“What’s Growing RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION ON THE RADIO For agriculture news and horticultural tips, listen to me, Pam Burton, on the RCE Agricultural Program on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday on SNJ Today 99.9 FM announcing local workshops, seminars, and horticultural tips. Volume 20 Issue 2 Summer 2017 Edition Published Quarterly Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County Extension Education Center Phone: 856-451-2800 291 Morton Avenue Fax: 856-451-4206 Millville, NJ 08332-9791 www.njaes.rutgers.edu/extension Pam’s Garden Gab June 21st 2017 is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. There are many varied and long-standing celebrations for the day of summer solstice and they include everything from simply enjoying music and wine with friend; to a hiking moderately steep slopes for the ceremonial ringing of a bell at the exact moment of solstice. Every year, astronomers watch the sun as it both rises and sets over tall standing stones at a sun wheel; while another annual event in- volves an ensemble playing continuous music as the sun rises through the pre- dawn darkness to light the stained glass windows of a Cathedral. I, myself chose to celebrate the official beginning of summer by treating myself and my dog to a “black and white” milkshake for me and an ice cream “Scooby Doo” for Tessa! My dogs have always loved the water especially on those hot and humid “dog days of summer.” Where does the saying the “dog days of summer” come from? The brightest star in the sky is Sirius, also known as the “dogstar” located within the Canis Major constellation which is the larger of the two hunting dogs used by Orion. Sirius comes from the Greek word seirios translated to scorch- er. Ancient Romans tracked stars to keep track of seasons and in the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the sun, leading the Romans to believe that Sirius add- ed heat to the sun because it is above the horizon during the day time. Of course, the ancient Romans were not correct in their assumption since the heat of summer is directly related to the earth’s tilt, but the phrase stuck! And so it goes, Pam Burton http://events.cornell.edu/event/summer_solstice_walk http://fore.yale.edu/calendar/item/18th-annual-summer-solstice-concert-with-paul -winter/ http://www.umass.edu/sunwheel/pages/gathersummer.htmlhttps:// Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County 1915-2015 Rutgers on the Radio 1 From the Desk of…… 1 Critters & Creatures 2-3 Garden Organization 4 Just Peachy 5 Moon Garden 6 Blueberries 7 Turf’s Up…. 7 Notable Natives 8 Colors of Roses 9 Project Bat Watch 10 Project Bat Watch 11 Scarecrow Contest 12 Garden Tips for June 13 Garden Tips for July 14 Gardening Checklist for August 15 Available Fact Sheets 16 Facebook Information 17 Inside this issue: Attachment: Con- versation About the New Jersey 2017 Water Supply Plan
Transcript
“What’s Growing
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION ON THE RADIO
For agriculture news and horticultural tips, listen to me, Pam Burton, on the RCE Agricultural Program on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday on SNJ Today 99.9 FM announcing local workshops, seminars, and horticultural tips.
Volume 20 Issue 2 Summer 2017 Edition Published Quarterly
Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County
Extension Education Center Phone: 856-451-2800
291 Morton Avenue Fax: 856-451-4206
Millville, NJ 08332-9791
www.njaes.rutgers.edu/extension
Pam’s Garden Gab
June 21st 2017 is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. There are many varied and long-standing celebrations for the day of summer solstice and they include everything from simply enjoying music and wine with friend; to a hiking moderately steep slopes for the ceremonial ringing of a bell at the exact moment of solstice. Every year, astronomers watch the sun as it both rises and sets over tall standing stones at a sun wheel; while another annual event in-volves an ensemble playing continuous music as the sun rises through the pre-dawn darkness to light the stained glass windows of a Cathedral. I, myself chose to celebrate the official beginning of summer by treating myself and my dog to a “black and white” milkshake for me and an ice cream “Scooby Doo” for Tessa! My dogs have always loved the water especially on those hot and humid “dog days of summer.” Where does the saying the “dog days of summer” come from? The brightest star in the sky is Sirius, also known as the “dogstar” located within the Canis Major constellation which is the larger of the two hunting dogs used by Orion. Sirius comes from the Greek word seirios translated to scorch-er. Ancient Romans tracked stars to keep track of seasons and in the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the sun, leading the Romans to believe that Sirius add-ed heat to the sun because it is above the horizon during the day time. Of course, the ancient Romans were not correct in their assumption since the heat of summer is directly related to the earth’s tilt, but the phrase stuck!
Attachment: Con-versation About the New Jersey 2017 Water Supply Plan
Page 2 “WHAT’S GROWING ON…”
Critters & Creatures at RCE
Polyphemus Moth
A client brought in a large moth, brown in color with a very hairy body and beautiful markings including large eyespots lined with blue and black on the middle of it’s hind wings. We identified the moth as Poly-phemus, named after the giant cyclops of mythology who had a single round eye in the middle of his forehead. The eyespots on the moth are actually transparent. The adult moths have reduced mouth parts and do not eat and therefore have a life span of about 4 days in which the eggs are laid. However the caterpillars make up for the non-eating moths as they can consume 86,000 times its body weight. These are truly magnificent creatures and I was pleased to share it with a group of kids at the Extension Center for summer camp.
Imperial Moth A client brought in a picture of a moth which was identified as an Imperial moth. Both the adult stage and the larvae stage of Imperial moths can have a wide variation in colors and markings. This large moth is impressive in appearance with a wingspan of 3 to 7 inches and are generally golden in color with various markings. The moths do not eat and tend to remain motionless much of the time. Nature has provided them with an adaptation of mimicry when the blend in with many of the yellow dead leaves that dot the forest floors at the same time of their emergence. Specifically, Chaste Tree and Red Dud species have leaves that are actually similar in shape to a resting imperial moth. The leaves may even have purple and brown markings that mimic the markings of the moths. http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/moth2/imperial_moth.htm Saddleback Caterpillar A Certified Master Gardener of Cumberland County stopped in the office the other day to show me the larvae of the Saddleback caterpillar. She discovered these quite by accident and quite painfully when her arm brushed against them on her Cherry tree. The caterpillars are showy with a brown body and a bright green pattern that is surrounded by white and looks like a saddle across the midsection and a cream colored set of spots that imitates a large facial area. The caterpillar has spines that contain a type of venom and break off upon contact to imbed themselves into your skin. Nature has provided the cater-pillar with the ability to stay firmly mounted to a surface as the venomous spines go after an aggressor or an unsuspecting Master Gardener. http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/saddleback_caterpillar.htm Corn Earworms We’ve all had that icky experience when we pull back the silk of the corn only to find corn earworms. Rutgers Fact Sheet 282 on Corn Earworms states that Earworms generally appear in late July in South Jersey and moths, eggs, and larvae are extremely numerous in mid-August and September. The corn earworm does damage to many vegetables, not just corn. Examples include cabbage and related crops, leafy greens, lettuce, lima and snap beans, okra, pea, pepper, pumpkin, squash, and tomato. The free fact sheet provides management recommendations which includes covering the corn silk, planting re-sistant varieties of vegetables, harvesting before peak cornworm damage and following the label when using a spray cycle.
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Cucumber Beetles Rutgers Fact Sheet 225 on Cucumber Beetles explains that there are two Cucumber beetles, one with spots and one with stripes and they both enjoy munching on the leaves of newly planting seed-lings of cucumber, cantaloupe, gourds, muskmelon, squash and pumpkin. While feeding on the foli-age these beetles also spread bacterial wilt disease. The fact sheet recommends several methods of control including proper fertilization practices for early plant growth and where feasible try pushing boxes or cones into the ground to cover the plants or use a floating row cover of lightweight white fabric until the blooms begin to open. If you use insecticide as an option, be sure to read and follow the label – the label is the law. http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/jun16tips.html Spittlebug A client came into the office with a specimen of a sunflower that had a white frothy substance in the leaf axis. It was identified as spittlebug damage, and the secretion it exudes look like… well, spit. Nature is a wonder in its’ adaptation and while this insect is in its larvae stage the spittle serves sev-eral purposes. First, the bubbles from the spittle act as a disguise to hide the insect’s location from predators and act as a moisture regulator so the nymph does not dry out. Next the froth of the spittle regulates the shift in temperature changes from hot to cold. Lastly, predators are reluctant to tackle the acidic gloppy foam for a reasonably small prize http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/spittlebugs-in-home-gardens/index.html http://extension.illinois.edu/focus/index.cfm?problem=spittlebugs
Green Hornworm A client brought in a 3 inch specimen of a Green Hornworm and reported that it was eating his pep-per plant. Rutgers Fact Sheet 226 on Hornworms recommends management strategies. One sug-gestion is to go hornworm hunting at night with a flashlight, which is when the hornworms are feed-ing. You can then handpick the larvae and gleefully destroy them. If you see a Hornworm with small, white oval objects standing on end, leave it alone. Parasites have been feeding on the Horn-worms and these are there cocoons. http://henri.newark.rutgers.edu/mam/biocontrol/biocontrol_MAMWeevil.html
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Garden Organization 101: How to Maximize Minimum Space in Your Garden
For the backyard gardener with limited space there are several intensive growing techniques that can be used to maximize your yield. Specifically, ”intercropping” is the term for one of the methods and this concept involves planting both fast and slow growing crops together at the same time and in the same space. For instance fast growing radishes will mature and can be harvested while slower growing carrots or onions are still coming into harvest. Another example is growing lettuce, which is fast growing and shallow rooted between tomatoes which are slow growing and deep rooted. While this can take some intense planning and planting, it pays off with maximized productivity. Another example of intensive gardening technique is succession planting, and there are two ways to utilize this method. The first is by seeding a crop every three or four weeks for several plantings. This is well suited to plants that mature in 40-60 days and are harvested one time such as beets and radishes. Another example of succession planting is to overplant lettuce and then begin with harvesting every other plant as while still immature, then as the plant matures, progress to harvesting the outside leaves. Once the plants get large enough, go back to harvesting every other plant. Succession planting allows the backyard gardener to obtain the maximum yield of production with careful planning. Horizontal space in a garden is at a premium, so keep vertical space in mind for plants that you might not traditionally think of growing vertically, such as small fruited varieties of pumpkins. Rutgers Fact Sheet 129 on Planning a Vegetable Garden recommends planting pumpkins by seed 48 inches apart in a row with 96 inches between each row, which seems like a lot of horizontal space. Try “growing up” with vertical gardening with small-fruited varieties of pumpkins on a support structure and supporting the pumpkins, if necessary with slings made of old pantyhose or rags. Vertical gardening not only allows you to conserve space it adds vertical interest to the garden. http://www.nebeginningfarmers.org/2013/02/04/16-intensive-techniques/ Washington State University Extension; http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/EM057E/EM057E.pdf http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2014/02/VerticalGardening.pdf . .
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Just Peachy Rutgers Fact Sheet 1074 Flat Peach Varieties for New Jersey provides a chart with the ripening date in Southern NJ for the best peach and nectarine cultivars and those cultivars showing some promise of flat peaches. You may know these better by their description of saucer or doughnut-type peaches which describe their round, squat appearance. They are also referred to as “Peento,” named so from the origi-nal Chinese pan tao. While the flavor of these peaches is intensely sweet when ripe, these can be difficult to find, due to restrictive time considerations for thinning, harvesting and handling these peaches. Their unique shape also makes them tough to ship. Consequently, be prepared to pay a higher price for these varieties of peaches. Having said that, they remain one of my favorites. What is the difference between a Freestone peach and a Clingstone peach? Part of the answer can be described in what happens when you cut the peach in half. A Freestone peach will separate easily when cut in half and the pit itself can be removed by hand or may even fall out of the peach on its’ own. This type of peach is popular for home canning purposes for the ease of preparation. On the other hand, a Clingstone peach has flesh that clings to the pit, making it difficult to separate the two halves of the fruit when cut in one-half. As a kid, I remember sitting on Gram’s back porch step while we ate peaches with the juices running down our arms. We always needed to go grab the hose after that afternoon snack. No doubt we were eating what is referred to in the industry as a Melting peach. Melting peaches become softer as they rip-en, they won’t hold up well on the counter and they literally melt in your mouth. Unmelted flesh Cling-stone peaches are the ones used mostly for commercial canning and they remain firm in texture. Rutgers NJAES website noted in June 2015 some of the Health Benefits of Peaches: A Delicious Summer Fruit in the Monthly Health Message. The article notes that a medium peach has only 50 calo-ries, and no saturated fats. But they pack 6% of your daily vitamin A needs and 15% of your vitamin C needs. Peaches also contain some value of Vitamins E & K, niacin, folate, iron, choline, potassium, magnesi-um, phosphorous, manganese, zinc and copper. Some of the many health benefits realized by consump-tion of foods with these vitamins are the development of resistance against infections, prevention of night vision issues and to help maintain healthy skin. Whether it’s a Peento, Freestone, Clingstone, Melting or Non-melting peach enjoy this season while it lasts. https://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/message/message.asp?p=Health&m=301 http://www.clemson.edu/extension/peach/faq/what_is_the_difference_between_a_freestone_and_clingstone_type%20peach.html
The long days of summer complement well with the magic and allure of moon gardens. As the sun starts to set, pull up a bench and enjoy the senses. Moon Gardens are typically planted with white flowers as well as variegated or silver leaved foliage plants, and perhaps even a few that might make a sound, such as grasses rustling in the winds. Fragrant plants are spaced with enough room to not compete with each other’s scent. If you are lucky to have some night blooming flowers in your Moon Garden you might see some of the evening pollinators at work and a mirrored gazing ball on a pedestal can add some magic to your Moon Garden! University of Illinois; https://web.extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/homeowners/150526.html http://www.rutgers-atlantic.org/pdfs/April%202012.pdf University of Vermont Extension; http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/moonlight.htm
Blueberry: The State Fruit of New Jersey Rutgers Fact Sheet FS 553 is entitled Highbush Blueberry, The State Fruit of New Jersey. Given the rich history of the Lenni Lenape Tribe here in Cumberland County, I was interested to learn in this fact sheet about the legend of the Lenni Lenape native American tribe who believed that the Great Spirit sent the star berry to relieve famine. This is in reference to the blossom end of each blueberry, called the Calyx which is in the shape of a 5 point star. The Lenni Lenape tribes used blueberries for dyes and sustenance, often drying them for year-long storage. We now know that blueberries provide a variety of health benefits including antioxidants and phytochemicals. They are high in fiber and low in calories and cholesterol. Rutgers Fact Sheet 750 on Establishing Blueberries in the Home Garden tells that pH, pH, pH is critical! To quote the fact Sheet “…The roots of a blueberry plant cannot absorb water or nutrients unless the pH is between 4.0 and 4.8. A soil test should be conducted to determine pH, nutrient levels, and recommen-dations for pH correction…”. pH testing can be done at the Extension Education Center for $3.00. Not only will blueberries planted in the proper site provide you with delicious fruit, the bush has beautiful fall foliage. These natives are a great pick as New Jersey’s state fruit. Enjoy the recipe below from Rut-gers “What’s in Season From the Garden State.”
Jersey Fruit Compote Recipe 1 cup Jersey Fresh cut up strawberries, peaches, or whole blueberries 3 Tablespoons "all fruit" or "spreadable fruit" preserves Note: You can match the fruit and preserves, using strawberry all fruit with fresh strawberries, etc. or you can mix and match the fresh fruits and or the preserves, i.e. fresh peaches and blueberries together with either preserves; or fresh blueberries with strawberry preserves, etc. Heat saucepan on medium high and add the all fruit preserves. Stir until it is loose and liquid (don't let it burn) and immediately add in your cut up fruit or whole blueberries. Stir and cover. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let cook for 3 -5 minutes until fruit is softened and it is syrupy. Serve hot over pancakes, waffles or French toast. It can also be served cold with yogurt or ice cream. You can freeze the compote in serving size batches, and enjoy your Jersey fruit well after the season is over. http://njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/jersey-fruit-compote.asp
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Turf’s Up
Rutgers Fact Sheet 102 on Your Lawn and Its Care
recommends mowing at a height of 2½ to 3½
inches, particularly during the summer. The rule of
thumb is to remove no more than ⅓ of the leaf
height in a single mowing and generally speaking,
mowing at a height of 2 ½ to 3 inches will translate
to once a week. Fact Sheet 102 points out that
“..Continuous mowing at 2 inches or lower tends to
weaken the turf and increase pest and other stress problems and heights of cut below
2½ inches will require more frequent mowing…” Keep the mower blades sharp. Dull
blades shred the grass which weakens turf and turns the tips brown. Also recommended
is to leave the grass clippings to recycle nutrients back to the soil and the grass. Just as
a reminder, that leaf clippings contribute very little to thatch buildup and should be re-
turned to the lawn rather than bagged.
In years’ past I have seen many examples of clients who have had problems with
their turf that seem to have stemmed from the frequency of watering. More than once I
have heard a client indicate they water the lawn daily, thinking they are doing their lawn a
favor, when in fact they are not. Rutgers Fact Sheet 555 entitled Best Management
Practices for Watering Lawns recommends that each time you water the lawn you apply
enough water to moisten as much of the root zone as possible. If the roots reach 6 inch-
es, be certain the moisture reaches 6 inches. For frequency of water, it states “…
Watering too often (daily) results in less efficient use of water because of greater loss to
evaporation. Excess watering can also increase the amount of weeds that appear in a
lawn. Under most lawn situations in New Jersey, a thorough watering of a lawn more
than twice per week is probably excessive…”
Page 8 Page 8 “WHAT’S GROWING ON…”
Notable Natives
Trumpet Honeysuckle, or “Lonicera sempervirens” is a climbing vine with narrow, trumpet-shaped coral red flowers with yellow centers which appear continuously from late spring through summer. This easy to grow native per-ennial is a favorite of bees and birds, and if you’re lucky could even draw in the hummingbirds. It’s easy to grow but make sure you have a trellis, arbor or fence that it can climb on as it a vigorous grower and can reach up to 15 feet.
Seaside Goldenrod or “solidaga” is a late-blooming native perennial that grows 3-4 feet in height with deep yellow flowers. It’s gotten a false reputation for causing hay fever when in fact it’s actually ragweed that blooms at the same time which is the true culprit. These flowers have been seen in floral arrange-ments and make a beautiful addition to your native garden. They are especially adapted to seaside loca-tions, as their name implies. Northern spicebush or “Lindera benzoin” is an option for a full sun to partial sunny location with average to moist soil. Spicebush takes its’ time to reach its height of 12 foot and rewards us with white or yellow flowers in the spring followed by glossy red fruit and yellow foliage in the fall. Add to that the fact that both the flowers and the foliage are fragrant, and this is a winner of a plant. Spicebush attracts birds and but-terflies and is a larval host of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Spicebush Swallowtail.
“Amelanchier alnifolia” or Western Serviceberry may be a shrub you want to research for your homescap-ing considerations. When choosing a site for this easy to care for 8-12 foot shrub look for a site with average to moist soil that gets sun to partial shade. The fragrant lovely white flowers that bloom from April through July will attract birds and butterflies and will be replaced by dark blue edible berries in the summer. This three season pleaser also throws great fall foliage in red to yellow colors. Give this one some serious consideration. Mountain Laurel flowers are star shaped and make a stunning display in a naturalized setting. The leaves are dark green and glossy. They can add a sense of space to a woodland setting with their ever-green leaves and stunning flower displays. I particularly like the cinnamon color bark of the gnarly trunks and branches. Breeders have done a fine job of providing us varieties and cultivars that offer up many different variations and intensities of color including some with a dwarf habit. Try pairing them up with other North American native shrubs such as “Clethra” and “Itea.” They generally have a rounded habit and can reach 5 to 10 feet tall and may grow a bit open and loose with age. Mountain Laurel are often confused with “Pieris” species. Despite all of its’ wonderful attributes it’s important to remember the plant has poison characteristics, so do not allow your children or pets to ingest any portion of the plant. Rutgers Fact Sheet 1140 Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape North Carolina State University; http://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/kalmia-latifolia/University of Connect-icut; http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/k/kallat/kallat1.html Clemson University; http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/hot_topics/2010/05mt_laurel.html http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/nativeplantgarden/pdf/17_sep_09_seaside_goldenrod.pdf University of Texas at Austin; http://web126.cc.utexas.edu/plants/result.php?id_plant=libe3
For Project Bat Watch go to wildlife.rutgers.edu where it tells us that because they eat so many insects, bats are some of the most beneficial animals for humans, worth approximately $23 billion a year to the U.S. agricultural industry (think of what they can do in your backyard!). Bats are in severe decline due to White Nose Syndrome and other major threats. Bat conservation is important, but bats roosting inside your house may pose a potential conflict. Bat evictions can be done by homeowners or by professional bat excluders between April 1 – April 30 and August 1 – October 15. But did you know evicted bats will return every year and try to (often successfully) re-enter the roost? In many cases, evicted bats will move to a neighboring house. For a reasonable fee, The Rutgers Wildlife Resources Program can install a bat house on your property to provide immediate refuge to evicted bats and offer alternative roosting site for the long term. Visit the online reporting form at wildlife.rutgers.edu. How Does it Work? 1. Homeowners enroll in our Bat House Distribution Program, and pledge to have bats safely and humanely evicted from the house. 2. Prior to the bat exclusion, Rutgers installs a bat house on the homeowner’s property.
3. Every spring, homeowners check for bat activity in the bat house (Don’t worry… it’s safe and easy!)
4. Homeowners perform 1-2 “exit surveys,” counting the bats as they fly out at dusk (we’ll send you an email reminder).
5. Homeowner reports survey results to Rutgers. That’s It! We can provide technical assistance and guidance throughout the process, and in some cases, can per-form the survey ourselves. For more information contact us at [email protected] or visit our website at…wildlife.rutgers.edu
Page 11 Page 11 “WHAT’S GROWING ON…”
Plant This and Not That
A client came into the Extension Center with questions about the decline of his Bradford or Callery Pear
trees, “Pyrus calleryana.” While once a popular choice for landscape plantings, time has proven there
are some distinct problems with this tree, which are leading many people to reconsider the options for a
spring flowering tree.
Upon further questioning I learned that these specimens were at least 15 years old. The branch struc-
ture of the Bradford Pear is problematic due to the co-dominant leaders of weak v-shaped attachment of
branches with steep upright angles to the main stem. These branches are highly susceptible to break-
age in snow and ice storms, which gets worse as they age. Depending on the location of the trees,
this can present a hazardous situation.
The Callery or Bradford pear has a high susceptibility to fire blight which is a bacterium that enters the
flowers in the spring and kills off the branches. Those branches have to be removed and destroyed to
prevent re-infection and there is no chemical control of the blight. Additionally, the non-native plant has
become invasive due to cross-pollination with “improved” varieties and the spread of fruit by birds in un-
wanted and unplanned areas.
What are some recommendations for native spring flowering trees? Several options that I like are listed
in Rutgers Fact Sheet 1140 Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape and include the
Flowering Dogwood, Serviceberry, Redbud, and Mountain Laurel. Be sure to consider your site versus
the needs of the plant in your landscaping decisions.
• Allow the tops of spring-flowering bulbs to completely wither and turn brown.
• Protect ripening strawberries from birds with netting or row cover fabric. FS97 & 98
• Make plans to pick locally grown strawberries.
Thin developing fruit on fruit trees if there seems to be an excessive amount. This will result in
larger fruits.
• Prune fruit trees to eliminate suckers and water sprouts.
• Plant more gladiolus bulbs for a succession of bloom.
• Check plants carefully and regularly for insect pests.
Cabbage worms can be safely and effectively controlled with Bt.
• Be sure to thin vegetables, particularly root crops, so they’ll have room to grow properly. FS561
• Tomatoes that are supported with stakes or cages tend to have cleaner and larger fruits. FS678
• Harvest established asparagus beds through the end of the month. FS221 & NE221
• As perennials finish blooming, cut off the blooms and fertilize the plants.
• Stake perennials as needed.
Apply mulches around shrubs, perennials and annuals to maintain soil moisture and an even soil
temperature.
• Apply a labeled fungicide every 7 to 10 days to protect roses from black spot.
• Prune climbing roses after they have bloomed. Remove dead and older canes. FS944
• Fertilize roses during their first bloom.
• Pinch established chrysanthemums to develop fuller and stockier plants.
• Balled and burlap or container trees and shrubs can still be planted. FS376
• Take softwood cuttings of shrubs to start new plants. FS49
• Remove spent flower clusters or forming seed pods from azaleas, lilacs and rhododendrons.
• Shape the growth of pines by snapping out one half to two thirds of the new candle growth.
• Raise the mower blades to a height of 2 to 2½” and mow frequently. Remove no more than one third
of the total length of the grass blade.
• Lawn and garden areas need a minimum of 1” of water in the form of rain or irrigation each week.
• Move some houseplants to a screened porch or shaded location outdoors.
Use bark mulch around young trees to protect them from lawn mower damage.
If you have plants that you suspect may be facing a pest problem, bring in a representative sample
to your local county agricultural extension agent and they will help diagnose the problem.
Page 14 “WHAT’S GROWING ON…”
Gardening Tips for July
• Attend the Cumberland County Fair
• Transplant new chrysanthemum plants.
• Start a compost pile. FS74
• Side dress rhubarb with well-rotted manure or humus from the compost pile.
• Plant seeds of early cabbage, ornamental kale, and broccoli in cell packs early in the month for
transplanting to the fall garden in early August.
• Cabbage worms can be safely and effectively controlled with Bt. FS231 & FS277
Continue pulling weeds. Put them in the compost pile.
Train staked tomatoes to one or two vines by removing all other branches as soon as they appear.
• Thoroughly water your newly planted trees and shrubs. FS786
• As perennials finish blooming, cut off the blooms and fertilize the plants.
• Stake perennials as needed.
Apply mulches around trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals to maintain soil moisture and an even
soil temperature. Cover the soil 2 inches thick. Keep mulch away from the trunks of trees and
shrubs. FS122
• Apply a labeled fungicide every 7 to 10 days to control black spot on roses.
• Prop branches of heavily loaded fruit trees.
• Renovate established strawberry plantings.
• Pinch established chrysanthemums to develop fuller and stockier plants early in the month.
Make another planting of snap beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers and zucchini. FS562 & FS57
Harvest vegetables regularly for continued production. FS988
• Remove spent flowers from annual flowers to keep them flowering.
• Divide clumps of crowded iris and Oriental poppies.
• Continue to mow the lawn at 2½ inches.
• Water the lawn and garden deeply or don’t water at all. FS829 & EB431
• Fertilize your roses. FS944
• Apply all pesticides according to label directions.
Many plants are easily propagated by layering. Verbenas, euonymus and climbing roses are a few
plants that will root if the stems are fastened down and covered with soil.
• Cutter flowers is best done with sharp shears or a knife which will help avoid injury to the growing
plant. A slanting cut will expose a larger absorbing surface to water and will prevent the base of the
stem from resting on the bottom of the vase. It is best to carry a bucket of water to the garden f or
collecting flowers, rather than a cutting basket.
A brown or grayish cast over a lawn can be caused by a dull or improperly adjusted mower blades
that shred grass rather than cut it.,
Page 15 “WHAT’S GROWING ON…”
Gardening Checklist for August
Enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms.
Fertilize your roses the first week of the month and then don’t fertilize them any more this year.
Be alert for wasp nests when mowing and gardening.
Deadhead annuals to keep them blooming.
Control weeds before they flower and produce seeds.
Gather herb leaves before their flowers bloom.
Divide overcrowded spring-flowering perennials.
Make plans for your fall planting of trees, shrubs and perennials.
Apply one inch of water to your lawn and gardens weekly during dry periods.
Check with Extension for the latest recommendations on food preservation.
Collards, kale, leaf lettuce, mustard, spinach, radishes, turnips and bok choy are good crops for your fall garden.
Early September is an ideal time for sowing grass seed or establishing a new lawn. Prepare now to renovate that
tired lawn.
Divide and transplant garden lilies and lilies-of-the-valley.
Sow seeds of California poppy, columbine, delphinium and gloriosa and Shasta daisy.
Watch for garden supply sales.
Take cuttings of begonias, coleus and impatiens for winter houseplants.
Remove melon blossoms at the end of the month that won’t have time to set fruit. Ripening melons will then be
larger.
Donate vegetables to a hunger center.
Colorful plastic golf tees can be stuck in the ground to mark the location of dormant plants such as spring bulbs or
perennials.
Since container-grown plants have a limited area from which to absorb water, plants in a sunny location may require
watering several times a week. Check plants often to avoid water stress.
Check on water needs of hanging baskets daily in the summer. Wind and sun dry them much more quickly than
other containers.
Clean up fallen rose and peony leaves. They can harbor disease and insect pests over the winter if allowed to re-
main on the ground.
Pick summer squash and zucchini every day or two to keep the plants producing.
Remove old plants which have stopped producing to eliminate a shelter for insects and disease organisms.
Water the garden early in the day so plants can absorb the moisture before the hot sun dries the soil. Early water-
ing also insures that the foliage dries before night. Wet foliage at night increases susceptibility to fungus diseases.
To reduce the number of pests on your fruit tree for the coming year, pick up and destroy all fallen fruit.
Bt is used by many gardeners to protect cole crops from chewing caterpillars.
Every weed that produces seed means more trouble next year. Control weeds before they go to seed.
Do not add weeds with mature seed heads to the compost pile. Many weed seeds can remain viable and germinate
next year when the compost is used.
Plants and trees that provide color in the month of August include Crape Myrtles, Pee Gee Hydrangeas, Viburnums,
Hypericum and Butterfly Bush. Visit your local nursery and see these beautiful plants in bloom.
Plant ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus, Pennisetum and Hardy Pampas Grass for motion and contrast.
Fall mums are in – plant now for a colorful autumn.
Check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis. Water deeply and thoroughly as
needed.
Rutgers Cooperative Extensions Fact Sheets
FS # Fact Sheet Name FS02 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug FS11 Blossom End Rot: Tomatoes, peppers, Eggplant FS58 Mulches for the Vegetable Garden FS020 Weed Control Around the Home Grounds FS106 Blueberry Pest Management for Home Gardens FS112 Apple Pest Control Schedule for New Jersey Home Orchards FS115 Cherry Spray Schedule for New Jersey Home Orchards FS119 Weed Control in Home lawns FS235 Spidermites FS399 Vole Ecology and Management FS419 Selecting Blueberry Varieties for the Home Garden FS426 Moss in the lawn FS450 Using Water Wisely in the Garden FS521 Zoysiagrass Lawns in New Jersey FS555 Best Management Practices for Watering Lawns FS595 Low Water Use Landscaping FS599 Principles of Low Water use landscaping IV: Apply Mulches FS610 Harvesting Melons at Peak Flavor FS626 Fertilizing the Home Vegetable Garden FS678 Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden FS814 Managing Diseases of landscape Turf FS871 Understanding the Fertilizer Labels FS901 Topsoil Suitable for Landscape Use FS921 Conserving Water on Home lawns and Landscapes in NJ FS924 Home Landscape Practices for Water Quality Protection FS930 Natural Pest Control-using Beneficial Insects to Control landscape Pests FS944 Roses and their Care FS988 Picking Vegetables for the Home Garden FS1019 Poison Ivy and Brush Control Around the Home Grounds FS1133 Cedar Apple Rust in the Home Landscape FS1140 Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape FS1151 Hollies for New Jersey FS1152 Hydrangeas in the Garden FS1153 Growing Dahlias FS1155 Cannas FS1158 Black Spot of Rose FS1161 Cut Flowers for the Market and Home Garden - Zinnia FS1173 Canada Thistle in Home Landscapes
Page 16 “WHAT’S GROWING ON…”
What’s Growing On is prepared by Pam Burton, Horticultural Assistant, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County.
Sincerely,
Salvatore S. Mangiafico, Ph.D. Wesley L. Kline, Ph.D. Agricultural Agent Agricultural Agent Environmental & Resource Management Agent Vegetable & Herb Production Internet: [email protected] Internet: [email protected]
For important announcements concerning the Cumberland County Extension Center visit: http://Cumberland.njaes.rutgers.edu
If you have any questions concerning the website, please call our office at 856-451-2800 x1 for agriculture and
856-451-2800 x4 for Home Horticulture and Master Gardeners
Public Notification and Non-discrimination Statement Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Con-tact your local Extension Office for information regarding special needs or accommodations. Contact the State Extension Director's Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 848-932-3584.
