The Garden Shed

Too often we fail to feed and water the roots of our trees. Lawns are regularly watered, but little emphasis is placed on watering trees. I have saved many trees that were thought to be dying simply by treating them with my trusty “Ross Root Feeder.” I use the name Ross because I have never seen another company that manufactured or marketed a root feeder in our region.
The Ross root feeder is easily attached to the garden hose. It has a handle for pushing a long 36 inch probe into the soil at varying depths around the tree. The handle has a cup with a valve. The cup has a screw on top so when the valve is closed, the top can be screwed off and a concentrated fertilizer (made by Ross and others) can be placed in the cup. When the top is secure and the valve is opened the water and fertilizer mix go down the probe and shoot out at the base in four directions. It can be used without the fertilizer to simply water trees.
I like the feeder for three reasons: 1) It waters trees quickly at levels down to 36 inches where many feeder roots are located; 2) It also distributes a water soluble fertilizer down to the roots quickly; 3) By making holes in the soil around the tree it aerates roots after the water is used or drains away.
I would never plant a tree without having a Ross root feeder.

Jerome L. Frecon
Agricultural Agent

In addition to our Master Gardeners program and our weekly Horticultural classes in Gloucester County in the spring, Rutgers offers a full day Home Garden School on our New Brunswick campus. This year's school is our 31st and is being offered on September 15, 2007
A full agenda of topics like; the Art of Pruning; Hands on Flower Arranging; Landscape Design; Care of Houseplants; The Art of Bonsai; Pests and Diseases, Proper Planting Techniques, Growing Grapes in You Backyard; Fall Planting; The Basics of Home Winemaking as well as many other topics will be offered.

Registration information is available on line at the web site http://cookce.rutgers.edu/main/registration.html with the Rutgers Office of Continuing and Professional Education. You can also get information by phone at (732) 932-9271 Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
or By FAX: (732) 932-8726.

Jerry Frecon
Agricultural Agent