the garden spade · (may 1), and gardening on a shoestring workshop (may 15). the workshops have...

The Garden Spade

Spring 2010 Volume 4, Issue 1

Inside this issue:

RCE Report 2 2010 Vegetable Garden 3

Exec Committee Report 4 Hort Therapy 4

Heard on the Helpline 5

Recipes from the Garden 6 The Greenhouse 6 Undesirables 7

Around the Web 7

MG Reunion 8

Happenings 9 Garden Frog 9 The Bookshelf 9

Garden Passion 10

Historic Mill House Tour 11

Winter Barrel Planting 11

Bird Count 12

Gardens To Visit 13

Beautiful Rain Barrels 14

Echo and Narcissus 15

Writing an Article for the Newsletter

16

MG Calendar of Events 17

South Brunswick Garden Club Workshop By Art Lee

Master Gardener Norma Swale speaking on Shade Gardens

On February 7, 2010, the South Brunswick Garden Club held a workshop at the South Brunswick Library in Monmouth Junction. The garden club is part of the Dayton Vil-lage Citizens Coalition (DVCC), a non-profit entity. Coordinator for the event was Art Lee, master gardener, who is also chair for the garden club. There were 29 attendees including 5 master gardeners. Topics covered and presenters were: 1) Community Gardens: Establishment, Maintenance and Lessons Learned – Marsha Rosenberg, Coordinator, Four Seasons Gardening Committee, Dayton, NJ. Ms. Rosenberg presented the commu-nity garden experience in an adult commu-nity. She discussed the need to have rules and regulations. Their gardens are super-vised by a gardening committee. Gardening season begins on May 15th and ends on Oc-tober 31st. All gardeners are required to sign a yearly agreement and give a $50 deposit. Failure to comply with gardening rules will result in forfeiture of the $50 good-

faith deposit. This deposit is returned after the gardener satisfactorily completes end-of-season cleanup and returns access key to the garden area. 2) Gardening in Small Spaces – Eldorna Flatts, Master Gardener. Eldorna pre-sented information on her backyard town-house garden. She noted the annuals and perennials that she has cultivated over the years. She maximizes her space with raised beds, containers and vines. Additionally she has plantings on the outside of her fenced in area. She provided the audience with photos of her garden. 3) Edible Landscapes & Container Gar-dening – Art Lee, Master Gardener. Art presented his use of a wide variety of con-tainers (including toilet bowl-flowers only, an assortment of discarded cooking pots and trash containers retrieved from dumpsters. He has containers along the driveway in his front yard

Cont’d on 6

RCE Report by Bill Hlubik - CEDH, County Agricultural Agent and Rich Weidman - Agricultural Program Associate

The Garden Spade Volume 4 , Issue 1

The outdoor gardening season is just around the corner. Crocus, winter aconite, and spring snowflake are beginning to show their heads and in some cases are in full bloom. We hope your gardens and landscapes es-caped damage from the severe winter storms in February. The EARTH Center is gearing up for an-other productive and successful gardening season. We plan to continue and/or expand many of our existing programs, projects and activities as well as develop new ones in con-junction with community groups, organiza-tions, and government agencies and depart-ments. Coming in April and May we have composting workshops (April 10 – Backyard Composting and April 13 – Vermi-composting), rain barrel workshops (April 17 & 29), Earth Day celebration (April 22), Ag Field Day on Cook Campus (April 24), EARTH Center Plant Sale and Garden Day (May 1), and Gardening on a Shoestring workshop (May 15). The workshops have limited seating so it is important to sign-up early. We encourage all Master Gardeners to assist with set-up, displays, Q & A, dem-onstrations, promotion of the event and Master Gardener program, and dissemina-tion of information at EARTH Day, Ag Field Day and the EARTH Center Plant Sale and Garden Day. If you have ideas for spe-cific activities at these events please forward them to us. Later in the season we have the Annual Master Gardener Graduation and Awards Program (June 17), garden tours (TBA), Middlesex County Fair (Middlesex County Fairgrounds August 2-8), and our EARTH Center Garden Field Day (August 28). The Greenhouse Research and Demonstra-tion project is critical to our outreach efforts at the EARTH Center. Donna Pemberton and Toni Budrow have served as coordina-tors of this project for many years and have done an outstanding job. It has been suc-cessful through the efforts of many Master Gardeners, Extension volunteers and Exten-sion employees. This project supports our demonstration gardens, student programs, Master Gardener classes, beautification pro-jects and plant sales at Ag Field Day and

EARTH Center Garden Day. During the months of March and April, the greenhouse is bustling with activity preparing for the gar-dening season. The project brings together intern and experienced Master Gardeners to produce quality transplants for the EARTH Center and many New Jersey gardens. As you may know, numerous demonstration gardens and projects have been established at the EARTH Center. There are many volun-teer opportunities to help manage and main-tain these educational garden sites. The gar-den/demonstration sites include: Jersey Fresh Vegetable Garden; “Circle of Thyme” Herb bed; Rain Garden, Compost Demon-stration site, Wildflower and Nature Garden, Butterfly House, and the Tree and Shrub dis-play area. We are planning to expand the “Food for the Hungry” garden with support from local school groups, 4-H volunteers and Master Gardeners. Working with Michele Bakacs, our Environmental & Resource Man-agement Agent, we want to create another rain garden in 2010 at the EARTH Center. This will be an opportunity for Master Gar-deners to learn how to create and manage a rain garden. The Water Resources Program at Rutgers has scheduled rain garden training sessions in each region of New Jersey (Central Jersey is April 26 & 27). More information about rain gardens, rain barrels and other water related issues can be found at http://water.rutgers.edu. In addition to the demonstration gardens, there are ongoing research projects at the EARTH Center. The strawberry variety trials were expanded last year using different man-agement systems that will be examined in 2010. In May when the berries will be ready for harvest, volunteers will be needed to assist us in harvesting and collecting data on each variety. The alternative energy projects will continue with

switchgrass varieties, solar, solar ther-mal, and possibly wind turbines for public education. We could not deliver quality educa-tional opportunities to Middlesex County residents without the hard work of Master Gardener and Exten-sion volunteers. Once again, we look forward to your continued support this year and hope you can participate in one of our upcoming events. HAPPY GARDENING!

MG FUNDRAISING By Phyllis Fredrick

The proceeds from the sales of our Master Gardener logo items go to sup-port the charitable work of the Middle-sex County Master Gardeners. Each purchase of the reusable shop-ping bags does good and looks good. They are bright green with the Master Gardener logo printed in black. Unlike most reusable bags, these bags are proudly made in the US of 100% recy-cled plastic bottles. The bags are $9 each. Our Master Gardener kneeling pads are bright blue with a white Master Gardener logo. Buy one for yourself or create a nice gift for any gardener when used to fill a garden-themed package. It also makes a nice stocking stuffer. The kneeling pads are $5 each.


2010 VEGETABLE GARDEN by Pat Evans

The details for the 2010 Demonstration Vegetable Garden were put together by Master Gardeners who attended a plan-ning session last fall. Spring seemed so far off…yet here we are already. This year’s garden takes advantage of an improved crop rota-tion system put in place last year. The four quadrants will be rotated so that the Solanaceae, Curcurbitaceae & Fabaceae, Brassicaceae & Alliaceae crops will all be in new sections. We plan to stick with irrigation lines under plastic sheeting to re-duce water usage and disease. There will be a twist to the usual square foot garden. This year’s fourth quadrant will feature a Three Sisters garden, edged by square foot gardens. We are hoping this proves to be a real crowd pleaser. Also featured will be bee gardens to attract our fuzzy little pollinators, and examples of companion planting included in each quadrant.

With all the groundhog prevention work done by last year’s class, we anticipate no groundhog damage. Besides, the garden is clearly marked: Master Gardeners are urged to come out and mentor this year’s interns at work. You will find them in the gardens after Mother’s Day most Thursday evenings, Friday mornings and Saturdays, so please come out an offer your guidance.


Executive Committee Report by Debbie Henry The newsletter committee has been working hard to keep the news-letters published on a regular basis. You can view the newsletters on the RCE website at www.co.middlesex.nj.us/extensionservices/agriculture-master.asp. Copies can also be picked up from the RCE office. We are always looking for articles about MG events and activi-ties. Next time you attend an event, consider writing about it. Send articles to Dorothy Martin at [email protected]. This year we have added several more membership meetings with speakers to our schedule. We try to choose topics that are both edu-cational and entertaining. If you know of any speakers or have topics you would like to hear, send your suggestion to Phyllis Pappas at [email protected]. We are looking to put together activities and displays for our public events. These events include EARTH Day, our “Sales”, MG Open House, the County Fair and the RCE Open House. Tours of the gar-dens and the Q&A tables are always popular, but we can be offering a lot more to educate and engage the public. If you have any ideas for kid’s activities, mini workshops or displays that would be appropriate for these events, send your suggestions to me at [email protected].

Just a reminder - the Master Gardeners is a volunteer organi-zation. I hope every one of you can find an opportunity to volunteer your time and expertise back to the program. If you are having trouble finding something to do, contact Pat Evans at [email protected] or me at [email protected]. Let us know what times you are available and what areas interest you.

Hort Therapy Corner by MaryAnne McMillan Horticultural Therapy programs at the VA Home in Menlo Park, NJ. For our first activity on February 23rd, we went through seed packets, comparing dates for seeding, germination time and worked on garden planning in general. The residents that attended were very involved and it was a great way for them to talk about their own gardens in years past. Martha Moncek, MG led the group and her passion for working with the VA residents is very evident! Contact MaryAnne McMillan, HTR at (908) 447-8360 for further info. 2010 Dates March 23 April 13 May 18 June 15 July 13 August – off

VETERANS MEMORIAL HOME - MENLO PARK 132 Evergreen Road, P.O. Box 3013, Edison 08818-3013 *Evergreen Rd is off of Parsonage by the Menlo Park Mall. 732-452-4269 (Social Services) 732-452-4258 (Volunteer Coordinator) This facility was rebuilt in 1999 on 109-acres in Middlesex County. It is the most modern, state-of-the-art nursing home in the United States. The 332-bed facility features a "town square" core with resident living areas located around the perimeter. A specialized area for Alzheimer's residents is included. The home is adjacent to Roosevelt Hospital, and is easily accessi-ble from Routes 1 and 287, the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike.


Heard on the Helpline by Debbie Henry

At the end of each year, all of the calls and inquiries received on the helpline for the past year are tallied and put into a spreadsheet report. The data is used to report our helpline activity to the State MG Association, who presents the data in the Annual State Report. Max Nimeck has been doing the job of compiling this data for many years. He deserves our thanks for all of his hard work. Thanks Max! I thought you might like to see what we have been doing on the helpline, so I put together a few graphs of the number and types of calls and inquiries we had over the last two years.


Recipes From the Garden by Christine Triolo

Fresh Pea and Lettuce Soup

4 cups fresh shelled peas 1 medium onion, chopped 4 sprigs Italian parsley 1 ½ quarts water or chicken stock 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon sugar 1 head Boston lettuce, washed and coarsely chopped 4 tablespoons butter ¼ cup cream Cook the peas, onion, parsley, salt and sugar in the water or stock for 30 minutes. Mean-while, sauté the lettuce in the butter

until wilted. Add to the peas. Simmer for 10 minutes more and puree in a blender or food processor. Bring the pureed soup back to a simmer and add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve with butter dumplings.

Butter Dumplings

6 tablespoons soft butter 2 eggs 1 ½ cups flour 1/3 cup milk ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Cream the butter till light and add the eggs. Add the spices to the flour and stir to combine. Alter-nately add the flour and milk. The mixture should be smooth and creamy. With oiled hands, form the dump-lings into balls about the size of teaspoon. And set aside on an oiled or parchment lined baking sheet. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the dumplings. Boil, covered for 15 minutes. Transfer them to the soup.

The Greenhouse By Doretta Gray

A Word About Bamboo I know that to many of you bamboo is a dirty word, but it’s been a wonderful addi-tion to my backyard. It can be a boon if you take into consideration its habit. There are two categories of bamboo: the running type and the clumping type. I have both. Yes, the running type of bamboo is invasive so I took care to have it planted within a 30” deep polyethylene rhizome barrier. A body of water, concrete driveway or well-traveled road will also control its spread. Every spring and autumn I run a stick along the protruding lip of the barrier and if a rhi-zome is attempting to grow over the edge, I cut it off while it is still tender and easy to manage. I haven’t had to do this very often, maybe that’s because my shale-filled clay soil isn’t particularly fertile. The bamboo does-n’t seem to mind though. Its growth is still dramatic. The summer after it was planted, the view of

my neighbor’s yard was obscured behind its lovely evergreen curtain. Control is not needed for the clumping type of bamboo; the clump just gets a little wider and taller each year. Its growth rate is much slower than that of the running bamboo. It has taken four years to grow from 2 feet to 5 feet tall. In comparison, my running bam-boo has grown from 7 feet to over 18 feet tall in a little over half that time. Fortunately, it can be pruned to a lower height if desired. Since our winter temperatures go below freezing, I chose hardy Fargesia rufa for my clumping plant and Phyllostachys aureosulcata (Yellow Groove) as my runners. Fargesia will grow in shade or half sun. Phyllostachys prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. In addition to the abundant, finely cut leaves, bamboo canes or culms offer inter-esting shapes and colors. In the spring a small number of canes will grow in an ap-pealing kink or zigzag. I couldn’t resist

purchasing two varieties of Yellow Groove--- green canes with yellow stripes and ‘Spectabilis’ which has yel-low canes with green stripes. I was tempted to buy some plants with black culms, but I did manage to resist. It’s now apparent to me how people become bamboo collectors! These are not fussy plants. I water them only when the weather is ex-ceptionally dry and fertilization over the past four years has been sporadic at best. Its deer resistance is also a welcome characteristic. Mostly I just enjoy my bamboo. A breezy day is especially nice because bamboo sways gracefully in the wind and makes a soothing rustling sound. It has fulfilled its promise by provid-ing an attractive year-round privacy screen in a short amount of time. T h e w e b s i t e www.americanbamboo.org lists bam-boo suppliers in addition to general information about bamboo and its care.


Undesirables by Pat Scarano

I was sound asleep. I was twelve. It was the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. My father was running down the hallway trying to pull up his pants. I thought it was war. It wasn’t, thank God. But, my Aunt’s house located across the street was on fire. It burned to the ground. Both my aunt and uncle were safe. The cat, Marilyn Monroe, had awakened them. She was found, also safe, a week later. Everything was gone. All they had left were the clothes on their backs. Her cherished antiques, pictures, all gone. A week old car melted to the ground. What caused the fire? Squirrels, in the attic, chewing the electrical wires. Statistics say every year there are about 15,000 house fires in the United States attributed to squirrels. Squirrel’s have front teeth growing half a foot in length each year. Therefore, there is a constant need to gnaw to keep their teeth short enough to eat. Cute as buttons, we love to watch their cute antics while they hog the bird feeder. Sweet how they hang upside down eating the birds’ suet. But beware, that’s just it. When you feed the birds, you also feed the squirrels. These crafty, acrobatic rascals can jump 8 feet making their way to your roof then your attic becomes their playground. Squirrels eat fruit, nuts, and seeds in the wild. They also eat berries, buds, espe-cially the flower buds of rhododendrons and flowers. Squirrels love flowering bulbs, especially tulips and crocuses. Around the farm they eat corn or grain. So a bird feeder is an easy meal. Squir-rels like sunflower seed; they dislike nyjer seed. They will chew apart a wooden bird feeder to get to the seed.

In the summer, squirrels are mostly active early morning and late afternoon and mid-day in the winter. In their search for food, their gnawing destroys bark on trees, growing tips on young trees. And they can chew through siding and attic vents. Once inside, squirrels dig through insula-tion, ruin stored items and chew on electri-cal wiring. Squirrel populations rise and fall. When populations are high, gray squirrels can go on mass migrations in the fall, up to 50 miles looking for a better habitat. The average lifespan is 4 years. They breed in January and June with 3 to 5 in a litter. So, if you have 3 squirrels this year, there is a potential to have 30 the next year! Scary. Squirrels are a part of our ecosystem but can be a terrible nuisance. To try to con-trol them is a daunting task. Squirrels have a territory of about 2 acres; if trapped they must be released 5 miles away. Squirrels belong outside, not inside, so the best prevention is to monitor your house openings if you are going to feed the birds. Remember, if you feed the birds, you feed the squirrels.

Around the Web by Kathy Krug

Looking for a recipe for more successful container vegetable gardening? Here are three helpful sites from university agricul-tural extensions. There aren’t any fancy in-gredients (no ads or extraneous fillers). Only straightforward black-and-white text and a little color (if at all) for spice. You may want to print one or more of the charts for close access. Since the below addresses might not work, type the title in the Google search bar and it should appear first or second on the list found. A-Z MASTER GARDENER MANUAL: CONTAINER GARDEN http://agarizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/container.html Tells what to do about soil at the end of the growing season. CONTAINER GARDENING FACT SHEET UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND www.mastergardener.umd/-media/ContVegFactSheet600.ctm Gives excellent advice on covering drainage holes. GARDENING IN CONTAINERS-UNIVERSITY OF OHIO www.ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1254.html Suggests an effective way to line containers; using a Popsicle stick to gauge moisture.


Master Gardener Class Reunion January 12, 2010 By Kathy Dopart

Are You on the MG E-mail List?

This ensures that you get timely updates regarding Master Gardener activities, information on volunteer opportunities, as well as various state-wide updates. If you are currently a Middlesex County Master Gardener and would like to be included, just e-mail the Communications Committee at: [email protected] with your email address and request to be put on the list. It’s as easy as that!

Debbie Henry addressing the class reunion

Mary Kay Chenhoupt speaking on Wildflowers: NJ Natives

Six years ago it seemed very difficult to get Master Gardeners out on a cold January night to meet former classmates and new and old Master Gardeners. And yet it was a success. Despite cold, severe and not so severe, hard rain and threats of snow, this year the 6th annual Class Reunion was held. Each year we get bigger and bigger. The Earth Center Con-ference Room was filled with smiling gardeners greeting friends old and new. Gardeners met with people who worked this year on the Butterfly Garden, the Bee Project, the veggie garden, the beautiful herb gardens and the wildflower path. Helpline volunteers shared stories of helpline questions. Pat Scarano, Camille Randello, and Ann Caroselli, who planned each of the six Reunions, set up the tricky tray tables and bought the prizes. Claire Butkus, who is THE hospitality person, made sure there were sufficient refreshments as well as plates, spoons and forks for the fabulous pot luck dishes provided by the Master Gardeners. A raffle of a beautiful basket of personal products donated by Linda Clarke was part of the excitement and the fifty/fifty paid well to the winner who just happened to be Linda Clarke. Debbie Henry, the chairman of the executive board, wel-comed all, thanked the committee members, and announced the need for more committee members. She spoke of the great strides that had been made at the park in the six years we’ve been at the Earth Center. So many exciting projects have come to be because of the enthusiasm and hard work of Master Gardeners. Mary Kay Ckenhoupt gave a talk to the group. Her topic was “Wildflowers: NJ Natives”. Besides being interesting and in-formative, it was an opportunity for members to get one hour of educational credits for their volunteer hours. The best part of the Class Reunion? It is getting together with like-minded people who are patiently waiting for spring!


HAPPENINGS By Kathy Dopart and Phyllis Pappas

Ranch House Rejuvenation: Thanks to Pat Evans, the ranch house has been freshly painted and looks and smells clean. We heard she reorganized the basement and got rid of the mildew smell. Also take a look at the donated glass display case which Pat has filled with Master Gardener sale articles and memora-bilia. Great Backyard Bird Count: A bird count was held at the Earth Center on Feb. 14th. The public and MG’s were invited to identify and count birds. This was hosted by Pat Evans. Project Management Class: On Feb, 20th Pat Evans and Sheila McRae gave a class on Project Management at the Earth Center. It should prove helpful when anyone takes on a project for the Master Gardener program or in their personal life

Garden Frog

Garden Frog had the “Winter of Con-tent” sitting in a window sill area with begonias also brought inside. He’s hoping to return here for next winter’s vacation, only with a few more com-panions, especially his feverfew friend.

A SPECIAL NOTE OF GRATITUDE

With a very generous donation by the family of Jerry Finn, there are 100 more books at the Earth Center Library for Mas-ter Gardeners and Master Gardener Interns to check out. The addition includes a number of new Ortho books. Jerry obvi-ously had a passion for gardening and a great appreciation for reading to grow that passion. To have received these books is to share in that spirit and to have his ongoing inspiration.

The Bookshelf by Kathy Krug

The Practical Gardener: Successful Gardening, by the edi-tors of Reader’s Digest, 1993 edition, is mostly about the basics. Basics which if adhered to, lead to successful garden-ing— if not, learning experience for sure, but also wasted time and wasted money. Absorbing its very readable con-tents, the novice could become a masterful gardener. A slim hardcover or paperback only 176 pages in length, this book can be transported easily to any Helpline table, where the finely illustrated instructions will provide “tell and show” support in answering many of the more typical home gar-dener questions. It’s perfect, too, as a handy visual reference to follow along with Master Gardener internship classes. Understand the simple organizational layout, though. The chapter on planting trees doesn’t tell how to mulch a tree properly. That information is in the chapter on mulches. The home owner faced with a bleak exterior will especially appreciate the chapter on soil improvement, as well as the one on water conservation which includes a fully outlined landscape design. The pruning section is exceptional in show-ing when and how to prune a number of popular shrubs like the butterfly bush. Other useful chapters focus on planting in beds and containers, composting, lawn shaping and care, gar-den safety (showing how to secure a ladder), and just about every aspect of home gardening. Purchase or borrow this book if you’re young, old, or in-between but new to gardening; if you’re aspiring to keep your gardening skills from withering; or if you’re interested in finding an advanced and practical gardening tip here and there.


Garden Passion By Phyllis Pappas

This article is to celebrate our Master Gardeners’ passion for gardening by featuring their home gardens. We had several people volunteer for this, and we will be picking a name from a hat for each newsletter. Caroline Youngchild’s name was picked and I am happy to say she is one of the most happy, enthusiastic gardeners I have ever met. Caroline is an intern and is currently attending evening classes. She lives in Chatham, but joined the Middlesex MG program because she works and we are one of the few counties that have evening classes. She is a sales representative for San-ofi-Aventis and is one of the few people I know who loves her job. She majored in Biology at Fairleigh Dickenson and re-ceived her MBA there as well. Caroline is enjoying her classes at The Earth Center and has nothing but praise for the speakers and program. She wants to be with people who share her passion for gardening and expand her knowledge. She hopes to become actively engaged in com-mittees.

Four years ago Caroline and her husband moved to Chatham. Her house is on a half acre of land and she fell in love with it. She has created a breathtaking garden in the four years with her own determination and work. It is not unusual for her to spend 8 to 12 hours working in her garden. She just forgets all about time. In fact on Saturday mornings she awakes before sunrise and anxiously waits so she can get out there and be in her gar-den. Caroline is a certified personal trainer, but has switched to gardening as her main source of exercise. ‘Where would you rather be in a gym or out in nature?” she asks. She feels so deeply about doing a natural exercise, rather than an unnatural exercise in the gym (treadmill, etc.); she is in the process of writing a book to be called Benefits of Gardening for the Mind, Body and Soul. As you can see from the pictures, her garden is really beautiful. It is primarily a hilly shade garden with dappled sunlight. In the four years, she has added 30 full grown trees (Japanese Maples, Hemlocks, Hollys). Her favorite is her Coral Bark Maple which has red bark and yellow leaves and is stunning. She grows toad lilies, hellebores, cone flowers, and verbena and has beautiful rhododendrons and camellias. She loves the colors pink, white and purple and they are prevalent in her garden. Her garden is enclosed with a deer fence. Though she has only dappled sunlight, she has been able to grow tomatoes and roses. She also starts tomato seeds and impatiens seeds in her base-ment. Caroline has generously invited the MG’s and Interns to tour her garden in the summer. If you are interested, please email me at [email protected].


Abby Hoffman preparing lunch

Historic Mill House Tour, Luncheon and

Garden Renovation Event By Debbie Henry

On November 7, 2009, a group of Master Gardeners gathered at the South Brunswick Historic Mill House, home of MG, Abby Hoffman. The Mill House, recently purchased by Abby, is on the list of 60 most significant properties in South Bruns-wick. Attendees volunteered their own time to do renovation work in the Mill House's gardens; no MG volunteer hours earned – just the fun of working in an historic garden. In ap-preciation for the work done, Abby, who is also an accom-plished chef, gave the group a tour of the house and served a luncheon. In addition, a generous donation was made to our Master Gardener program.

Winter Barrel Planting By Claire Butkus

Jerri Barclay, Dale Duichai and Norma Swale add a festive touch to the EARTH Center

With gloom in the air and the threat of rain any minute Jerri Barclay (chairperson) and Dale Duichai arrived at the Earth Center each with a truckload of greens and assorted decorations to decorate the barrels in front and along the drive-way. They were joined by their "crew" of Norma Swale and Claire Butkus. The evergreens supplied by Barclay Tree Farm were decoratively arranged in the barrels. Holly berries, white flocked branches and big red bows added colors and interest to the "creations". The rain did come just as the last two barrels were being decorated

Volunteer and Educational Hour Submissions

A reminder to all Master Gardeners that everyone needs to keep track of their volunteer and educational hours. They should be submitted to the RCE office, Attention: Donna Pemberton, on a monthly or quarterly basis. Anyone in charge of an activity, project or program should include con-tact data along with a short description of what was done or accomplished. It is very important we receive this informa-tion in a timely manner and we strongly urge you to keep a copy of the hours for your records. Let us know if you need volunteer log sheets or contact data forms


Bird Count at Davidson Mill Pond Park by Pat Evans

The 3rd Annual Davidson Mill Pond Bird Count was a great success! Over 33 different species of birds were identified by over 21 partici-pants. 13 of these birds are new to our park list since we began our official counts 3 years ago. (The complete list appears below.) Our results will be added to the Audubon/Cornell Univ. National "Great Backyard Bird Count" data base, which will help scientists better un-derstand migration patterns and adaptation to the changing environment. The success of our count is attributed to the hardiness of the counters. The snow was over a foot deep on parts of the wooded trails. Some took to walking on the frozen lake where some of the most astonishing discoveries were made, like a bluebird and brown creeper. Still, some of the best bird watching can be done from the park roads, which are always well plowed. Next year we are planning some improvements to the program. We will still have coffee and doughnuts! But in addition we will have a quick 1/2 hour instruction presentation for any beginners who want it and a brief handout with pictures of the birds most likely to be spot-ted for those who do not have field guides. If you were present at the bird count and have any additional ideas for improvements, please let me know. Also, anytime during the year please report any new species you identify in the park.

1 Black-and-white Warbler 20-Apr-08 2 Blackbird - Red-winged 7-Jun-08 3 Black-throated Blue Warbler 20-Apr-08 4 Black-throated Green Warbler 20-Apr-08 5 Blue Jay 7-Jun-08 6 Bluebird - Eastern 20-Apr-08 7 Bobolink 20-Apr-08 8 Cardinal 7-Jun-08 9 Catbird 7-Jun-08 10 Cedar Waxwing 7-Jun-08 11 Chicadee - Carolina 20-Apr-08 12 Chickadee - Black-caped 7-Jun-08 13 Chimney Swift 7-Jun-08 14 Cowbird - Brown-headed 7-Jun-08 15 Creeper - Brown 14-Feb-10 16 Crow - American 7-Jun-08 17 Crow - Fish 14-Feb-10 18 Cuckoo - Yellow billed 20-Apr-08 19 Dove - Mourning 7-Jun-08 20 Dove - Rock 14-Feb-10 21 Duck - Mallard 14-Feb-10 22 Eastern Phoebe 13-Aug-08 23 Egret - Great 22-Aug-08 24 Finch - House 7-Jun-08 25 Goldfinch - American 7-Jun-08 26 Goose - Brant 7-Jun-08 27 Goose - Canada 7-Jun-08 28 Grackle - Common 14-Feb-10 29 Gull - Great Black-backed 14-Feb-10 30 Gull - Herring 14-Feb-10 31 Hawk - Red Tailed 14-Feb-10 32 Heron - Great Blue 7-Jun-08 33 Heron - Green 1-Sep-08 34 Heron - Little Blue 31-Aug-08 35 Hummingbird - Ruby-throated 7-Jun-08 36 Indigo Bunting 13-Aug-08 37 Junco - Dark Eyed 14-Feb-10 38 Killdeer 7-Jun-08 39 Kingbird - Eastern 7-Jun-08 40 Mockingbird - Northern 7-Jun-08

41 Nuthatch - Red-breasted 7-Jun-08 42 Nuthatch - White-breasted 7-Jun-08 43 Oriole - Baltimore 7-Jun-08 44 Oriole - Orchard 7-Jun-08 45 Ovenbird 20-Apr-08 46 Pine Siskin 14-Feb-10 47 Pine Warbler 20-Apr-08 48 Robin 7-Jun-08 49 Scarlet Tanager 20-Apr-08 50 Sharp-shinned Hawk 20-Apr-08 51 Shrike - Northern 7-Jun-08 52 Sparrow - Chipping 7-Jun-08 53 Sparrow - Field 7-Jun-08 54 Sparrow - House 7-Jun-08 55 Sparrow - Savannah 14-Feb-10 56 Sparrow - Song 7-Jun-08 57 Sparrow - Vesper 14-Feb-10 58 Sparrow - White-throated 14-Feb-10 59 Starling - European 7-Jun-08 60 Swainson's Thrush 20-Apr-08 61 Swallow - Barn 7-Jun-08 62 Thrasher - Brown 20-Apr-08 63 Thrush - Wood 7-Jun-08 64 Titmouse - Tufted 7-Jun-08 65 Towee - Eastern 7-Jun-08 66 Vireo - Red-eyed 20-Apr-08 67 Vireo - Warbling 20-Apr-08 68 Vireo - White-eyed 20-Apr-08 69 Vulture - Turkey 7-Jun-08 70 Warbler - Hooded 7-Jun-08 71 Warbler - Yellow 7-Jun-08 72 Waterthrush - Northern 20-Apr-08 73 Wood Thrush 20-Apr-08 74 Woodpecker - Downy 7-Jun-08 75 Woodpecker - Flicker 7-Jun-08 76 Woodpecker - Hairy 7-Jun-08 77 Woodpecker - Red Bellied 7-Jun-08 78 Wren - House 7-Jun-08 79 Wren - Winter 14-Feb-10 80 Yellow Throat - Common 20-Apr-08


Gardens to Visit By Max Nimeck

New Jersey Gardens Colonial Park Arboretum with Van der Goot Rose Garden Amwell Road (Route 514 & Mettlers Road) Rose garden on left, roses are best in early June Duke Gardens Somerville, off Route 206, Contact Duke Foundation 908.722.3700 Tram tours to be opened in future Leonard J. Buck Garden RD2 Layton Rd, Far Hills, 908.234.2677 Rocky Gorge—rock garden paradise, beautiful in early spring Reeves–Reed Arboretum 165 Hobart Avenue, Summit, 201.273.8787 Flower gardens and arboretum plus natural forest Skylands Botanical Garden/Ringwood State Park Box 1304 Ringwood 07456, 973.962.7527 or 9534 Gardens, botanical garden, wildflower garden and woodland Well-Sweep Herb Farm 317 Mt. Bethel Road, Port Murray 07865, 908.852.5390 Flower and herbal gardens Van Vleck House & Garden Van Vleck Street, Montclair 07042, 973.744.4752 Presby Iris Garden 474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair, 973.783.5974 Seasonal—May Grounds for Sculpture 18 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, 609.586.0616 Contemporary sculpture in a horticultural setting Rutgers Rhododendron Garden, Nature Garden, Perennial & Annual Gardens Route 1 & Ryders Lane, 732.932.8451 Open dawn to dusk, year round Sayen Garden 155 Hughes Drive, Trenton/Hamilton, 609.890.3874 Craftsman House, arboretum, gardens and woods, open dawn to dusk Leamings Run & Colonial Farm Gardens 1845 Route 9 North (at end of Garden State Parkway), 609.465.5871 Early Mariners Mansion, Colonial Garden and annual garden rooms (at its best July to September)

Cape May Zoo 421 Washington Street, Cape May 08204-1401, 609.884.8181 Well-labeled botanical garden plus zoo with habitat enclosures Earth Center, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Middlesex County 42 Riva Avenue, North Brunswick 08902, 732.398.5262 Herb, vegetable, annual and perennial gardens, butterfly garden, wild-flower garden, forest trails and beaver pond. Out of State (reasonably close) Bowmans Hill Wildflower Preserve PO Box 685, 1625 River Road, New Hope PA, 215.862.2924 Longwood Gardens PO Box 51, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square PA 19348-501, 215.388.6741 Bartrams Gardens 54th Street & Lindberg Blvd, Philadelphia PA 19143, 215.573.4684 Winterthur DE 19735, 302.888.4600 Gardens, woodland, forest and mansion filled with Colonial antiques; house tours and guided trams available April to November Brooklyn Botanical Garden 100 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11225, 718.623.7200 Gardens, arboretum and greenhouses on same grounds as Brooklyn Museum New York Botanical Garden 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx NY 10438, 718.817.8700 Gardens, greenhouses and arboretum Cloisters Fort Tryon Park NY 96 Margaret Corbein Dr, NY 10040, 212.923.3700 Assemblage of cloister remains with museum and cloister gardens


Beautiful Rain Barrels with "One Barrel at a Time Co-op" By April Lippet-Faczak

Sara Mellor, event organizer from Rutgers RCE Water Resources, receives "Recycling Rain Water Makes Sense" by April Lippet-Faczak

In response to an opportunity to decorate rain barrels, Master Gar-deners Jan Carrato and April Lippet-Faczak and Dorothy Cohen, Master Gardener Intern; submitted their designs for decorating 55-gallon recycled food-grade barrels. This "One Barrel at a Time Co-op" program was coordinated by the New Jersey Department of En-vironmental Protection, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program and Lucid Graphics. The "One Barrel at a Time Co-op" project's goal is to heighten the public awareness about sustainable living by conserving water, con-trolling flooding and recycling the rain water to water your garden. This will be achieved by making available beautiful rain barrels to the public to bid on. After seeing these decorated rain barrels, people may better understand New Jersey’s need for water conservation and also increase the art community’s creative reach. The finished barrels will be displayed in areas around New Jersey. The barrels will then be auctioned off on eBay®, with the artist receiving the profit. All twenty plus artists' biographies and photos of the fin-ished barrels will be posted on the Co-op’s website. Here are a few words from the artists about their endeavors… Jan's theme is One Drop at a Time—All Over the Earth. "My barrel’s primary focal point is planet earth. Placed to align the Southern Hemisphere with the spigot, it conveys water’s downward flow with gravity and that earth provides a valuable and limited resource—potable water.

"The word water appears 25 times in 25 unique languages of the world: Ara-bic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English (United States and United Kingdom), Finnish, French, German, Greek, He-brew, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (European), Romanian, Russian, Span-ish (Mexican), Swedish, Serbian, Czech, Thai, and Turkish. The statement compelling action: regardless of nationality and language, everyone can positively influ-

ence water conservation and environmental stewardship, one drop at a time. "I chose these images and words to play a small role in in-creasing awareness and appreciation for water and to catalyze thinking about water consumption practices in a large and diverse world. As a Master Gardener and owner of two “beautified” home rain barrels, I would like my entry, as well as all the others, to create an impact and express an appealing and unified message. "Painting the barrel proved a challenge due to the material, volume, shape and bulk of the container. Also, the surface area appears smaller than it really is, due to its circularity. These factors added up to a considerable investment of time and much determination in completing the project, especially

in the dead of winter. I look forward to seeing all of the co-op rain barrels assembled in one space and relish the anticipated positive impact that they will make everywhere." Dorothy's theme "Lemme Tell You Bout the Birds and the Bees" came to her early on. "I've learned that when a good painting idea pops in your head, you should just go for it. My design is based on the Fid-dlestix patterns of Jeri Brindley-

Francis and Kim Meyers. These primitive and quirky garden images helped me present this important message about the interdependencies of our eco-system in a humorous way. They were also deliciously fun to paint. I can't get that oldie but goodie 50's tune out of my head, though. I can't wait to see all the other painted barrels."


Echo and Narcissus A Greek Myth

Retold by Katie Siegel There was no mortal man on Earth, and only a few gods, who were more handsome than the fair Narcissus. Anyone who saw him immediately fell in love with him. One fine day, Narcissus was out hunting with his friends, when the nymph, Echo, happened to be passing by. Echo used to be very talkative, and had often detained the Queen of the gods, Hera, with her nonstop chatter. Many times, these nonstop, one-sided conversations kept Hera from catching her husband, Zeus, in his illicit affairs. One day, Hera got so irritated with Echo, that she put a curse on the poor water nymph, and from then on, all she could say were the last few words that she heard anyone utter. Echo watched Narcissus through the trees. She, like all others, had instantly fallen in love with him, and longed to approach him. She was worried though, that he would scorn her be-cause of the way she talked. After a little while, Narcissus noticed that he had lost his hunt-ing companions. “Is anyone here?” he called anxiously. “Here!” cried Echo. Narcissus, wondering to whom this voice may belong to, yelled, “Come!” “Come!” shouted Echo. Now Narcissus began to suspect that someone was fooling with him. “Come here, and let us meet!” begged Narcissus. “Let us meet!” Echo cried, overjoyed.

The young nymph overcame her shyness and came out of the trees. But Narcissus, happy to have solved the mystery of the mysterious voice, rudely pushed her aside and bolted away. “I would die before I would have you near me!” he mocked over his shoulder at the poor, trembling nymph. Heartbroken and tearful, Echo was forced to call after him, “I would have you near me!” Echo was so humiliated and ashamed that she hid inside a dark cave and never left again. She became old and shrunken. Soon her body withered away all together. All that remained of her, was her voice, still roaming the world, willing to talk, but only able to repeat what others have to say. Narcissus, who by now we realize is only beautiful on the surface but cruel and cold on the inside, broke many poor hearts. All who were scorned by this man prayed to the gods that someone he loved would despise him. The gods heard these prayers and granted them. Tired and thirsty from racing through the trees, Narcissus lay down by the edge of a crystal pool to take a drink. As he bent over the rip-pling surface, he saw in front of him the most beautiful face he had ever seen. His heart quivered and quaked, and he could not tear him-self away from the beautiful image – his own reflection. For a very long time Narcissus knelt by the pool, never glancing away, whispering words of love to the water. After a while his body with-ered away and became a long, delicate stem of a flower. His head became the beautiful golden-white bloom that today still looks into silent pools of water, and is called the narcissus.

Beautiful Rainbarrels Cont’d April’s theme "Recycling Rain Water Makes Sense" has a fan-tasy daisy which uses a kayak and paddle to remind us of the ripple effect reducing, recycling and reusing rain water pro-duces. Money is made and saved when it rains because the rain drops are pennies from heaven. "It was a very exciting experience to participate in this "One Barrel at a Time Co-op" program. Designing and painting my rain barrel was challeng-ing and fun. I felt a little "barrel withdrawal" when it was time to return my barrel but happy that someone else will enjoy it."


South Brunswick Garden Club Workshop

Cont’d from Page 1

and front steps in which he plants lettuce and radishes in spring followed by flowers, tomatoes, and herbs for the rest of the grow-ing season. Corn and sunflowers are also planted along his drive-way. He grows tomatoes in containers on his back patio, with herbs such as basil, chives and thyme around the tomato plant. 4) Shade Gardens – Norma Swale, Master Gardener. She used an effective power point presentation. Norma provided informa-tion on a wide range of plants for shaded areas; sun/light shade, medium shade, full shade. She answered numerous questions. 5) Square Foot Gardening – Juanell Boyd, Master Gardener. Juanell brought templates that she designed with her husband. The process for using the templates to layout a garden was dis-cussed. There was also a seed and catalogue exchange coordinated by Joan Luckhardt, Vice President of the Dayton Village Citizens Coalition. Christine Quinn, Master Gardener was also present and offered her insights during the presentations and accompanying question and answer period. Attendees shared their gardening tips such as establishing a lasagna garden and planting potatoes in a container. An informal evaluation based upon attendees’ verbal feedback indicated that the event was well-received. There were comments such as: “I learned something new”, “everyone that I talked to said they found the presentations useful”, “great job”. There was a display area that included information on compost-ing, lawn care, rain barrels, rain gardens, garden art and the Master Gardener program. Master Gardeners present received continuing education credits. At the end of the program, there was a drawing for door prizes. A floral display, “gardener” tee shirts, “gardener” cap; ornamental baskets and several houseplants were provided. This workshop is an annual event in the South Brunswick com-munity. Activities planned for this year include an annual trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show, annual plant exchange in May, annual gardening activities at the historic Slack-Carroll House and Weatherill Plantation. Local home garden tours and school yard gardens are also on the garden club’s agenda.

Writing an Article for the Newsletter

By Caren White

So you’re going to write an article for the newsletter. Good for you! Here are some helpful hints to assist you in writing a great article. Aim for short and punchy. Try to keep your article to no more than 400 to 600 words in length. 500 words equals half a page. Significantly more than that and readers may not finish the article or even read it at all. Fewer words are fine. Even very short arti-cles or notices are good because they can be used to fill in odd spaces. You can obtain a word count in Word 2003 or earlier using Tools - > Word Count. In Word 2007, the Word Count feature is un-der Review on the Ribbon. Your article should contain the name of the activity, the date it was held, a list of participants (if it is a small group) and a short synopsis of what happened. Check out articles similar to yours in the back issues that can be found online at www.co.middlesex.nj.us/extensionservices/agriculture-master.asp for guidance if you are unsure how to write up your article. If you mention any plants, remember to include both the scientific as well as the common names. Use Spellcheck but also visually check your work. Spellcheck only highlights incorrectly spelled words, not incorrectly used words. For instance, be and bee are both spelled correctly but are not interchangeable in a sentence. If you are using Word 2007, please save your article using the “Save as Word 97 – 2003 Document” option. Most people are still using Word 2003 or earlier. Send your finished article to Dorothy Martin ([email protected]). Photos for your article should be sent directly to me ([email protected]) with a note as to which article they belong and the names of any MG’s who appear in them.


APRIL 10 BACKYARD COMPOSTING – FREE What: Learn the basics of composting in your back-

yard. When: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Where: EARTH Center Who: RSVP – Carol Richiusa. 10 WILDFLOWER SEEDING What: Seeding of Wildflowers in Preserve area. When: 10:00 am-12:00 pm Where: EARTH Center Conference Room Who: Contact: Pat Evans. 13 HORTICULTURAL THERAPY SESSION What: Horticultural therapy projects with VA home

clients. When: 10:00 am Where: NJ Veterans Memorial Home, 132 Evergreen

Rd, Edison Who: RSVP - MaryAnne McMillan 13 MG BOARD MEETING What: Monthly meeting. Topic – summer planning. When: 7:00 pm Where: MG Ranch House Conference Room Who: Questions? Contact Debbie Henry. 13 VERMI-COMPOSTING What: Discover the way to farm worms. When: 6:30 pm Where: EARTH Center Conference Room Who: RSVP – Carol Richiusa. 17 MASTER GARDENER YARD SALE What: A yard sale fundraiser for our Master Gardener

organization. When: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Where: 467 Old Stage Road, Spotswood, NJ Who: Contact – Pat Evans. 17 RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP – $45.00 What: Learn about water conservation and make your

own rain barrel. When: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Where: EARTH Center Conference Room Who: RSVP – Carol Richiusa. 22 EARTH DAY AT THE EARTH CENTER What: Celebrate and learn about Earth day. When: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Where: EARTH Center Conference Room Who: Questions? Contact Dave Smela. 24 RUTGERS AG FIELD DAY What: Volunteers needed to help sell plants. When: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Where: Rutgers University Who: RSVP – Carol Richiusa. 27 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING (TIME

CORRECTION) What: Meeting for all MGs and Interns. Speaker will be

Sabrina Tirpak from the Plant Diagnostic Lab on Bees & Wasps (educational credits)

When: 6pm Where: EARTH Center Conference Room Who: Questions? Contact Claire Butkus.

29 RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP – $45.00 What: Learn about water conservation and make your own rain

barrel. When: 6:30 am - 8:30 pm Where: EARTH Center Conference Room Who: RSVP – Carol Richiusa.

MAY 1 EARTH DAY PLANT SALE What: Volunteers needed to help sell plants. When: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Where: EARTH Center Who: Questions? contact Carol Richiusa 11 MG BOARD MEETING What: Meeting of Executive Board, Reps. Committee chairs and

all interested MGs and MG Interns. When: 7:00 pm Where: MG Ranch House Conference Room Who: Questions? Contact Debbie Henry. 18 HORTICULTURAL THERAPY SESSION What: Horticultural therapy projects with VA home clients. When: 10:00 am Where: NJ Veterans Memorial Home, 132 Evergreen Rd, Edison Who: RSVP - MaryAnne McMillan 25 MG GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING (TIME

CORRECTION) What: Meeting for all MGs and Interns. Speaker will be Barbara

Bromley – her talk will be a fun Q&A session called What’s Up Doc (ed. credits)

When: 12noon Where: EARTH Center conference room Who: Questions? Contact Claire Butkus.

JUNE 15 HORTICULTURAL THERAPY SESSION What: Horticultural therapy projects with VA home clients. When: 10:00 am Where: NJ Veterans Memorial Home, 132 Evergreen Rd, Edison Who: RSVP - MaryAnne McMillan

JULY 13 HORTICULTURAL THERAPY SESSION What: Horticultural therapy projects with VA home clients. When: 10:00 am

NAME CONTACT INFO

Claire Butkus 732-828-0413 or [email protected] Pat Evans 732-829-8933 or [email protected]

Debbie Henry 732-545-8032 or [email protected] MaryAnne McMillan

908-447-8360 or [email protected]

Phyllis Pappas [email protected]

Carol Richiusa 732-398-5262 or [email protected]

Camille Randello 732-679-3589 or [email protected]

Dave Smela 732-398-5268 or [email protected]

RCE of Middlesex County 42 Riva Avenue Davidson’s Mill Pond Park North Brunswick, NJ 08902

We’re on the Web! http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/mastergardeners or http://co.middlesex.nj.us/extensionservices

Phone: 732-398-5220 E-mail: [email protected]

The Garden Spade Middlesex County Master Gardener Newsletter published quarterly MG Staff: Executive Editor.... MaryAnne McMillan Layout/Format Editor.... Caren White Copy Editors.... Dorothy Martin, Debbie Henry Contributing Reporters..... Kathy Dopart, Phyllis Pappas Columnists…. Doretta Gray, Kathy Krug, Pat Scarano, Christine Triolo RCE Staff Bill Hlublik Rich Weidman Donna Pemberton David T. Smela Spring Edition columnists Claire Butkus Pat Evans April Lippet-Faczak Max Nimeck Katie Siegel

The Middlesex County Master Gardeners program is supported by the Board of Chosen Freeholders: Christopher D. Rafano—Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios, Liason Carol Barrett Stephen J. “Pete” Dalina H. James Polos Mildred Scott Blanquita B. Valenti

the garden spade · (may 1), and gardening on a shoestring workshop (may 15). the workshops have...

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