. Those were the days.

Well anyway, summer has come and gone, and everyone is gearing up for fall festivals and fall harvests. The taste of apple cider, sweet corn, all things with pumpkin in it and so much more to excite kids and adults this time of year is in the air. Mums, asters, cabbage and kale, pansies and other cool-

Linnaeus (1707-1778) as Cassia. Cassia is from the Hebrew Kidday or Qiddah and is a reference to peelable bark or a strip of bark. In 1754, the English Botanist Philip Miller (1691-1771) reclassified this group of plants under the genus Senna. Senna comes from the Arabic VDQƗ, meaning brilliant and most likely refers to the brilliant and glowing yellow flowers that typify this genus. Unfortunately for Philip Miller, this name change was not accepted until 1982, when the genus was finally reclassified by Howard Irwin and Robert Barneby.

To be a successful botanist requires great patience! In 1839, this particular species was described by the German physician and botanist Johann Baptist Georg Wolfgang Fresenius (1808-1866) as Cassia didymobotrya, with the genus reclassified in 1982 to Senna. The species epithet of didymobotrya is from the Greek Didymus referring to pairs or clusters and botry, grape-like structures. It is in reference to the one-inch-diameter flower

buds that are protected by a dark purple bract, giving them a distinct resemblance to grapes clustered along the flower stalk. To its detriment, the original genus name of Cassia is often preferred in catalogues and literature.

Despite the confusion in botanical names, there is no confusing the value of this plant for the garden! Popcorn Plant thrives in the hot, humid African tropics, where it is a long-lived shrub or small tree, approaching a stature of 25 feet in height. As an annual, rapid growth is restricted to the heat of July into earlySeptember, and it reaches more modest heights of six to eight feet. The flowers begin to appear in early- to midJuly and extend through the first frosts of autumn. The 12-inch-long upright flower stalks, called racemes, are clothed with golden yellow flowers that open sequentially from the bottom upward over several weeks. The contrast between the nearly black, grape-like flower buds and the golden yellow flowers is very

dramatic. The five petals of each flower are initially curved slightly inward, but slowly expand outwards, developing individual flowers upwards of two inches in diameter. Before the flowers senescence, a tiny legume fruit or “pea pod” can be seen expanding from within the flower, which continues to expand to four to five inches long following petal drop.

In addition to sheer size and floral display, the Popcorn Plant also provides lush and dramatic foliage for the garden.

The foliage is pinnately compound, with eight to 18 oppositely paired leaflets along the central rachis. Each leaflet can reach three inches long while the leaf itself can reach upwards of 18 inches in length.

The tropical appearance of the leaf is not its only benefit – it also gives rise to the common name. When you rub your hand along the foliage, it releases a fragrance much like freshly popped and buttered popcorn. Since deer clearly dislike buttered popcorn, this fragrance also makes it resistant to deer browse!

The Professional Grower

By Tim Hionis Greenhouse Specialist

There ain’t no cure for the Summertime Blues weather crops pour into the landscape and retail shelves to replace the spring and summer crops that are finishing up their time.

Kids are back at school, colleges are in full swing by this time, and things have begun to cool off.

September is a great time to get into the landscape and plant before the winter hits.

Cleaning up and patching the lawns, getting planting beds straightened up and transitioning them into plants that thrive with the fall climates.

This is a good time of year to plant fall perennials.

For instance, ornamental grasses are great to plant this time of year. Getting them in the ground so they can established before the ground freezes. They look

great and help enhance that fall harvest feel in the landscape. Other great fall perennials include, Dianthus.

Dianthus is another great cool-weather crop that flowers well this time of year. It prefers the cooler temps of the fall rather than the heat of the summer.

Sedum, also known as stonecrop, is another very beautiful selection. The Autumn Joy Sedum blooms are spectacular this time of year. All these perennials mentioned are well known to be deer resistant.

A new item for the fall, the Celosia Intenz, which makes a stunning presentation in its purple and pink flowers.. It was actually introduced two years ago for this time of

year and has performed very well into the fall plantings.

The Celosia Intenz grows to about 12 to 16 inches in height and grows well rounded. It does well in partial to full sun areas with well-drained soil.

It adds a great accent to container combo planters.

A great look is to plant the Celosia towards the middle of a container with some ornamental kale and pansies around it alternating between the two (one kale, one pansy, one kale, one pansy, etc). Another great attribute is that the Celosia is well known to be resistant to deer. This is a major factor for areas that have issues with deer.

It is good idea to start prepping the spaces under cover or indoors where you

Senna is best grown in full sun and in well-drained soils. It can be grown from seed and has been used as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. However, it grows far larger in northern gardens when grown from cuttings.

Larger is certainly better as it not only provides a better floral presentation, but enhances the temptation of passing your hands through the foliage and bringing forth that sweet smell of buttered popcorn for all to enjoy.

Editor’s Note: Bruce Crawford is a lover of plants since birth; is the managing director of the Rutgers Gardens, a 180-acre outdoor teaching classroom, horticultural research facility and arboretum; an adjunct professor in Landscape Architecture at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; regularly participates in the Rutgers – Continuing Education Program; and the immediate pastpresident of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at (732) 932-8451. For more information, please visit www.rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu intend to bring tender plants that cannot over-winter and you want to hold onto them. Many gardeners like to bring in their tropical plants, fruit trees (citrus, figs, etc), and other plants for protection to the winter.

It’s also a good idea to touch up mulch beds for the upcoming winter. Keep in mind that the last two winters have been extreme and have caused lots of damage to the landscape.

Putting down a fresh blanket of mulch will help insulate roots systems for the winter.

Also look for ways to protect trees, shrubs and perennials that are on the border of the hardiness zone you may live in to wrap if it is an extreme winter again. A little preparation can go a long way, this there you won’t have to scramble when it’s too late.

Editor’s Note: Tim Hionis has been growing plants for over 20 years, and is co-owner of Hionis Greenhouses and Garden Center in Whitehouse Station, NJ. He can be reached by calling (908) 534-7710.

18 September, 2015

GardenerNews.com

Bringing Nature Home

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey It’s gratifying to see so many people and organizations coming together as the realization is finally hitting home that it is up to all of us to stop the destruction of our pollinators and start providing habitat for their, and our, health and wellbeing.

Hardly a day goes by that we’re not reminded of the dire consequences we face if we don’t take action, and the good news is that we are seeing steps being taken, from the White House, Congress, state governments, organizations and grass roots people like you and me. What we are doing nationwide is entering the beginning stages of a united campaign, so we really have to study what it encompasses and how best to implement it in the Garden State.

We’re off to a good start here in New Jersey, as our State Legislature has been working tirelessly in introducing environmentally friendly bills. Out of a six-bill legislative package that was passed in the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on October 27, 2014, two have advanced, albeit two separate ways. Assembly Bill A3133, sponsored by Assemblymen Bramnick, and Burzichelli and Assemblywoman Munoz, was posted for a vote by Assembly Speaker Prieto and passed in the State Assembly on June 25, 2015 (76-0-0), and has been received in the Senate, joining its duplicate, Senate Bill S2624, sponsored by Senator Bateman. This bill “Requires DEP to establish ‘private wildlife habitat certification program,’ creates affirmative defense against municipal nuisance ordinances for properties certified under the program,� and is in its final two steps prior to becoming law.

Senate President Sweeney must post it for a vote on the Senate floor and then it goes onto Governor Christie for signature and

bill passage.

The fiscal responsibility to implement and have each property that applies for this certification inspected by the DEP prior to gaining certification is unknown at present. Doesn’t it make better sense to have New Jersey pass this outstanding bill but make it less difficult for both the state and the public to implement it by joining in the “Million Pollinator Garden Challenge,� an initiative that has just been launched by over 30 first-class nonprofits and organizations representing gardeners, nurserymen, pollinators and farmers and making up the National Pollinator Garden Network?

The National Wildlife Federation already has a Certified Wildlife Habitat program and signage that the Garden Club of New Jersey, and its parent, National Garden Clubs, Inc., are encouraging their members to obtain for public gardens and their private home gardens. It’s an honor system that can be filled out online and your garden registered for free on Pollinator Partnership’s website and placed on a map of the United States.

We want the individual homeowner to be able to establish “backyard wildlife habitats� without fear of municipal penalties and without incurring needless expense and oversight. I was told by a woman in Franklin Lakes that her municipality forced her to remove milkweed from her yard because it was unsightly.

Do they understand that milkweed is the sole food source for the monarch butterfly caterpillar and without its host plant, the monarch butterfly is doomed? Education is the key to having municipalities realize that the “perfect lawn and yard� is “THE EYESORE� as it’s a desert to our pollinators, and the widespread use of herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides is not only destroying the health of our pollinator population but our own health as well.

Communities across this country are enlisting in this nationwide campaign to grow our pollinator population by establishing necessary habitat and banishing pesticides and herbicides.

Ogunquit, Maine, is a shining example of what municipalities can and should do as they were guided by Rachel Carson’s 1962 book “Silent Spring,� and were moved to adopt an ordinance that “restricts lawn and landscape pesticide use on all property, public and private, throughout the town.� We are headed in the right direction, so let’s not sabotage the good intentions of these much needed bills by making the implementation too onerous for everyone concerned.

Getting back to the other bill in the N.J. State Legislature, A2913, sponsored by Assemblywoman Caride, and Assemblymen Dancer and Bucco, designating the Black Swallowtail Butterfly as New Jersey’s Official State Butterfly which passed in the Assembly Committee on October 27, 2014, and its duplicate Senate Bill S939, sponsored

by Senators Bateman and Bucco, passed its Senate Committee on December 11, 2014, was posted for a vote by Senate President Sweeney on December 18 (28-0-0) and passed but has yet to be posted by Assembly Speaker Prieto for a vote on the Assembly Floor. Take Action!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Community Garden Chair, Butterflies & BeeGAP, and Backyard Wildlife Habitat Chair for the Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc., and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc., Accredited Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is the GCNJ 2016 State Flower Show Chair and can be reached by emailing: jeannieg42@earthlink.net Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www. gardenclubofnewjersey. com and phone number is 732-249-0947.

New Jersey Equine Advisory Board Announces $1,000 Scholarship 75(1721 1- ʊ 7KH 1HZ -HUVH\ (TXLQH Advisory Board is offering a $1,000 scholarship to help 4-H and FFA members pursue their equine activities. Members of organizations represented on the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board also are eligible. Applicants must be New Jersey residents between the ages of 15-19 The Sara Dubinin Scholarship, in memory of Sara Dubinin who loved horses, will be presented at the New Jersey Bred Equine Breeder Awards Luncheon on January 24, 2016 at O’Connors Restaurant (formally Charleys Other Brother) in Eastampton.

Sara, a Sayreville resident, graduated from Cardinal McCarrick High School in South Amboy in 2006. The 19-year-old was attending Middlesex County College when she succumbed to injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident in September of 2007.

Those interested in receiving the scholarship must submit an application form including an essay on, “How horses have affected my life and how horses figure into my future.� The application can be found at www.jerseyequine.nj.gov/dubininapplicationform. pdf. Consideration of applications will be weighted upon the candidate’s financial need.

The deadline to submit the essay is January 2, 2016.

It can be submitted to Lynn Mathews, 609-292-2888 or lynn.mathews@ag.state.nj.us.

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 19

Refreshing and Brilliant Jersey Wine and small fruits, turfgrass, and ornamentals. The farm provides a valuable capacity for research of soil and climate conditions and crops of northern New Jersey.

As I’ve driven up Pittstown Road many times, I’ve noticed a small plain sign that says “Vineyard” to the right. Since I like wine, I had to investigate on my last trip, as any good newspaper editor should.

After a short drive, I came across Beneduce Vineyards at 1 Jeremiah Lane in Pittstown.

I was met by a beautiful chocolate Labrador retriever.

I found out later that her name is Ruca.

My next greeting was

by Mike Beneduce, the vineyard’s grape grower and winemaker. Beneduce offered me a tour on one the vineyard’s golf carts.

We followed Ruca from the parking lot as she ran right toward the vineyard’s gated entrance. She turned around and barked to let us know that she beat us. As we were

driving, I thought it would be a great time to indulge in some grape and wine education.

How did you get into the wine industry and how did you learn to make wine?

I grew up making a few barrels of homemade wine every year in our basement with my family, who also owns a retail garden center, so I’ve been around winemaking and farming since I could walk. My parents bought the Pittstown farm in 2000 in order to build more greenhouses to supply the garden center. When I was in high school, it kind of dawned on me that starting a vineyard on the property would allow me to continue as a fourth-generation farmer, but also do something I’ve loved being around since I was a kid. It was honestly just dumb luck that our site happens to be ideal for wine grapes, and once we figured that out, I applied to Cornell University’s cool climate winemaking program.

I studied there for four years

(Continued from page 1) and worked at a vineyard to get some more hands-on experience, and in 2010, I was among the first class to graduate with a B.S. in Viticulture/Enology (grape growing and winemaking).

How large is your farm/ vineyard?

It’s a 51-acre farm.

There are 10 acres of mature vines (that are old enough to produce grapes) and six acres of newly planted vines that aren’t in production yet.

Do you have family that helps you?

Yes. This is a family owned and operated business.

My father, Mike, Sr.; my mother, Casey; my sister Justen; my brother, Kevin; and my dog, Ruca.

How do you irrigate the vineyard?

I don’t. One of the most unique things about growing grapes in this part of the state is that we can practice “dryfarming” or growing grapes without any irrigation. In Europe, dry-farming is common and irrigation is actually illegal in many wine

regions. The thought process behind dry-farming is that by irrigating the grapes, you’re putting water on the surface of the soil and teaching the roots to grow up to the surface for the water, so you end up with a shallow-rooted vine. By dry-farming, you force the roots to dig deep into the earth to search for their own water, so you get a really deep-rooted vine that can pull minerals from all different levels of the soil. The vines are more drought-tolerant, and those minerals indirectly end up in the grapes, so dry-farmed vineyards typically produce more complex wines than irrigated ones.

How long did it take from the initial plantings to the first harvest?

A grapevine doesn’t produce a full crop until it’s three to four years old, then it takes another one to three years to make the wine, depending on the style, so it’s usually around six years from when you plant the grapes until you get

any returns from that land.

Starting a vineyard is a huge investment of both time and capital, so patience and funding are key.

How do you know when the grapes are ready to harvest?

As it gets closer to harvest, I walk the rows of the vineyard every morning and taste randomly picked grapes from each variety. I’m looking for things like flavor development in the flesh of the berry, seed color and ripeness, how the tannins are developing in the skins, and an ideal balance of sugar and acidity levels. I also analyze samples of the grapes about twice a week to check for things like sugar, acidity, berry and cluster weights, etc. The numbers are great for comparing to previous years, but ultimately it comes down to taste and experience.

How do you harvest the grapes?

Once I decide a vineyard block or variety is ready to harvest, I rally the troops for the next day (Cont. on pg. 20)

20 September, 2015

GardenerNews.com

Refreshing and Brilliant Jersey Wine (Continued from page 19)

and head out into the vineyard around 6 a.m. to start picking when the grapes are at their coldest. Getting the grapes into the winery while they’re still cold is essential for preserving the aromas and freshness of the wine, so even when I have to bribe everyone with coffee and bagels to get them out of bed, it’s worth the extra effort.

Everything is picked by hand, one cluster at a time, into small baskets that hold 30 to 40 pounds of grapes, then they are brought directly into the winery to crush or press.

One of the benefits of making estate-grown wines is that you get the freshest grapes possible they go from the vine to the crush pad in less than half an hour.

Are wine grapes edible?

They do have seeds, but they’re edible and delicious. Much tastier (and more expensive) than the table grapes you get in the grocery store. In a good vintage, the berries are really small (about the size of blueberries) and packed with intense flavors, but in a wet year the water causes the grapes to swell up and dilutes the sugar and flavors, so you end up with thin, dull wine.

Luckily I’ve had three great vintages in a row and this one is shaping up to be my best yet because it’s been so dry this summer.

What kind of grapes do you grow and how did you choose them?

My main white varieties are Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewürztraminer, and my main red grapes are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and an Austrian red named Blaufränkisch.

When I was in college, I compiled around 100 years of soil and climate data for our vineyard site and compared it to the wine growing regions in Europe. Those guys have

had over 1,000 years of trial and error to figure out which varieties work best in each climate, so when I found that we were nearly identical to some of the top wine-growing regions in Austria and northern France, it made sense that those grapes would work well here too.

How long does it take to make wine?

It really depends on the style of the wine. My quickest wine is a Dry Rosé, which is ready to drink about nine months after picking the grapes.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is a dry Super Tuscan blend called MANGIONE that ages for at least three years before it’s even available to the public. Most of my wines take somewhere around two years from start to finish, but they’ll continue to mature in the bottle for much longer than that, if you have the patience.

How many different varieties of wine do you make?

Last year I made 13 different wines, not including some smaller experimental batches that I keep for family and friends.

How many gallons of wine do you make each year?

I usually make a little over 10,000 gallons of wine each year, which equates to something like 60,000 bottles. I know it seems like a lot, but in the wine industry we’re still considered a very small producer. Those big guys in California are cranking out millions of gallons a year. To me, it’s more fun to stay small because it gives me the chance to really hone in on the differences in each wine and try to make each one a little better every year.

Are all wines aged in oak barrels?

No, I generally age red and certain white wines like Chardonnay in oak barrels, but most other whites and rosés are aged

in stainless steel tanks.

Oak barrels do two things for a wine. First, they allow a small amount of oxygen to absorb into the wine from the atmosphere, which helps mellow out the tannins (the things that makes the roof of your mouth dry out when you drink a red wine) and allows the flavors and aromas to harmonize over time.

Secondly, when the wine contacts the charred wood inside the barrel, it extracts all types of flavors and aromas from it. A lot of minor aromas in wine like vanilla, coffee, chocolate and smoky aromas actually come from the wood rather than the grape itself.

What is the difference between corks and screw caps?

Great question. Just like oak barrels, natural corks allow a small amount of oxygen into the bottle while the wine is aging. This has the same mellowing effect as oak aging, but happens at a much slower pace because less oxygen is absorbed through the tiny cork than through the big surface of the oak barrels. Screw caps essentially eliminate any oxygen uptake by the wine once it’s bottled, so it’s like hitting a pause button on the evolution of the wine.

They’re actually much better than corks for certain wines, especially those that are meant to drink while fresh and fruity. If you see a screw cap on a wine, stop telling yourself it’s a bad wine - that’s just the winemaker’s way of saying, “I’m ready to drink now!”

What’s the best way to store bottled wine?

Ideally wine is stored in a cool, moist environment without too much light or vibration.

For most people that don’t have the luxury of a temperature-controlled wine cellar, sticking the

wine in the coolest part of your house (generally the basement) will be okay for short term storage.

The important thing is to keep the wine on its side (or upside down in a case) so the cork doesn’t dry out and shrink, letting too much oxygen in or wine out. If you can keep the wine below 60F you’re golden, otherwise consider investing in a small wine fridge for anything you plan on hanging on to for more than a few months.

What’s the best temperature to serve bottled wine?

It really depends on the wine, but in most cases I like the 20-minute rule. For white wines, store them in the fridge and take them out 20 minutes before serving.

For reds, stick them in the fridge for 20 minutes to bring them just below room temperature before serving.

Do you having a tasting room that is open to the public?

Yes, my tasting room is open year round on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 12-6 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 12-8 p.m.

Do you have any outlets other than your winery location that sells your wine?

Yes, at my family’s retail garden center, Great Swamp Greenhouses, in Gillette, Morris County, N.J. I also work with a few restaurants that pour our Riesling by the glass in the summer, which is great for exposing our wine to new customers.

Other than that, our wines are only available at the winery itself.

And finally, why is the Garden State a great place for wine grapes and where do you see the wine industry going in the future?

New Jersey has some really deep, well-drained soils on sloping land which is like the perfect trifecta for wine grapes.

We also have the benefit of a densely populated customer base, so our growth potential in the local markets is huge. I think we’ve just begun to scratch the surface of the quality wine industry in the state, and you’ll see an explosion in the amount of wineries here over the next decade or two. We already have 51 operating wineries, which is more than triple what it was 10 or 15 years ago. Hopefully, as we figure out what grape varieties and winemaking techniques bring out the best in our land, the quality will continue to rise and we can convince people to start drinking more locally grown and made wines.

I also learned that the winery itself is outfitted with some of the best equipment available to the industry, which allows for a more gentle processing of the fruit and a focus on quality over quantity. And that this vineyard operates sustainably so they can pass on their healthy land to future generations.

After the tour I was given a great bottle of barrel-fermented Chardonnay to take home. The wine offered up aromas of pineapple and citrus fruits. It also provided a vanilla tasting finish. It was awesome.

I can’t wait to visit them again.

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.

GardenerNews.com

September, 2015 21

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22 September, 2015 Take a look over the fence at your neighbor’s lawn. Take a walk around the block and look at any number of lawns. Which ones do you like? Which ones would you like to have? I bet you can find a few lawns that you are jealous of, right? What are they doing that you’re not doing?

Your lawn doesn’t have to be the neighborhood eyesore.

Taking a look at your yard from a neighbor’s perspective will help you pinpoint problem areas to address, and you can make a lot of the improvements yourself.

I speak with homeowners throughout the year who are questioning why they are not able to grow that beautiful lawn they see at other homes in the neighborhood. The problems they present are varied.

Here are some examples: Q: I got a soil test from my local Extension service and had a pH about 5‌ A: Low pH does not grow lawns.

Q: I am renovating an area and put three inches of top soil down‌ A: Great! The new seed will love the new top soil, but once the grass roots travel to the poor soil, the grass plant will no longer continue to be healthy.

You must be prepared to add soil amendments and/or topsoil to your existing lawn by mixing the

GardenerNews.com Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Is the grass greener on the other side? new topsoil with the old, going down five to six inches. We want to encourage the grass to have roots that go as deep as possible to encourage long-term growth.

Q: I put grass seed down three weeks ago and want to know where my beautiful lawn is.

Q: I admit I have not done anything to the lawn in years. But I put seed down in the spring, so where is my lawn?

Q: I just built an addition and the grass got destroyed. I put seed down where the equipment compacted the soil. Why no lawn?

I guess these homeowners have not had an opportunity to read my articles.

Fall is the absolute best time to seed or re-seed your lawn.

The hot, dry summer is over and the insects and weeds are less prevalent. Moisture from morning dew keeps the seed bed moist and the less intense sunrays slow

the rate of evaporation. The soil temperatures are still warm and the cool rains make it the perfect time to create that beautiful lawn that your neighbors will envy as they look over your fence.

When you are preparing to seed, take a soil test two weeks prior to seeding to look for any soil deficiencies. Low pH does not grow lawns. Most parts of New Jersey tend to be low on the pH soil scale. The most desirable pH range to grow grass effectively is between 6.0 and 6.8. If you take a soil pH test and you are below this level, apply limestone according to the directions on the bags.

Buy great grass seed! You wouldn’t buy the cheapest paint to paint your million-dollar home, right? Taking the time to buy and use the right seed for your lawn’s needs will result in a healthier, attractive lawn.

Prepare the soil either by raking vigorously or rent a seeding

machine to relieve compaction and give the grassroots a chance to establish. You wouldn’t just paint the house; you would scrap off old paint, spackle, sand, prime and then paint for the best long-term results. Adding any topsoil, calcium products and new-seeding fertilizer to the soil prior to applying grass seed is exactly the same concept. Proper preparation will give you the best results.

By mixing the new topsoil with the old, going down to five or six inches, you will encourage the grass roots to go as deep as possible to encourage long term growth. Rake the fertilizer and lime into the top inch of the soil.

After applying grass seed and other soil products, rake over the seed lightly, do not cover it more than one-quarter inch. We are not growing corn that needs to be planted deeply in the soil! You can roll the area or gently walk over the seed to press it into the

EPA Proposes Stronger Standards for People Applying the Pesticides with the Greatest Risk :$6+,1*721 ' & ĘŠ 7KH 8 6 (QYLURQPHQWDO 3URWHFWLRQ $JHQF\ (3$ LV SURSRVLQJ VWURQJHU VWDQGDUGV IRU pesticide applicators who apply “restricted-useâ€? pesticides. These pesticides are not available for purchase by the general public, require special handling, and may only be applied by a certified applicator or someone working under his or her direct supervision. “We are committed to keeping our communities safe, protecting our environment and protecting workers and their families, said Jim Jones, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “By improving training and certification, those who apply these restricted use pesticides will have better knowledge and ability to use these pesticides safely.â€?

The goal of today’s action is to reduce the likelihood of harm from the misapplication of toxic pesticides and ensure a consistent level of protection among states. Pesticide use would be safer with increased supervision and oversight.

EPA is proposing stricter standards for people certified to use restricted use pesticides and to require all people who apply restricted use pesticides to be at least 18 years old. Certifications would have to be renewed every 3 years.

EPA is proposing additional specialized licensing for certain methods of application that can pose greater risks if not conducted properly, such as fumigation and aerial application. For further protection, those working under the supervision of certified applicators would now need training on using pesticides safely and protecting their families from take-home pesticide exposure.

State agencies issue licenses to pesticide applicators who need to demonstrate under an EPA-approved program their ability to use these products safely. The proposed revisions would reduce the burden on applicators and pest control companies that work across state lines. The proposal promotes consistency across state programs by encouraging interstate recognition of licenses.

The proposal also updates the requirements for States, Tribes, and Federal agencies that administer their own certification programs to incorporate the strengthened standards. Many states already have in place some or many of EPA’s proposed changes. The proposed changes would raise the bar nationally to a level that most states have already achieved. The estimated benefits of $80.5 million would be due to fewer acute pesticide incidents to people.

EPA encourages public comment on the proposed improvements. The 90 day public comment period will begin when the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

A copy of the proposal and more information about certification for pesticide applicators: http://www2.epa.gov/ pesticide-worker-safety/epa-proposes-stronger-standards-people-applying-riskiest-pesticides To comment on the proposed changes, visit http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket number EPA-HQOPP-2011-0183 after publication in the federal register.

soil. Good seed-to-soil contact is critical to your success.

Water if you can, keeping your newly-seeded areas moist for two weeks. Watering lightly for five to 10 minutes at least once per day, up to three times per day, will help your seed establish.

If it’s windy and/or still warm, it will dry out more quickly. If the seed dries out, it will not germinate. However, many lawns are established without any supplemental watering if the seed is in good contact with the soil. After mowing, you may return to a normal watering schedule.

Be sure to do a follow-up fertilizing six to eight weeks later to help the new grass continue to grow thick and healthy. Ask your neighbors what they did to their lawns to make them look so good. Maybe you can try some of their ideas and next year your lawn will look better than theirs.

Why not have a contest in your neighborhood for the best lawn in town? The winner gets a free bag of fertilizer.

Good luck!

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

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September, 2015 23

Mexican Bean Beetles

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E. New Jersey gardeners are reporting sightings and damage on beans (especially lima and snap beans) from Mexican Bean Beetles (MBB). Activity levels and ensuing damage by these plant feeders will vary this year due to the cool spring and water amounts from rainfall (and lack of rain). They tend to pose fewer problems in dry climates. Host plants are usually legumes.

Eggs of the MBB are bright yellow, laid on-end and in clusters of 40 to 60 on lower leaf surfaces. Larvae are yellow, oval shaped, covered with small black spines (they appear fuzzy) and soft-bodied. Larvae go through four instars. Pupae are yellow-orange, similar to larvae but smooth and lighter in color, with spiny larval skin pushed down to the point of attachment to plants.

Adults are convex oval form, How could it be? Not great, but still good. Lots of festivities and still great on the beach.

Down here, September is considered “local’s summer” and with good reason. Most people are back to school, teachers are back to work, there aren’t any lifeguards or badge checkers and the boardwalks and beaches are way less crowded. This is the perfect time to come and enjoy the shore for a least another month or until the weather stops cooperating.

Jersey produce is still in full swing and the farmers markets are still going strong. So, don’t give up on summer yet, milk it for all that it is, for it is a long winter, friends.

Peppers are a large part of our Jersey Fresh produce.

We are third in the ranks of production for the U.S. Peppers in Jersey peak from June through late-September.

similar to lady bugs, onethird inch long, orange to copper colored with 16 black spots arranged in three rows of 6-6-4 on the back.

MBB larvae and adults feed on the underside of leaves between the veins, removing the lower epidermis of the leaf. The upper epidermis dies, producing a transparent, lacy look. Damaged tissue falls out and skeletonized leaves may curl and fall off. Larvae are particularly damaging to leaves. Adults may feed on blossoms, pods and stems.

Adults are the overwintering stage and usually aggregate under plant debris. They can be in open fields or in wooded areas. Adults emerge in the spring and lay eggs on the undersides of leaves. Larvae hatch out in two weeks and join adults feeding on foliage. Adults are strong flyers. In cool weather, the entire Mexican Bean Beetle life cycle can take 45 days or more, but 30 days is more

typical. There are one to three generations per year.

Early monitoring is helpful in preparing for this pest. Inspect leaf undersides for yellow egg clusters.

Brilliant yellow larvae and coppery adults are easy to spot.

The following are some tips for prevention and control of MBB: 9 Organic controls for Mexican bean beetles include crop rotation, handpicking and maintaining good insect balance in the garden so that a wide variety of natural predators are present. Cover entire rows of beans with floating row cover after planting. You can leave the cover on until harvest. Crush egg clusters, larvae, and adults by hand.

Purchase and release the beneficial wasp Pediobius faveolatus when larvae are first observed. This is most practical in large plantings or community gardens.

For severe infestations requiring insecticide use,

consider organic methods such as spinosad, neem, or pyrethrum. Contact Rutgers Extension aents for recommendations. Pull up and bag bean plants after harvest. Plant resistant cultivars such as “Wade” and “Logan” snap beans and “Black Valentine” lima beans. Leave a few flowering weeds between rows to attract native predators and parasites, or interplant with flowers such as Queen Anne’s lace or yarrow, and herbs such as dill, to encourage beneficial insects such as spined soldier bugs (Podisus maculiventris) and parasitic wasps Pediobius foveolatus.

Keep a close watch on your growing beans in spring, and do not allow the first generation of Mexican bean beetles to triple itself by the time your beans grow into big, robust plants. Do all you can to provide food and habitat for beneficial wasps, flies, ladybeetles, and predatory stinkbugs.

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Whoa! September already???

South Jersey counties are the largest producers in the state.

Peppers remain green while in their immature state, gradually turning red, yellow or orange based on their genetic code. They are quite healthy, with high values of vitamins A and C, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin, to name a few. They make a great snack, especially when paired with ranch dressing, or a great addition to any salad.

This month we will be doing the basic roasted red pepper. Very simple, very tasty, and easily added to

any dinner or appetizer. I’m going to give you a recipe for a salad caprese. This salad is essential to New Jersey cuisine, as it contains tomatoes (Jersey preferably), fresh mozz, basil, greens, balsamic and good olive oil (always essential). OK, this salad doesn’t usually contain roasted peppers, but it works well with it and we can still utilize many Jersey-grown ingredients.

Good luck and BUON APPETITO! Salad caprese with roasted red peppers (serves 2)

3 red bell peppers, rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper, roasted at 450 until blistered all over, placed in a paper bag until cooled, skin and ribs removed, and finally sliced 1 large Jersey or garden tomato, sliced thick 1 lb. of fresh mozzarella in water, sliced thick, preferably Jersey made!

2 handfuls of greens, such as arugula, baby spinach, or just fresh romaine salt and fresh ground black pepper drizzle of GOOD olive oil drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Scout for eggs if adults are seen, using a small handheld mirror to get a good look at leaf undersides.

Planting plenty of flowers that attract beneficial insects is a sound strategy, along with maintaining seldomdisturbed islands that provide habitat for ground beetles and other beneficials.

Images of Mexican Bean Beetles can be found at various internet sites. IPM Images is one such site: http:// www.ipmimages.org/search/ action.cfm?q=Mexican%20 bean%20beetle

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

He is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

He can be reached at 800-618-2847 or visit www.vikingpest.com 1/2 bunch or more of rough chopped fresh basil method-on a large plate or platter lay down greens or lettuce -place mozz and tomato, slice-by-slice, randomly on platter or plate -place roasted red peppers on sides and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic -sprinkle with salt and fresh black pepper -finish with a generous sprinkle of basil 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.

Bill Reinstating Certain Driving Privileges for Teens Working on Farms Signed Into Law Legislation reestablishing certain driving privileges for teenagers working on a farm in New Jersey was signed into law on August 7, 2015 by Governor Chris Christie.

Under the legislation, A-535/S-2547, 16-year-olds working on a farm will again be eligible to obtain a special agricultural driver’s license allowing them to drive by themselves during daylight hours while operating a farm vehicle and doing farm-related business. To be eligible the teen would need to complete an approved behind-thewheel driver training course.

24 September, 2015

GardenerNews.com

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September, 2015 25

New Jersey Flower & Garden Show Announces 2016 Dates (',621 1- ʊ 7KH WK $QQXDO 1HZ -HUVH\ )ORZHU *DUGHQ 6KRZ ZLOO WDNH SODFH RQ )HEUXDU\ DW WKH 1HZ -HUVH\ &RQYHQWLRQ &HQWHU on Sunfield Avenue in Edison, NJ. Established as the Garden State’s largest flower and garden show of the year, the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show attracts a full house of gardening exhibitors from around the country and attendees from all corners of the New Jersey metropolitan area.

Highlighting fabulous display gardens, a Standard Flower Show presented by the Garden Club of New Jersey, a great Garden Marketplace for shoppers to enjoy and top-quality educational seminars, this full-service gardening-themed show attracts over 25,000 flower and garden enthusiasts each year.

At the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show, expect a kaleidoscope of color and fragrance in beautiful display gardens, created by the most respected garden designers and landscape professionals in the Garden State. Discover how to create your own remarkable garden with hands-on demonstrations and inspiring seminars. Meet with Rutgers Master Gardeners who can answer all your gardening-related questions. These trained volunteers assist Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the general public.

Whether you are a new gardener in need of sensible advice, or a seasoned pro, you’ll find a multitude of inspiring seminars and hands-on demonstrations filled with valuable education and entertainment. Learn how to solve your landscaping problems and create livable outdoor spaces for year-round enjoyment. “New Jersey is a magnet for luscious plant material, breathtaking gardens and folks who appreciate a well-manicured, environmentally friendly property,� said Jon Levin, Director of Expos for Townsquare Live Events, the show’s producer. “New Jersey’s horticulture industry is the largest sector of our state’s agriculture and features some of the most dynamic and innovative gardeners in the country.�

The New Jersey Flower & Garden Show also focuses on the value of a high-caliber intellectual exchange, so gathering thought-leaders from the gardening industry into an environment where they can share ideas and help move both their own organizations and the broader industry forward is an important priority. “Following the overwhelmingly positive response from our 2015 show, we’re more motivated than ever to once again raise the bar,� said Micaela Vie Brock, Producer of the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show. “As we grow, what remains key for us is that we retain the intimacy and upscale nature of our show. That’s what sets us apart and will continue to do so, as well as being a tremendously vibrant platform for doing business.�

More detail on additional features will be introduced and announced in the coming months on www.njflowershow.com and through our direct communications.

The New Jersey Flower & Garden Show is produced by Townsquare Expos, LLC, one of the leading producers of live events in the United States.

Townsquare Live Events has successfully introduced hundreds of thousands of interested consumers to businesses, helping to develop long-term relationships.

Two-Day “Jersey Fresh Love� Tour Highlights Produce (TRENTON, N.J.) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher traveled through 10 New Jersey counties from Cape May up to Sussex County on a “Jersey Fresh Love Tour� on July 30 and 31, making stops at farms, farmers markets, restaurants, supermarkets, wineries and breweries to highlight the peak of Jersey Fresh season in New Jersey. More than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables are grown by Garden State farmers.

Jersey Fresh Love is a social media campaign seeking Jersey Fresh produce fans post pictures on their social media channels about where they get their New Jersey produce, how the produce is being used and their favorite farms and restaurants to visit. The Department has been showcasing some of those pictures once a week on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. The photos have depicted farm visits, recipes, home-grown produce, farmers markets and more. “Jersey Fresh produce is abundant at this time of year and can be found at community farmers markets, supermarkets, and roadside stands, as well as on the menus of many restaurants,� said Secretary Fisher. “We wanted to seek out Jersey Fresh and allow people to follow us via social media in real-time. We hope everyone will do what we’re doing and support New Jersey farmers and the businesses that purchase their produce.�

The Jersey Fresh program is 31 years old this year and identifies to consumers produce grown by New Jersey farmers.

Secretary Fisher’s tour took him to the following locations: B&B Farms, Galloway Township – B&B Farms is owned by Art and Carolyn Brown. Art Brown was the long-time former Secretary of Agriculture who originated “Jersey Fresh.� His 20-acre farm grows a mix of vegetables, including pick-your-own African and ethnic crops and blueberries. The Brown’s niece, Jennifer LaMonaca, operates the Sea Salt CSA on land adjacent to B&B Farms, offering shares of the fruits and vegetables raised.

Margate Farmers Market, Margate – The Margate Farmers Market operates out of the parking lot of Steve and Cookie’s restaurant on Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. through September 3. The market offers Jersey Fresh product, seafood, flowers, soap, pickles, baby food, honey, spices and baked goods.

The Blue Pig Tavern, Cape May – Cape Resorts, which owns the Blue Pig Tavern in Congress Hall, operates Beach Plum Farm, which supplies the restaurant pork, eggs, greens, root vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs. The restaurant not only features these items on its regular menu, but has created a Tomato Menu with items such as a classic tomato sandwich and a BLT. Cape May Winery, Cape May – The winery first opened in 1995 and was purchased by Toby Craig and Betsy Sole in 2003. That first year they produced 2,800 gallons of wine and this year produced 41,000 gallons. It is the oldest winery in Cape May County. They grow 26 acres of grapes and specialize in viniferas, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling. They have leased 150 acres from the county for future plantings.

Cape May Brewing Company, Cape May – The Cape May Brewing Company, founded in 2011, is licensed to produce “Made with Jersey Fresh Honey� Honey Porter.

Genoa Farms, Vineland – Genoa Farms consists of about 800 acres and was first started in the late 1920’s by James Bertonazzi as JC Bertonazzi Farms. The name was changed to Genoa Farms in 1979 when James’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren took over the farm. They sell wholesale beans, squash, cilantro, parsley, peppers and jalapenos.

Grasso Girls Farm Market, West Deptford – The Grasso family purchased the farm in West Deptford two years ago with the idea of opening a farm market there.

The market started out as a little cart on the home farm in Mullica Hill in 2002. Soon, it grew so much they put up a building and it has grown busier each year. The family grows most of the produce found in its market. The West Deptford market is operated by the fourth-generation. They farm about 500 acres of land, including asparagus, peppers, tomatoes, squash, pickles, cucumbers, and some field crops.

Shop-Rite, Cherry Hill – One of Ravitz Family Markets, the Shop-Rite of Cherry Hill is a large supporter of Jersey Fresh. Their stores have great displays of New Jersey produce and a lot of Jersey Fresh signage all season long.

Peppadew Fresh Vineyards and Winery, Morganville – Peppadew Fresh Farms is the landmark location in the USA to educate and grow Peppadew Goldew Peppers. New Jersey is the only state where Peppadew Goldew is grown and marketed. Shop-Rite stores statewide support the sale of Goldew in their produce department. Several acres of Peppadew are now being grown on premise and will be ready to harvest mid-August through mid-October. On the farm, they grown basil, tomatoes, eggplants and wine grapes for their winery. They also grow cut flowers.

Rutgers Gardens Farmers Market, New Brunswick – The farmers market at Rutgers Gardens on the Rutgers University campus is open Fridays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Farmers include Fruitwood Orchards, Stults Farm and Chickadee Creek Organic Farm. There also are 39 assorted vendors.

Dreyer Farms, Cranford – Dreyer Farms started in 1904. It currently has a little more than 5 acres in Union County and is the last working farm in the county.

They grow strawberries, blackberries, heirloom tomatoes, heirloom carrots, beets, spring onions, scallions, spinach, string beans, peas, zinnias, marigolds, various lettuces and herbs.

Kings Food Markets, Ridgewood – Kings is a big supporter of Jersey Fresh. New Jersey produce available this week is green peppers, sweet corn, cucumbers and red and green lettuce.

Cava Winery and Vineyard, Hamburg – Cava, which in Italian means cave or mine, was named for Hamburg’s history in mining. The winery opened in 2007 and grows eight acres of Noiret, Blanc, Riesling, Traminette and Vidal Blanc grapes. They currently have three labels and produce 25 different wines, many of which use local apples, pears, raspberries, blueberries, melons and peaches.

26 September, 2015

GardenerNews.com

Susan McAleavey Sarlund to Succeed John McAleavey as New York Apple Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Northeast Account Manager ),6+(56 1 < Ę&#x160;7KH 0F$OHDYH\ G\QDVW\ LV EHJLQQLQJ D QHZ FKDSWHU LQ WKH 1HZ <RUN VWDWH apple industry.

Susan McAleavey Sarlund has been named Northeast account manager for the New York Apple Association (NYAA), succeeding her father and New York apple industry icon John McAleavey in that position.

McAleavey Sarlund previously served as NYAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retail account associate for metro New York and the tri-state area, working with her father. John McAleavey, Jr., McAleavey Sarlundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother, will continue to assist the retail account team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have had the pleasure of working with Susie and John, Jr., for a number of years. Both often attended meetings and trade shows with their dad, and have had plenty of experience in the trade,â&#x20AC;? said NYAA President Jim Allen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are looking forward to this next generationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideas and energy.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am grateful and excited about the opportunity to succeed my father as Northeast account manager for NYAA,â&#x20AC;? said McAleavey Sarlund. â&#x20AC;&#x153;John, Sr., was all about building and fostering relationships. John Jr. and I look forward to continuing the relationships he forged, and to serving the needs of the retail trade and the apple growers of the great state of New York.â&#x20AC;?

McAleavey Sarlund also serves as executive director of the Eastern Produce Council, having previously assisted her father in that position. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Boston College, and a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She has held various sales and marketing positions with companies including Nabisco and Hilton Hotels, and in the investment industry.

McAleavey, Jr., holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies from Providence College.

His work experience includes positions with Eastern Produce Council, Nabisco, T. Marzetti Co and the New Jersey Nets. He also blogs about sports and coaches boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; basketball.

About New York Apple Association A nonprofit agricultural trade association based in Fishers, N.Y., NYAA represents the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial apple growers. The grower-funded association supports profitable growing and marketing of New York apples through increasing demand for apples and apple products, representing the industry at state and federal levels, and serving as the primary information source on New York-apple related matters. For more information, visit www.nyapplecountry.com.

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

STANLEY OSUR The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 149 Published Monthly Contact Information Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff Executive Editor/ Publisher . . . .

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

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

Tom Castronovo Justin Kukuc Tom Castronovo

September Columnists Tom Castronovo Tim Hionis Douglas H. Fisher Larry Katz Craig Korb

Todd Pretz Jody Shilan Bob LaHoff Peter Melick Richard Perkins

Contributing Writers Bruce Crawford Jeannie Geremia Kim Kaplan

Hubert Ling Dr. James A. Murphy William A. Kolbe B.C.E.

Gardener News is published monthly by

Gardener News, Inc. 16 Mount Bethel Road #123 Warren, NJ 07059 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) 2015 Gardener News, Inc.

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TIP OF THE MONTH

You should water container gardens on days that it rains, as well as days that you would regularly water them. Often, the soil in containers is covered by the plants it contains DQG WKH GULS OLQH LV RXWVLGH WKH FRQWDLQHU Ę&#x160; OHDYLQJ WKH VRLO GU\ DIWHU D UDLQ 3D\ FORVH attention to the amount of water going inside the container and thoroughly soak the soil, not the foliage.

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September, 2015 27

28 September, 2015

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inspiration strikes WITH FAMILY TIME

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Kings Own Cioppino Style Fish Stew Find your inspiration at kingsfoodmarkets.com/fallrecipes

Celebrate your family by gathering around the table and enjoying a home-cooked meal with the people you love most. Kings Own brand offers you superior quality products at an exceptional value, so it’s never been easier to find inspiration for quick, simple and delicious family meals.

The best moments at the family dinner table start with Kings.

September is National Family Meals Month. Find recipe inspiration for your family and more at KingsFoodMarkets.com

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