The Garden Shed

Rutgers, NJAES Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County is now offering the Jr. Master Gardener program. Jr. Master Gardeners is a new and innovative youth gardening project. It is modeled after the highly popular Master Gardener program, and offers horticulture and environmental science education through fun and creative activities. The project is geared towards children in grades 3 through 8. The JMG program introduces young gardeners to the art and science of gardening, and helps them develop leadership and life skills to become good citizens within their communities, schools and families. The Gloucester County program will begin in November. For more information about becoming involved with Jr. Master Gardener contact Rutgers, NJAES Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County at 856-307-6450 ext 1 or email cummings@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Now that your gardens have passed their peaks and your harvests are coming to an end it is time to think about next years’ plantings. You may wonder “Why should I thing about next year?” Well. The best gardens are the result of long-term planning. Fall gardening activities include soil preparation, planting and mulching.
Fall plantings of bulbs, trees and shrubs can make for a beautiful spring. Bulbs such as tulips, crocus, hyacinths and daffodils need to be planted in late-October to November. This is done in order for the bulbs to go through a cold period to promote blooming in the spring. Hate that ugly yellowing leaves of your daffodil and tulip foliage – when you plant your bulbs in the fall, simply interplant all the bulbs with perennial flowers. Fall interplanting is an easy project that makes your spring and summer garden look great.
Trees and shrubs can be planted from September through November before the ground freezes. Like in spring, fall is a good time for planting trees and shrubs because they are less likely to go through heat and drought stress. In winter, roots of trees and shrubs can be protected by mulching. Also flower bulbs, asparagus roots, rhubarb and other perennials also appreciate a blanket of mulch to keep them warm through the winter months. Mulch should be 2-4 inches deep. A variety of materials can be used, such as compost, straw. Leaves, wood chips and grass clippings.
We tend to forget our gardens after gardens after the harvests are over. However, by caring for our landscapes now, they will reward us during the growing season with beautiful flowers and delicious garden vegetables. Gardening is an enjoyable and relaxing activity. Even after the harvests we can still spend time outside improving our landscapes.

Things to do this month:
Dig and store non-hardy summer flowering bulbs (cannas, dahlias, gladiolas). After digging, let them sit in a warm place to dry. Then store them in a dry, cool location.
Divide daylilies, irises, astilbles, peonies and other spring flowering perennials.
Seed Lawns no later than October 15th.

Things to look for this month:
Older needles on white pines turning yellow and dropping, a normal seasonal occurrence.
Control Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on hemlocks and other types of pines with soaps or oils.
Check for fall invaders, make sure you seal entry points and remove trash and other materials near your home where they can overwinter.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys is an new species of stink bug invading peoples homes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This invasive new pest was first discovered near Allentown, Pa. in 1996 and is being studied by entomologists at Rutgers and Penn State. It can cause damage to fruiting plants on farms and home orchards. It may also be damaging to vegetable crops and ornamentals. Surveys are underway to monitor how widespread it will become.
The bugs are harmless but a nuisance to home owners because they congregate on warm surfaces and invade homes. Unlike most other stink bugs they give a pheromone(scent) that causes them to aggregate in large numbers. Unlike box elder bugs and Asiatic lady bugs that act similarly, when you crush or damage them they stink.
You may get other stink bugs in your home but nothing as persistent or aggressive at the Marmorated Stink Bug hiding in your walls and openings around your air conditioner.
At our Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station we are trying to track the invasiveness so request anyone seeing the bug to register on our web site at www.njaes.rutgers.edu./stinkbug/ This site contains some excellent information on identification and control measures.

Jerry Frecon
Agricultural Agent