Tag Archives: backyard gardening

Building a Hoop House

June 25, 2021 sgn32

By Joe Gregoire, Warwick Senior Master Gardener Volunteer

This article appeared in the June 2021 Issue of Gardening in Orange County.

I love to garden. I wouldn’t have become a Master Gardener Volunteer if I weren’t passionate about getting my hands dirty and growing food for my family and friends. My favorite time of year is the growing season, and I sure don’t like winter much. If not for the fact that I was born in the Northeast and all my family and friends are here, I’d probably move to another part of the country with a more favorable, Mediterranean climate for year-round growing, like Southern California—or even my dream retirement, to a home in Tuscany! Who knows, maybe someday I will.

Garden covered with row cover Until then, though, I have to enjoy the four seasons we’re blessed with in Orange County, New York. I’ve tried a number of strategies over the years to extend my growing season. Using row covers in the garden gives my cold-weather crops an earlier start in spring and extends my late harvest until the deep freeze sets in. I start my seedlings each February inside, under grow lights, and I grow sprouts and microgreens in the kitchen to add to salads in December and January. And I always do have houseplants to tend year-round. But I’ll admit I’ve found all these off-season activities underwhelming as they provide only the faintest scratch for my gardening itch.

The reflecting pool in the Palms of the World Gallery of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden One of my favorite winter road trips is a visit to the New York Botanical Garden. No matter what cold winds blow or rain or snow falls during my wintertime visits, a walk through the conservatory instantly transports me to a tropical paradise. I’ve always dreamt of building my own conservatory onto my home, but as our tall house casts a deep shadow over the back where we could build a conservatory, it just doesn’t make sense where we are (not to mention the high cost of such an addition).

During my last winter visit to my favorite local nursery, a different idea came to mind. Walking into their hoop house to look at poinsettias, that same tropical paradise feeling covered me like a blanket fresh from the dryer. Nice! “What if we build a hoop house in our backyard?” I asked my wife. And since she understands me well enough to know what makes me happy, she encouraged me to pursue the idea and call it my Christmas present. Yes, I also have a habit of giving myself big projects as my “gifts”. The pizza oven I built for my last birthday is proof of that.

So, online I went to learn as much about hoop house construction as possible to understand what’s involved and how much it would cost. There are many, many videos on the topic on YouTube, and some of them are very useful. My research taught me what the pros and cons are for various shapes and sizes, and if a single poly layer would work for me or if I should use a double layer with an air space blown in between the layers. And many of these YouTube videos contained useful links to suppliers of hoop house construction materials, from complete kits that ship to your home with assembly instructions to more DIY solutions. I was willing to spend some money to achieve my goal, but not too much. As this is a passion and not a profession, I’m not looking to make a return on my investment and, as I was born in Connecticut, my Yankee frugality also tends to restrain my spending.

Bootstrap Farmer Logo I settled on a solution offered by a company called “Bootstrap Farmer,” which, as their name implies, promised to equip me with a smart solution worthy of a farmer without emptying my bank account. (I have to state here that this is not an endorsement or a paid advertisement. I am sharing my personal experience so you can see what is involved in building a hoop house, regardless of the company you choose.) Since I’m a DIYer, the options they provided allowed me to source some materials from them and the rest from local retailers, saving money on shipping costs. Their website has useful tools that helped me plan my hoop house build and budget my project before I was committed to placing an order. Their instructional videos and manual made what I imagined would be a complex process very doable.

In late December I placed the order for my own Christmas present (my wife is great!), and within a week our friendly UPS driver dropped off a few large boxes. One box was filled with nuts, bolts, screws, metal joints used to connect the hoops, and the gear boxes for the roll-up side kit I chose. The next box contained the tool I’d need to bend the 10-foot metal poles that I’d use to make the hoops, and the third and heaviest box contained the polyethylene cover I’d stretch over the erected hoops. And with that delivery, I was ready to order the rest of my supplies from my local retailer. As those consisted of large and heavy poles and lumber, I chose to have them delivered as well.

Hoop house under construction Now that I had all the materials, it was time to start my build. In hindsight, I probably should have timed the project differently. As you can imagine, building an outdoor structure in January is not what you’d call great planning. But passionate as I am, I didn’t let darkness and subfreezing temperatures prevent my dream from coming to life. So outside I worked, using a pickaxe to break through the frozen topsoil, leveling the perimeter where I’d be pounding in the 4-foot-long ground posts—22 in all for the 20’ × 40’ hoop house. Spaced every 4 feet, the ground posts are pounded 2 feet into the ground to leave 2-foot lengths sticking up above the surface. These 1-5/8” steel ground posts are the same as those used for the posts of chain-link fences, and they enable the steel hoops to slide into the 2-foot portion rising above the surface, which are each then secured with a through bolt.

Once the perimeter was leveled, a very good workout for my winter-softened muscles, I spent another day pounding in the 22 ground posts using a level to maintain perpendicularity and a string to ensure all posts were the same 2-foot height aboveground. Then it was time to bend my hoops. Using the hoop bender I ordered, which I mounted to my woodshed, I was able to bend all of the hoops within a hour. Each of the 11 hoops consist of 10-foot-long 1-3/8” steel poles, normally used as the top rail of a chain-link fence. The end of one 10-foot bent pole fits into the other end to create a 20-foot arc that matches the 20-foot width of my hoop house. A self-drilling screw holds them together.

The frame of ahoop house in the snow After the hoops were bent and assembled, the magnitude of the structure I was building dawned on me. With the placement of each hoop, I began to see clearly the bones of the “house” I was building over my garden. 20 feet wide by 40 feet long, with a ceiling height of 10 feet, made for a very spacious indoor growing area indeed. I was really getting excited now. And then it came: the dreaded snowstorm I had been racing against. I had hoped to get the poly covering on before the snow, but I was unfortunately not able to beat Mother Nature on that one. My progress slowed for about a month until the deep snow melted, with my activity limited to framing the end walls and building the door in my workshop.

Putting the plastic on the hoop house frame Once the snow finally cleared in March, I was back at it, bolting in place the base boards and hip boards that serve as a solid frame around the base of the structure and provide a surface on which to attach the poly. Now, there are a variety of ways to attach the poly, as the many YouTube videos I watched demonstrated, but I didn’t have to puzzle out my choice, because the Bootstrap Farmer kit I purchased included Wiggle Wire that is “wiggled” into a metal channel to set the poly in place. I screwed the Wiggle Wire along the hip boards and end wall frame boards, and arched it over the hoops at both ends of the structure. Once the poly is pulled over the hoops, the Wiggle Wire sandwiches the poly into the channels and holds the poly taut without puncturing it like staples or nails would. This is how the professional farmers do it, so it seemed like the best option for me.

Then came the hardest part of all, stretching the poly over the hoops and securing it with the Wiggle Wire. Sometimes I wish I was not a DIYer, as doing it yourself is literally impossible if your objective is to lift 100+ pounds of polyethylene film over a 10-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide, and 40-foot-long hoop house. At times like that I wish I had 3 or 4 clones of myself. So back I went to my sainted wife again for advice and assistance. And sure enough, she had a great idea: we could use the winch on our ATV to pull the poly sheeting over the length of the structure and then unfurl it down both sides. Genius! I built a large “spool” contraption at one end, tied a long rope to the end of the spooled poly, and—with my wife as the winch operator and me on a ladder to prevent the poly from snagging on anything—we pulled the poly, stretched it, and secured it with Wiggle Wire in just a couple of hours. (And all, I might add, before the wind had a chance to blow it off.)

Inside of hoop house full of growing crops After a few additional hours of trimming the end wall poly and installing the door, our new hoop house was complete. And the next day, with temperatures in the 30’s, my tropical paradise was a reality, with temperatures inside in the upper 60’s. The soil went from being frozen solid to holding steady temperatures above 50° within a week, and my first seedlings were in the ground as of early March. A variety of lettuce, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, beets, and Chinese broccoli started filling our kitchen in mid-April. And as my plans are to succession plant this space through the summer and grow my heat-loving tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and zucchini, I’m hoping to have a banner year. My ultimate goal is to follow the lessons learned in Eliot Coleman’s excellent book Four-Season Harvest and to continue gardening right through the winter. Wish me luck!

Resources for those interested in Extending the Season

If you’re interested in extending the gardening season and making the most of your limited space for as much of the year as possible, here are a few great websites to explore:

Four Season Farm Book List – A list of excellent books to read
about year-round growing in hoop houses.

Bootstrap Farmer – Learn all about hoop house design
options and watch useful instructional videos.

Charles Dowding – Learn about succession planting and inter-cropping growing techniques from a leading practitioner of no-dig gardening:

You’ll find plenty of other material on the web and YouTube to fill hours of your time, but these are just a few recommended places to start.

Inside of a hoop house full of green growing crops

Uncategorized

Pest Watch: Squash Vine Borer

June 23, 2021 sgn32

Drawing of the squash vine borer lifecycle showing a an adult red and black moth on a wilting squash plant with a white grub like worm burrowed in the stem and a white pupa buried in the ground By Kimberly Marshall, Washingtonville Master Gardener Volunteer

This article appeared in the June 2021 Issue of Gardening in Orange County.

Nothing feels worse than seeing your squash wilt and die—especially after months of watching those leafy green beauties thrive in your garden.

Although the culprit may be many things, it often turns out to be the squash vine borer (Melittia cucurbitae)—an odious insect that nestles into the squash’s stem. Whilst making a lovely home for itself, it chokes off the plant’s nutrients and kills those crops you’ve so carefully chosen, planted, and reared.

To prevent the squash vine borer from damaging your harvest, here’s how to recognize and eliminate the pest.

How to identify the squash vine borer and the damage that it does:

Look for

black moths with orangey-red markings on the head, legs, and abdomen
flat eggs resembling tiny brown ovals around the plant’s base
fat, white, wrinkly, worm-like larvae at the base of the stem
wilting leaves and rotting stems
holes at the base surrounded by “frass” (which looks like sawdust)

How to prevent squash vine borers from ruining your yield:

rotate your crops (as borer cocoons overwinter in the soil)
clear away squash plants immediately after harvesting, removing any and all plant debris
use row covers early in the growing season (must be removed to allow for pollination), or protect stem bases by wrapping them in aluminum foil
grow borer-resistant varieties, such as ‘Cocozella di Napoli’ or ‘Costata Romanesco’. Butternut squashes are also highly resistant.
plant extra—just in case.

How to minimize damage if borers have found your garden anyway:

plant the pest’s preferred crop—Hubbard squash—as a ‘trap crop’
fill a yellow dish or bucket with water to attract moths. While this won’t totally divert them from the plants, it will provide an indication of their presence so you know to be extra vigilant about looking for eggs
if you notice frass, immediately cut lengthwise up the squash’s stem, remove all of the larvae, and then bury the cut in nutrient-rich soil to re-root.

In general, you should look for the squash vine borer early and often. After all, it’s always better to be a safe gardener than a sorry one!

Gardener's Checklist, June

Gardener’s Check List

June 17, 2021 sgn32

June 2021

Garden Maintenance

Water in the morning, allowing plants to dry before nightfall.

Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly.

Continue to divide spring-flowering perennials.

Plant summer flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas, and lilies.

Remove emerging weeds before they take over your garden.

Learn how to make your garden more attractive for beneficial insects – pollinators and natural enemies.

Virtual Workshop: Gardening for Beneficial Insects: Bees, Butterflies, and Natural Enemies – Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County

Pest Watch

Do a daily tick check!

Get your ticks tested for free! – Upstate Medical University

Be on the look out for spotted lanternfly nymphs.

Spotted Lanternfly Look-alikes – Virginia Cooperative Extension

Dump out any standing water from containers in your yard to prevent mosquito breeding.

How to Manage Mosquitoes in the Landscape – New York State Integrated Pest Management

Scout your plants often for pests.

What Kind of Insect is Destroying my Plants?– Gardening in Orange County Blog

Vegetable Gardening

Prune and trellis your tomato plants.

Harvest and eat your garlic scapes.

Seed green beans, radishes, and heat-tolerant greens every two weeks.

Vegetable Planing Guide – Cornell Cooperative Extension

Most vegetable plants need about an inch of water a week. Water plants at the base to avoid getting the leaves wet.

Continue to remove weeds, as they compete with your garden plants for water, sunlight, and space.

Get outside and enjoy nature!

White spider camoflagued on a white daisy nabbing a fly

Out in the Garden

When to turn on the irrigation?

May 28, 2021 sgn32

by Steve Reiners, Professor, Horticulture, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech

This spring has gone from dry to wet and back to dry, which can be frustrating for growers. If you have been able to get your fields planted, it can sometimes be confusing in terms of when to water and for how long.

As soon as seeds germinate and plants break through the soil surface, it’s time to water more deeply. Same is true after transplanting. Shallow watering encourages shallow rooting and makes the plants more vulnerable to drought .

Deep watering will encourage roots to “follow the water” leading to deeper roots and more productive plants. To sum up your basic watering strategy: Water less often, but longer when you do.

If growing outdoors, it’s easy enough to keep a water budget. At this time of the year, apply at least 1/3 of an inch of water at least two to three times per week if it doesn’t rain. As plants grow and temperatures warm, increase the watering to 1/3 of an inch three to four times per week. Keep a rain gauge in your field and measure your rainfall.

You can also ‘feel’ your soil to see when it may be time to water. Pick some up and try rolling it into a ball. If you can, the soil is moist enough. Or put your finger in the soil or dig down with a hand trowel. Is it dry more than two inches deep? Then it’s time to water.

Some commercial growers will purchase equipment like tensiometers which estimates soil moisture at various depths. When a certain level of dryness is reached, irrigation starts.

If water access is limited, look at the chart below to determine the critical time to water a particular crop. Focus your irrigation efforts on crops in these stages.

Table 1. Critical irrigation periods for vegetable crops

Crop	Critical Stage for moisture stress
Asparagus	Fern growth
Beans	Flowering, Pod fill
Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower	Establishment and head filling
Carrot	Establishment and root development
Cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash	Flowering and fruit enlargement
Eggplant	Flowering and fruit development
Lettuce	Head development
Onion	Bulb enlargement
Pea	Flowering, Pod fill
Pepper	Transplanting, fruit set and development
Sweet Corn	Tassel, silk, ear fill
Tomato	Flowering, fruit set, enlargement

An inch of water on an acre is a lot of gallons – 27,000 to be exact. So, if watering only with a third of an inch you need 9,000 gallons. On a smaller scale, a 100 square foot garden requires 70 gallons for one inch of water.

Overhead irrigation is easy to use and can water large areas at one time. Unfortunately, it also wets the leaves. And as any plant pathologist will tell you, wet leaves equal disease. Pathogens spread easily when plants are wet. So, if you can, water in the morning so that leaves can dry through the day. Watering in the evening assures a long period of leaf wetness, practically guaranteeing disease.

Drip Irrigation in a garden bed — Drip irrigation system

Trickle or drip irrigation is an effective alternative to overhead irrigation. These systems apply water slowly through perforated tubes laid directly on the soil, which decreases the amount of water needed by 50 percent or more. Little water is lost to evaporation as it is uniformly applied slowly right at the roots. Leaves remain dry, diseases are reduced, and you can water at any time, day or night, whatever fits your schedule. You can even water while working in the garden.

Out in the Garden

Gardening on a Slope

May 19, 2021 sgn32

By Mary Carol Presutti, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

This article appeared in the May 2021 Issue of Gardening in Orange County.

The front of my property is flat and user-friendly, but my backyard is another story. A few feet beyond my backdoor is a landscaping challenge that could have impacted the way I garden. Instead, I have learned to live with and embrace a slope that starts at 30 degrees and culminates in an impressive 45-degree angle.

Initially, I saw my backyard as a challenge that had to be conquered and tamed. I was mesmerized by gardening magazine articles with beautiful photographs of elaborate stone, terraced gardens and the intricate stairs that led to them.

It seems the original owner of the house next door read the same magazines and had flattened a good part of the yard, changed the angle of the hill and added retaining walls at the top. She planted shrubs, as well as annuals, bulbs and perennials with a lot of mulch to keep weeds down.

Over the years, shrub roots and water have pushed the retaining wall and bowed it. New neighbors who purchased the property two years before we moved in found the mass of plantings too labor intensive. Consequently, staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) have completely overrun the hillside.

I delved into my own hillside project with an eye to next door. Working with what is already there, I have created a series of small gardens slowly working my way up the hill. There is no formal plan to speak of. No large terracing or stairs. Despite the challenges, I don’t feel like I have given up usable planting space in my backyard.

If I wish to level an area, I build a two- or three-course stone raised bed. Just enough to give me a little less angle. I also put in small steps and hardscapes to keep a toehold in steeper areas. The farther up it goes, the more natural things get. Last year I finally started sowing native grass and perennial seeds at the top of the property. There are a few non-native plants like Periwinkle (Vinca minor) left over from the previous owner that have kept the Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) and Poison ivy manageable, so I will leave them for the time being.

To learn more about hillside gardening:

Gardening on Steep Slopes – Mississippi State University Extension

Native Plants for Sunny Slopes – University of Maryland Extension

Out in the Garden, Vegetable Gardening

Patience is a Virtue in Planting Outdoors

May 12, 2021 sgn32

by Joyce Tomaselli, Community Horticulture Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County

A version of this article appeared in the Times Herald-Record in May of 2017.

Many sources provide great advice on sowing seeds. Key factors include sufficient light and temperature for growing the seeds. But the question inevitably arises when to transplant them outdoors. Don’t rush. Cold soil and air temperatures can stress plants. Wait at least a week or two after the last frost.

The latest map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows the last spring frost date for the Hudson Valley to be between New York, which indicates April 16^th and May 15^th. But of course these dates are only guides. In 2020 we had a hard frost on May 15^th that severely damaged many plants. There is no guarantee that frost will not occur after the last date shown. This map does not tell you the best time to plant tomatoes or other frost-sensitive crops. That date is usually several weeks after the last frost, after the soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures are reliably well above freezing.

Nighttime temperatures should be consistently above 45°F, and the soil should be warm, about 70°F. You can use black plastic mulch to warm soil and/or row covers, hot caps or other protection to keep plants warm early in the season. Remove covers whenever temperatures exceed 85°F.

Harden off plants before transplanting by reducing water and fertilizer, not by exposing to cold temperatures, which can stress them and stunt growth.

Remember that microclimates have a tremendous effect. Some valleys and low-lying areas can be plagued by late frosts on clear, cold nights when there is radiational cooling. Large bodies of water (such as the Hudson) may moderate air temperatures at some sites, reducing the chances of frost.

Since plant development is temperature-dependent, rather than depending on specific calendar dates we can make decisions based on Growing Degree Days, a measure of accumulated heat or by observing phenological events of plants.

Phenology is a branch of science that studies the relationships such as the life cycles of plants and animals and environmental changes. Seasonal changes such as weather or temperature can be correlated with natural events such as bird migration, plant budding, flowering or fruiting and insect activities. For example, in the Hudson Valley migrating hummingbirds usually arrive when forsythia bloom. Centuries ago, Native Americans began planting corn when oak leaves are the size of a Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis).

University of Wisconsin Extension has provided some examples of phenological correlations:

Plant peas when forsythia blooms.

Plant potatoes when the first dandelion blooms.

Plant beets, carrots, cole crops, lettuce and spinach when lilac is in first leaf.

Plant corn when oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear.

Plant bean, cucumber, and squash seeds when lilac is in full bloom.

Plant tomatoes when lily-of-the-valley plants are in full bloom.

Transplant eggplant, melons, and peppers when irises bloom.

So watch the calendar, but also watch for other clues from nature when you’re making decisions about planting and transplanting outdoors.

Gardener's Checklist, May

Gardener’s Check List

May 5, 2021 sgn32

May 2021

Garden Maintenance

Welcome pollinators to your Lawn with No Mow May!

Remove dead leaves from flower and vegetable beds.

When can I clean up my garden…and still protect beneficial insects? – Biocontrol Bytes, NYSIPM

Divide perennials so they have more space to grow. Give extras to family and friends.

Last chance to transplant deciduous trees and shrubs.

Plant summer flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas, and lilies.

Lilacs

Remove flowerheads after lilac bloom.

Plant a cutting garden to create beautiful flower arrangements all summer long.

WORKSHOP: Growing and Selecting Flowers for Floral Arrangements – Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County

Remove emerging weeds before they take over your garden.

Consider using container gardening to beautify your home, create a privacy screen and/or grow vegetables and herbs.

WORKSHOP: Creating Beautiful Container Gardens – Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County

Pest Watch

Do a daily tick check!

Get your ticks tested for free! – Upstate Medical University

Watch out for snails and slugs in the garden.

Be on the look out for spotted lanternfly nymphs.

Spotted Lanternfly Look-alikes – Virginia Cooperative Extension

Scout your stone fruit trees(i.e. cherry, peach, plum, etc.) for black knot.

Scout for and remover tent caterpillar webs.

Vegetable Gardening

Install supports for climbing vegetables such as peas and beans before planting seeds

Seed or transplant hardy vegetables such as kale, beets, peas, radishes, chard and carrots.

Vegetable Planing Guide – Cornell Cooperative Extension

Tomato seedlings

Harden-off seedlings before planting them to reduce transplant shock.
Plant potatoes.

Transplant warm weather vegetables and tender annuals after the last frost.

Patience is a Virtue in Planting Outdoors – Times Herald-Record

Review your crop rotation plan in the vegetable garden.

Play out in the rain!

Uncategorized

Pest Watch: European Pine Sawfly

April 28, 2021 sgn32

By Gerda Krogslund, Middletown Master Gardener Volunteer

This article appeared in the April 2021 Issue of Gardening in Orange County.

Young sawfly larvae - Group of bright green caterpillar-like bugs with black heads feeding on pine needles — Newly hatched European pine sawfly larvae

In New York State, there are six species of sawflies that are common pests of pines. Sawfly larvae are caterpillar-like and usually feed in groups and strip one branch of needles after another. They prefer old needles, but turn to new needles when food is scarce. The European pine sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer) is one of the most destructive in New York State. It prefers red and Scotch pine, however it will also attack other pines in the area.

Life Cycle

Small wasp perched on a pine needle — Adult European pine sawfly

Sawfly adults resemble large houseflies but are actually closely related to wasps and sometimes referred to as ‘stingerless wasps.’ Females European pine sawflies have a serrated ovipositor, a tube-like organ used for egg laying, which enables them to saw little slits in the needles to lay their eggs leaving a row of brown scars on the needles. The eggs overwinter and may start to hatch as early as April or as late as mid-May. The larvae feed in colonies for several weeks. When the larvae are fully grown, they drop to the ground and pupate. Then in September adults emerge and mate. Then the females use their saw-like ovipositor to lay 6-8 eggs per pine needle.

Oviposition scars - series of evenly spaced light brown dos on green pine needles — Egg scars

Management

When European pine sawfly eggs hatch birds and rodents help decrease the number of larvae on your pines, but sometimes additional management is needed. You can remove larvae by hand or prune out infested branches. Put larvae and branches in a pail of soapy water.

If you chose to use an insecticide, keep in mind that as with most insects, sawflies are more susceptible to insecticides when they are small. There are horticultural oils and insecticidal soap labeled for control of sawflies. If you chose to use an insecticide make sure you read the entire label and follow all of the instructions including the use of personal protective equipment. The label is the law! And remember sawflies are NOT caterpillars so Bt, a go to organic pesticide for many home gardeners, will not work on sawflies.

Fun Facts

Sawfly larvae are often mistaken as caterpillars, but it is quite easy to tell the difference if you know what to look for.

Both caterpillars and sawflies have three sets of true legs (six legs in total). These are located near the head. After the true legs are a series of prolegs. Caterpillars have five or fewer pairs of abdominal prolegs while sawfly larvae have six or more pairs of abdominal prolegs.

Look at the picture above. You can see three pairs of true legs. (The first pair is a bit hard to see; it is between the head and the pair of true legs sticking straight up in the air.) After the true legs there is a gap and then seven pairs of abdominal prolegs. There is also a pair of anal prolegs at the very end of the body. Since seven is more than five, this must be a sawfly larvae.

Caterpillar with yellow and black/white stripes running lengthwise down the body. — Zebra caterpillar (Melanchra picta)

Look at the picture above. You can see three pairs of true legs right behind the head. Then there is a gap followed by four pairs of abdominal prolegs. There is also a pair of anal prolegs at the very end of the body. Since four is less than five, this must be a caterpillar.

Resources

European Pine Sawfly – Penn State Extension

Is it a Sawfly Larva or a Caterpillar? – The Ohio State University

Pine Sawflies – University of Kentucky

Vegetable Gardening

Crop Rotation

April 21, 2021 sgn32

by Joan Kean, Pine Bush Master Gardener Volunteer

This article appeared in the April 2021 Issue of Gardening in Orange County.

Crop rotation is the planned, successive cultivation of different crops in a specified order on the same land over time. Regardless of whether you have acres of farmland, grow vegetables in containers, or anything in between, crop rotation is an important concept to integrate into your growing strategies. It is a system of cycling a parcel of land through various crops in order to reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. It is vitally important to optimal soil health and can increase yields.

The history of crop rotation dates back thousands of years. The ancient Romans spread their farming practices throughout the Roman Empire. European farmers followed a Roman cropping system called “food, feed, and fallow.” Farmers divided their land into three sections. Each year they planted a food grain such as wheat on one section, feed for livestock such as barley or oats on second section and let the third section lie fallow. By following this schedule on a rotating basis, when each section lay fallow it recovered some of its nutrients and organic matter.

Today’s crop rotation systems are science based and range from simple to complex. The succession of crops to be grown is carefully designed to ensure soil nutrients are sustained, pest populations are controlled, weeds are suppressed, and soil health is built. Each crop uses different types and amounts of minerals from the soil. If the same crop is planted each year, over time the soil is depleted of the minerals essential for plant growth and health. In reverse, a different crop will sometimes return missing minerals to the soil as the plant dies and composts or is turned into the soil.

Benefits of Crop Rotation

- - Enhanced soil structure: Rotation preserves and improves soil structure. Grow crops with different root structures that grow to various depths. By rotating, the soil is not submitted to just shallow depth crops, but deep-rooted plants that will slowly deepen the topsoil, enhance water absorption and minimize runoff.
- - Reduced fertilizer needs: Nitrogen-fixing legumes in crop rotations or used as cover crops fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil through root nodules. This nitrogen is then available for subsequent crops. Deep-rooted cover crops can draw up nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus from deep in the soil profile, making these nutrients available for subsequent shallow rooted crops. These and other strategies reduce the need for fertilizer and can reduce the production of greenhouse gases.
- - Reduced pesticide needs: Insects can over winter in your soil. They enter the leaves and vines of your plants ready to reawaken in the spring to find their favorite meal. When you utilize crop rotation, these insects are faced with a plant they don’t feed on.
- - Disease prevention: Crops that are from the same family tend to have similar disease and insect problems. Just like insects, plant diseases can over winter in plant leaves, roots and vines under your soil. Rotating crops helps to guard against these diseases returning the following year.
- - Weed control: Including cover crops into crop rotation systems provides greater competitions to the weeds for their basic needs such as nutrients, space and light. Cover crops ultimately crowd out the weeds, slowing down weed growth and proliferation for a reduced weed population in subsequent crops.
- - Erosion control: Improved soil structure and reduced exposure to water and wind. Cover crops are effective in reducing raindrop impact, reducing sediment detachment and transport, slowing surface runoff, and so reducing soil loss.
- - Improved soil biodiversity: Crop rotation changes crop residues and rooting patterns. Different crops benefit different species, and so a range of crops will lead to a more diverse and healthy soil microbial community.

How to Rotate Crops

Crop rotation plans range from simple to complex. Ideally crops should be rotated on a three or four year cycle in a planned sequence. Many rotation schemes involve keeping plants of the same family together throughout the rotation. Plant your solanaceous crops (i.e. tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant) in one area, cucurbits (i.e. cucumbers, melon, squash) in another, and brassicas (i.e. cabbage, broccoli, etc.) in another. The following year you keep the groups the same, but move their location in the garden.

As you explore crop rotation there are lots of tricks to learn. You can add cover crops to your rotation, which are grown between crops and can be used to protect soil, break-up hard pan, increase organic matter, add nitrogen and/or improve soil aggregation. Consider planting nitrogen-fixing legumes (i.e. peas, beans) before heavy feeding crops (i.e. corn). Potatoes yield best after corn, brassicas do well following onions. Some preceding crops (i.e. peas, oats, barley) increase the incidence of scab on potatoes. Beans are not greatly influenced by the preceding crop. Start by keeping a list or diagram of plant locations in this year’s garden and use it to help you plan how to incorporate crop rotation into your vegetable gardening strategy.

Resources

History & Principles of Crop Rotation – Allotment Garden

Learn more about the importance of crop rotation and see examples of three, four and five year crop rotation plans specifically developed for gardeners.

Cover Crops for Home Gardeners – Oregon State University

Crop Rotation on Organic Farms – Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education – USDA

Although written for farmers, this manual has a plethora of information relevant to gardeners including sample crop rotation sequences.

What is Soil Health? – Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education – USDA

An interactive exploration of soil health and how to improve it.

Out in the Garden

Questions about Soil Amendments

April 14, 2021 sgn32

By Gerda Krogslund, Middletown Senior Master Gardener Volunteer

This article appeared in the April 2021 Issue of Gardening in Orange County.

It is spring and everyone wants to go outside and apply fertilizer to their plants, because that’s what you do in the spring. However, overfertilizering your plants is not only a waste of time and money, but it can also damage your plants and harm the environment. If you already incorporated lots of compost and other organic material into your soil every year, your soil is probably doing well. So before you add fertilizer or any other soil amendments to your garden, I encourage you to get a soil test.

Once you’ve gotten your soil tested, confirmed that you need fertilizer, and are ready to add some fertilizer, there are many things to consider, so lets take a look at a few of them.

- What is a soil amendment?
- What do the numbers mean on a bag of fertilizer?
- Should I use solid or liquid fertilizer?
- Should I use organic or inorganic fertilizer?
- How and when should I apply fertilizer?
- What about my lawn?
- What about soil pH?
- Resources

What is a soil amendment?

Soil amendments are substances added to the soil to improve plant growth. Fertilizers the most common type of soil amendment and their main purpose is to supply nutrients to plants. Soil conditioners are soil amendments that are mixed into the topsoil to improve soil structure. Improving the structure of your soil will allow water and air movement in the soil and help with plant root growth. Compost is considered a soil conditioner as it improves the soil structure with the added benefits of slowly releasing nutrients to the plants and increasing bacterial and fungal activity. Other soil amendments include biostimulants and pH adjusters.

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What do the numbers mean on a bag of fertilizer?

Fertilizers contain the primary macronutrients needed by plants: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) . The three numbers on a bag of fertilizer represent the percentage (by weight) of NPK found in that bag. For example, the numbers on a 50-lb. bag of 10-6-4 fertilizer contains 10% N (5 lbs.), 6% P (3 lbs.), and 4% K (2 lbs.) The remaining 80% (40 lbs.) of the mixture is made up of secondary nutrients like calcium, magnesium and sulfur, trace elements, and fillers that make it easier to spread.

Each macronutrient is essential to healthy plant growth. Nitrogen (N) is used for to promote foliar growth. Phosphorus (P) supports the plant’s roots and reproductive system including flower and fruit development. Potassium (K) is important in root development and for overall plant health, including disease and stress resistance.

Knowing what each number represents can help you decide which fertilizer is best for your specific situation. If you are looking for a fertilizer to enhance flower production for your annual and perennial flowers, you would choose a fertilizer with more phosphorous like a 5-10-5. If you are looking to encourage foliar growth for leafy green vegetables, evergreens, or shrubs, you would look for a fertilizer with more nitrogen or a higher first number such as 10-6-4. Understanding the number will help you avoid applying the wrong kind of fertilizer. If you add too much nitrogen to a tomato plant, you might have a lush green leafy plant with very few flowers. The same holds true for root crops such as carrots; too much nitrogen will produce beautiful leaves, but smaller roots.

Corn plant with yellow leaf margins caused by fertlizer burn — Fertilizer burn

Remember chemical fertilizers contain salts. Apply too much, and the plant cells will begin to dehydrate and collapse. Too much fertilizer will burn plant leaves and roots, and sometimes even kill the plant. This is called fertilizer burn. If you suspect fertilizer burn, use plenty of water to flush out excess fertilizer and prune out any burned leaves.

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Should I use solid or liquid fertilizer?

Whether you use solid or liquid fertilizer, you should always water your plants before application. This will help the roots absorb nutrients better and mitigate the risk of root burn.

A common type of solid fertilizer is granular fertilizer. Granular fertilizers can be broadcast by hand and then scratched into the top 4-6 inches of soil. For large areas like lawns, a mechanical spreader can be used. Moisture is needed to break down solid fertilizers and make nutrients available to plants. After application, carefully wash any fertilizer granules off of the foliage of your plants and water to release the nutrients.

Many solid fertilizers are quick release meaning that the nutrients are available immediately after application. There are also slow-release fertilizers that come in capsule forms and dissolve as they get wet. Since the capsules are made to break down at different rates, a single application can last over several months.

Water soluble fertilizers are sold as liquids or powders which you dissolve in watering before applying. These are great for fast-growing plants because the fertilizer is applied directly to the leaves and plants take up nutrients more efficiently through the leaves than through roots. Nutrients are absorbed quickly and rarely burn the plants. For large areas you can use hose-end sprayer fertilizers which come in containers that connect to the end of your hose and can be easily sprayed over your plants. A drawback to liquid fertilizers is that they must be applied more frequently as they can move quickly through the soil especially if it rains after an application.

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Should I use organic or inorganic fertilizer?

Organic fertilizers are derived from plant and animal sources or a mined mineral such as rock phosphate. Liquid organic fertilizers include compost tea, fish emulsion, and seaweed. Dry organic fertilizers include manure, blood meal, bone meal, and cottonseed meal. Organic fertilizers usually contain low concentration of nutrients that are slowly released into the environment as they are broken down by soil microbes. Because of this, they are much less likely to cause fertilizer burn, and do not harm beneficial microbes in the soil.

Inorganic fertilizers or synthetic fertilizers are usually less expensive than organic ones and give quick results. However there are draw backs. They can cause fertilizer burn and if application rate or timing is off, there is a high chance of fertilizer runoff which can have detrimental effects on the environment. Many synthetic fertilizers also contain high concentrations of salts, which can cause fertilizer burn and can harm soil microbes.

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How and when should I apply fertilizer?

Home gardeners have a tendency to overfertilize, that is why soil tests are so important. Remember if your beds are rich in organic material you may not need any fertilizer, that holds true for annuals, herbaceous perennials, and vegetables. New gardens low in organic matter may need to be fertilized in early spring, usually a 5-10-10 will suffice, but make sure to test your soil to see what your soil needs.

Herbs are a special case. Many herbs such as basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and lavender, grow best on sunny dry sites in sandy soil. Heavy applications of fertilizers or organic matter may lower the plant’s essential oil content and encourage root and stem rot diseases.

Healthy mature trees usually do not need fertilizer as they benefit from turf fertilization as well as the decomposition of grass clippings and fallen leaves. Shrubs that are surrounded by turf usually do not require additional fertilizer either. For those shrubs whose growth is slow, top-dress their beds with compost or apply a balanced fertilizer like 5-10-5 in early spring or in late fall. Don’t fertilize your perennials, trees and shrubs in late summer or early fall or you may encourage a flush of new growth that will not have time to harden off before the winter.

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What about my lawn?

When it comes to lawns, the best time to apply fertilizer is in September. If you have a high use lawn it may need a second fertilizer application in May. Returning grass clipping to your lawn can reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizer by 25 – 50 %. Note that New York State Runoff Law restricts the use of fertilizer containing phosphorous unless you are establishing a new lawn or have the results of a soil test that indicate your lawn does not have enough phosphorous. Check out Cornell’s turf website for more information about how and when to feed your lawn.

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What about soil pH?

Chart showing nutrient avaiablilty at from pH 4 through 10 — Effect of pH on nutrient availability

Soil pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion activity in the soil. The scale of measuring acidity or alkalinity contains 14 divisions known as pH units. The pH value of 7 is neutral with values below 7 are acidic and values above 7 are basic or alkaline. With some exceptions most plants do best when the soil pH is in the 6.0 – 7.0 range. pH affects the availability of nutrients in the soil. As a result, plants in soil with very high or very low soil pH will show symptoms of nutrient deficiency.

Of course some plants prefer acidic or alkaline soil. Azaleas like an acidic soil and may develop yellow leaves if the pH is over 7.0. Blueberries do best in an acidic soil in the 4.5 – 5 range.

You can change the pH of the soil, but it is usually a slow process and may require repeat treatments. Adding lime to the soil will increase the pH and adding ammonium sulfate, iron sulfate or elemental sulfur will lower the pH. Liming is best done in the fall to allow time for it to change the pH. Instead of trying to change the pH of your soil, it is easier to choose plants that are adapted to the existing conditions. This is the principle of selecting the right plant for the right site. Changes to pH are short term and annual pH tests are recommended to determine what needs to be done to maintain desired soil pH.

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Remember that the best way to improve plant growth is the regular incorporation of organic matter or compost in the soil for good soil structure. If you do decide to buy soil amendments, always read the label, apply the recommended amounts and use proper personal protective equipment like gloves and masks. Happy gardening!

Resources

Correcting Soil pH – Cornell Cooperative Extension

Fertilizer Basics – University of Maryland Extension

Fertilizing your Lawn – Cornell Turfgrass

Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs – University of Maryland Extension

Lawn Fertilizer – NYS Nutrient Runoff Law – NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Organic Matter and Soil Amendments – University of Maryland Extension

Soil Testing for Home Gardeners – Cornell Cooperative Extension