A multitude of orchids were on display at the Deep Cut Orchid Society’s annual show held Feb. 5-8 at Dearborn Market, Holmdel. Those preparing for the spring growing season may also visit the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show, which runs Feb. 12-15 in Edison. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR If April showers bring May flowers, then what do February and March bring? A chance to sit back, relax and plan out a garden for the coming year.
It is never too early to begin thinking about this year’s crop of fruits, vegetables and trees, according to local gardening experts.
“When you wake up in the morning” on any given day is the appropriate time to start thinking about gardening, according to Pegi Ballister-Howells, who hosts “The Garden Show” on Greater Media’s 1450 WCTC-AM radio station from 8-10 a.m. every Sunday.
Bill Hlubik, the Middlesex County agricultural agent and a professor at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, said the first few months of the year are the perfect time to start looking through seed catalogs.
Alan Strong of Tewksbury Orchards works with customers at the Deep Cut Orchid Society’s annual show on Feb. 5 at Dearborn Market in Holmdel. PHOTOS BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR Since each garden is different, personal preference should determine what one grows, Ballister-Howells said, citing the most popular local item, the Jersey tomato. “Nothing is ever going to compete with a tomato that is garden-grown, peaked to perfection,” she said.
Other popular plants, in her experience, are roses, though she said they are a pain to cultivate; peaches; apples; nectarines; plums; and blueberries, which she said are easy to grow.
Raspberries, she noted, grow back every year. She also sees a lot of irises, rhododendrons and chrysanthemums. Once the garden content has been planned out thoroughly, soil testing is next, Hlubik said.
When the ground is not frozen, he recommends that gardeners go into the area they plan to use, dig 6 to 8 inches below the top organic matter in 15 spots, mix the soil together, let it dry in the sun, and send a pint of the soil to the local cooperative-extension laboratory. The soil will be tested for acidity, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, among other micro- and macronutrients.
The testing is usually done within a few weeks.
“If the pH is too low or too high, then it will be difficult for seedlings to get a good start and continue to grow,” Hlubik said.
If the soil is lower than a pH of 6.0, limestone should be added. If it is higher than 6.5, an acidifying fertilizer or compost may be needed, he said.
The change in pH could be attributed to the acidity of rain, drainage in the area, the breakdown of leaves and the types of fertilizer used, he said.
Ballister-Howells — who has been on the radio for 31 years, including 26 with her own show — said pruning trees, turning compost piles, trimming perennials, and cutting down dead plants and trees are more basic steps for February and early March.
Taking stock of gardening tools is also important early on. Ballister-Howells suggested getting equipment sharpened, oiled and fixed prior to the springtime rush to avoid wasting precious time shopping.
“If you do your planning, do your pruning, turn your compost pile and take care of your tools … and also buy your supplies, you won’t spend three-quarters of your first day in line waiting to pay at the store,” she said.
Once planting is on the horizon, Hlubik said to count six to eight weeks back from May 15 — the general standard in New Jersey for planting — and begin planting seeds. He encouraged double-digging to help oxygenate the soil, mixing in organic matter and controlling moisture below the roots by using raised beds.
However, since certain plants are sensitive to the cold and frost, items such as peppers, cucumbers and eggplants should be grown inside a greenhouse or basement using sterilized potting soil and growing lights.
Once the transplants are ready for their outdoor home, it is best to put the pots outside for an hour on the first nice day, extending the time outside for the next couple weeks, before leaving them permanently outdoors after May 15, Hlubik said.
Other seeds, such as peas or asparagus, can be planted as early as March.
Though gardeners do not need a lot of experience, Ballister-Howells said enthusiasm and an “ounce of common sense” are necessary.
“If you cut something, you can’t glue it back on,” she said, recommending that gardeners ask questions, conduct online research or call in to her radio show for information.
“And a pair of good gardening gloves is key.”
Hlubik recommended attending workshops and training sessions, as well.
“Continually attending educational workshops is the best way to learn and keep in contact with other gardeners,” he said.
Yet gardeners still tend to have mishaps, as Ballister-Howells has discovered through her radio show.
For example, one man told her that he put weed killer into a hose and sprayer without diluting it, thereby killing all the vegetation on his entire property.
She also heard about a gardener who was mowing his lawn and fell into a 12- foot-deep sinkhole in his backyard.
“I was dumbfounded,” she said.
As for growing predictions this spring, Ballister-Howells and Hlubik agreed there were too many weather variables in play.
“Every season, every week — everything is different,” Ballister-Howells said, adding that even the amount of sunlight makes a difference.
Also, a mild, dry winter can cause insect problems, while a wet winter can bring problems with disease, Hlubik said.
As for the pollination process, there is not much concern over colony collapse disorder because the counties monitor honeybees and other pollinators to ensure an appropriate level of production, he said.
“We’ve seen some problems, but overall we are getting good pollination,” Hlubik said.
Personally, Ballister-Howells said gardening simply makes her happy. Though her own garden isn’t set yet, she loved the Mexican flame vines she discovered last year.
Every year, she said, is an opportunity to try something new.
Upcoming agricultural events:
New Jersey Flower & Garden Show
Feb. 12-15
New Jersey Convention Center
97 Sunfield Ave., Edison
The New Jersey Flower & Garden Show attracts more than 25,000 flower and garden enthusiasts annually. Highlights include display gardens, the Standard Flower Show presented by the Garden Club of New Jersey, the Garden Marketplace, Container Challenge, Gourmet & Grape Food & Wine Extravaganza, a plant sale, hands-on demonstrations and a variety of seminars.
Hours:
Feb. 12, 1-8 p.m.
Feb. 13, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 14, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Admission: $15; $6 children age 12-17; free for children age 11 and under; $10 seniors (age 65 and older) macevents.com/show.cfm/eventID/121
Rutgers Home Gardeners School
March 21, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cook/Douglass Campus of Rutgers
New Brunswick
Plant enthusiasts will have an opportunity to learn about innovative gardening and landscaping techniques from 25 of the state’s top horticulture experts at the 39th annual program, which features 35 workshops on topics such as pruning, irrigation, composting, flower arranging and beekeeping.
Among the workshop options are 16 new offerings on subjects such as exotic plants, monarch butterflies, hydroponics and herbs.
Registration fee is $75, or $60 through March 10. Additional discounts are offered for Master Gardeners.
Lunch: Bring one’s own or prepay $10 for a box lunch.
Visit www.cpe.rutgers.edu/hgs or call 732-932-9271.
Ag Field Day
April 26
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cook/Douglass Campus of Rutgers
New Brunswick
Ag Field Day attractions include farm animals, environmental displays, demonstrations, food vendors, crafts and artisans, plants, flower sales, face painting and activity tables.