October 2020
Stop Spotted Lanternfly!
The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is a sap-feeding insect native to Asia that feeds on more than 65 plant species and is projected to become a serious pest of specialty crops including grapes, tree fruit, ornamentals, and hardwoods. 

There are currently infestations in Pennsylvania and individual sightings in New York. It was recently discovered on Long Island. Check out the map here.

Planting Garlic
To grow to a good size, garlic bulbs need space for their roots to grow, high levels of nitrogen,
and consistent moisture levels. Order your bulbs online, pick them up from a local nursery, or
get them at the Farmers’ Market. There are softneck and hardneck varieties, but hardneck is
recommended for colder climates like ours.

Garlic is planted in fall and not harvested until the following summer, so clear a space in your
bed where there will be space and full sun for many months. Remove all weeds and previously
grown crops and mix in some composted manure or compost. Adding another nitrogen source
(alfalfa meal, fish meal, soybean meal) helps root development this fall and growth next spring.

Plant garlic in your prepared bed about 3-4 weeks before the ground freezes (early October or
around the time of our first fall frost). Break the bulb into cloves and plant them pointy side up
about 3” deep and 6-10” apart. The roots spread 3-4” around the bulb, so the more room you
can give each clove, the larger your bulb will be in summer. Space the rows 12” apart.
Mulch with 4-6” of hay, straw, or leaves to protect the cloves. Monitor moisture levels in fall
and water if needed.

Next spring, move the mulch around to loosen any spears that emerge but leave the mulch on
to keep moisture levels consistent and prevent weeds.

Keep garlic fed and watered regularly for proper bulb formation. Water weekly as needed. Side
dress with nitrogen-rich fertilizers or feed with 1 Tablespoon fish emulsion mixed in 1 gallon of
water every 2 weeks until the scapes appear.

Cut off the scapes (flower stalks) before they uncurl as they take energy away from bulb
formation. The scapes taste like mild garlic and can be used in cooking, salads, or making pesto
– just like you would use garlic. They can also be tossed in the compost pile if you don’t want to
eat them. Stop feeding at this time but continue to monitor moisture levels.

Around the end of July-beginning of August, about a month after your scapes appeared, leaves
will begin to yellow. They yellow from the bottom up. Stop watering when several bottom
leaves are yellow, but top leaves are still green. Each green leaf represents a layer of the papery
wrapper that will rot as each upper leaf dies, so you don’t want to lose too many. Allow the soil
to dry about a week before you harvest. To harvest, loosen the soil with a spading fork, gently
pull up the heads and shake off the soil. Enjoy fresh or dry the entire plant in a well-ventilated
area for 3-5 weeks. When cured, brush off any remaining soil, trim the roots and tops to within 1”
of the bulb, and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Some varieties will last in storage for up to a
year.

Master Gardener Shellie Wise
Warren County
DEC – Recycling Paper Info
Can I recycle That? - Paper
Although many communications are now electronic, the start of a new school year or semester can still mean an uptick in paper around the house. Whether it’s drawings, book reports, worksheets, notes or quizzes, it’s important to recycle school paper when they’re no longer needed. Below are some tips to recycling paper:

  • Check what types of paper are accepted in your local recycling program or by your recycling hauler, especially construction paper, photo paper, and sticky notes.
  • Paper going into your recycling bin should be dry.
  • Printer and loose leaf paper are examples of two types of paper that are widely accepted in recycling programs across New York State.
  • Do not recycle paper containing glitter, ribbons, felt, or other decorations.

When possible, use electronic communication options, and submit and share documents online to both reduce paper waste and clutter. A win-win!
Fall Bulbs - Tulips
Tulips, a favorite in the garden, are known as harbingers of spring. Their beautiful flowers and vibrant colors are a refreshing change after a cold and dreary winter. Read on for information on how to best grow tulips.

Best Time To Plant a Tree? Now!
Experts used to recommend planting trees in spring, but that's changed for most species

Planting a tree is one of the best things you can do to help the planet, and these days it’s gotten easier. There’s a better understanding now of what trees need, including when they should generally be planted (the fall).

Why plant trees? It’s well-known that trees mitigate global warming by taking in and storing carbon dioxide. Their shade can cool things down in summer. As windbreaks, they can slow heat loss. Their beauty and delicious fruits and nuts are other perks.

Experts used to recommend planting trees in spring. But that’s changed for most species.
With spring planting, there’s a danger that stems can start to grow before the roots are established in the ground. Fall planting helps avoid that. Stems can’t grow until they have experienced a winter’s worth of cold. Roots, on the other hand, grow whenever the soil temperature is above about 40 degrees, so they can still make use of summer’s lingering heat in the ground.


Lee Reich writes regularly about gardening for The Associated Press.
Leaf Me Alone: Why You Should Keep Your Leaves In Your Yard
As the leaves continue to fall, many of us will use our time or money to rid our lawns of leaves. Keeping our leaves nearby is a simpler, more environmentally-friendly solution, as leaves contain nutrients that are good for the soil.
Here are some ways to make the most of your leaves:
  • Mulch your leaves in place. Shred your leaves with a lawn mower and leave them on your lawn. It's faster and easier than raking or leaf blowing and adds nutrients to the soil.
  • Add shredded leaves to your garden and landscaping. Shredded leaves can be used as a mulch to help prevent weeds and keep moisture in the soil. The leaves will also slowly release nutrients into the soil.
  • Save your leaves for composting. Fall allows us to collect and store a great carbon rich source for our compost pile and that's leaves! Leaves balance out nitrogen rich materials in your pile like food scraps and grass clippings. One of the biggest challenges to composting food scraps at home is the release of water into your compost pile as the food breaks down. One of the best ways to fix this is to add leaves every time you add food scraps (Compost tip: shredded leaves absorb water better than whole leaves). Learn more about home composting.
  • Insulate your compost bin for the winter. Place leaves around and on top of your compost bin. This will insulate your bin and allow the material to continue to breakdown throughout the winter. In the spring, you will have fresh compost without waiting for your pile to thaw out, and the leaves can be added to your spring compost pile.
Don't Move Firewood! Protect Trees from Invasive Species
They give you shade. They provide oxygen. Let’s make sure trees everywhere can do the same for future generations. If you’re a camper heading out for a trip — or just getting firewood for your wood stove — do nature a favor.

Moving firewood long distances can spread invasive forest pests hidden in or on the wood. Your firewood choices matter, and you can help slow the spread of these tree-killing pests. This October, we’ll be celebrating Firewood Month with our friends at Hungry Pests to help spread the word on this important topic!
Don’t move firewood – instead, make one of these better choices:
  • Buy firewood where you’ll burn it.
  • Buy certified heat treated firewood.
  • Gather firewood on site when permitted.

You have the power to slow the spread of forest pests.

Upcoming Zoom Events
Registration Required
Be on the lookout for your confirmation email with the Zoom link to access the class!
Poisonous Plants in Ornamental Gardens
Thursday, October 8, 7 PM - 8 PM
Hosted by Rush Public Library
Register Here (FREE)
Many of our favorite ornamental garden plants are poisonous and some have fascinating histories! 

You may be surprised to learn that there are poisonous plants growing in your garden. Join us online for our next gardening workshop and learn about a common shrub whose pollen produces toxic honey, and another called the “Tree of Death!” The speaker will provide some common sense precautions to safely grow these plants in your garden.

Presented by MG John Nelson.
Photo: Manchineel, known as "Tree of Death"
Making Meat Jerky Food Preservation Class
Friday, October 16, 11 AM - 12 PM
Hosted by CCE Saratoga
Register Here (FREE)
Learn how to safely make your own jerky in an oven or food dehydrator. This class will include the three methods of making a safe jerky, options for marinating, and testing for doneness. 

Presented by CCE Saratoga's Master Food Preserver and Nutrition Educator, Diane Whitten
Apples & Pears! Food Preservation Class
Wednesday, October 21, 1 PM - 2 PM
Hosted by Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County
Register Here (FREE)
This workshop will share information for apple pies, canning pears, and different ways to preserve homemade apple sauce. This workshop is highly interactive, and attendees are encouraged to participate in the online conversation!

Presented by CCE Monroe's Master Food Preserver, Michele Connors
Basics of Organic Composting
Wednesday, October 28, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Hosted by Chili Public Library
Register Here (FREE)
A great garden starts with great soil! One way to maintain good health and high nutrient content of your soil is by adding garden compost. Composting is more than recycling garden waste or kitchen scraps – it’s a way of creating a healthy environment for all organisms. Participants will learn good composting practices to help drive sustainability and production in their garden.

Presented by MG, Sue Nolan.
Olmsted and Rochester Parks
Thursday, November 5, 7 PM - 8 PM
Hosted by Rush Public Library
Register Here (FREE)
This talk will be an introduction to the life and accomplishments of Frederick Law Olmsted, a pioneer of the modern urban park. We will explore Olmsted’s early life, the history of urban parks, and the major projects of Olmsted’s firm such as Central Park and the Rochester (now Monroe County) park system. 

Presented by MG, Bob Beabout.
Gardening with Native Plants
Thursday, November 5, 7 PM - 8 PM
Hosted by Rush Public Library
Register Here (FREE)
This presentation will describe how gardening with native plants helps pollinators and other native species, plus some of its benefits. Native plant suggestions for sun, shade, and wet/dry locations will be provided. A link to the virtual program will be emailed the morning of November 5.

Presented by MG, John Nelson.
Join Us for the CCE Monroe Annual Meeting 2020
Join us for our Annual Meeting this year via Zoom! 

CCE has provided essential support throughout NYS during this tumultuous time in 2020. We will take a closer look at our local impact here in Monroe County as we celebrate the ability for CCE to be innovative, collaborative, and responsive.

The meeting will include:
  • Guest Speaker, Dr. Chris Watkins, Cornell Cooperative Extension Director
  • Program Highlights
  • Door Prizes
  • Business Meeting
  • Board of Director Elections

Each year Monroe County residents, ages 18+ have the opportunity to cast a ballot for Board of Director nominees. This year you can cast your ballot via paper form, email, or digitally.  

Speakers Bureau - Book a Master Gardener Presentation
Master Gardeners are able to present horticultural lectures for your club or organization. We are also willing to present in nursing home facilities and will format the presentation to abilities.

Presentations are 45 minutes in length and conclude with an additional 15 minute question and answer period.Please note – some presentations have limited availability throughout the year. All presentations have a speaking charge of $50, payable to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County.

Gardening Helpline at Your Service
When plant, insect and wildlife problems happen in the garden, who can home gardeners call? A team of trained Master Gardeners are available to help answer gardening and pest questions, and solve problems using current research-based information.

By calling the helpline, you’ll find yourself in contact with someone who will help identify the cause of your problem, or give an answer to your question using Cornell’s experience and research knowledge. If the issue is addressed in one of our many factsheets, it will be sent to you for your reference.

Contact us: (585) 753-2555 or monroemg@cornell.edu

Gardening Helpline Hours:
April – October: Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 12 PM       
November – March: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9 AM - 12 PM
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Contact Us
General:
monroehort@cornell.edu 📞 (585) 753-2558

Gardening Helpline:
monroemg@cornell.edu 📞 (585) 753-2555