What’s changing with fertilizers in Connecticut, and how to shop smarter this fall?

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By Dr. Avishesh Neupane, UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab

If you shop for fertilizer in Connecticut this fall, you will see some labels missing from the shelves and more paperwork behind the ones that remain. The reason is new state rules targeting certain ingredients and how they are documented. 

A compost pile on the edge of a woodlineOn October 1, 2024, Connecticut banned products made from biosolids or wastewater sludge that contain PFAS from being used or sold in the state as soil amendments. Biosolids are the treated solids left from wastewater treatment. Some products made from them were marketed for lawns and gardens in the past years. Connecticut’s new law closed that door to reduce PFAS in soils and runoff. 

So what are PFAS and why the crackdown? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a large class of “forever chemicals” added to products to resist water, grease, and stains. They do not break down easily and can build up in people, soil, and water. Health agencies have linked PFAS exposure to certain cancers, immune system effects, and developmental concerns, which is why Connecticut has been tightening rules to limit the entry of these chemicals into our environment. 

Effective July 1, 2025, the legislature extended the PFAS biosolids restriction from soil amendments to fertilizers as well. The law also requires manufacturers and registrants to provide a certificate of compliance showing that any fertilizer or soil amendment that contains biosolids is free of PFAS. Products that do not meet the standard must be removed from Connecticut shelves.  

What this means for your yard and vegetable beds is simple: expect fewer “biosolids-based” fertilizers on the market and expect clearer paperwork behind any products that remain. If you relied on those products for lawns or gardens, it is time to switch to other nutrient sources. 

How can you read labels to avoid fertilizers and Soil amendments with PFAS? 

  • Check the ingredients panel. Look for words like “biosolids,” “sewage sludge,” “municipal waste,” or “residuals.” If you see those, consider a different product.  
  • Look for an analysis or ingredient list that spells out plant, animal, or mineral sources, such as feather meal, alfalfa meal, composted poultry manure, sulfate of potash, or rock-derived nutrients. These indicate non-biosolid ingredients. 
  • Ask your retailer. If a product contains biosolids, the maker must keep a certificate on file stating the product is compliant. Retailers should know whether a certificate exists for what they sell. If they cannot confirm, do not buy.  

Safer sourcing ideas that are easy to find 

  • Start with a soil test. Match products and rates to what your soil actually needs. The UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory provides routine tests with fertilizer and lime recommendations for home lawns and gardens. 
  • Yard-waste compost and leaf mulch made from leaves, grass clippings, and wood chips are reliable ways to add organic matter to the soil. 
  • Use animal-based fertilizers like composted poultry manure or feather meal, plant-based products like alfalfa meal, and mineral fertilizers like sulfate of potash and limestone.  
  • Biosolids are not allowed in certified organic production. “OMRI Listed” inputs follow the USDA National Organic Program, which prohibits sewage sludge. Choosing “OMRI Listed” products can be a practical way to avoid biosolids entirely.  

A few quick FAQs 

  • Do I need to throw away the fertilizer I already own? Yes, but only if it contains PFAS or biosolids with PFAS. The new rules apply to the sale and use in the state. Contact your town’s household hazardous waste program for proper disposal guidance.  
  • Will PFAS show up on a routine soil nutrient test? Standard nutrient tests do not include PFAS. If you are concerned about legacy PFAS on a property that received biosolids, specialized testing is required. Your local Extension office can help you locate appropriate resources. 
  • What about compost from my town? Ask what goes into it. Compost made only from leaves, grass, wood, and animal waste is a safer choice for home gardens under the new rules. 

Connecticut has removed PFAS-containing biosolids and fertilizer products from the garden marketplace. Expect clearer documentation from manufacturers and fewer sludge-based products on shelves. With a little label reading and a few ingredient swaps, you can keep building healthy soil while staying on the right side of the regulations.  

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at  extension.uconn.edu/locations 

This article was published in the Hartford Courant October 11, 2025

Got Garlic?

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By Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Garlic belongs to the allium family, which includes onions, shallots, chives, and even some ornamental plants. People have strong feelings about garlic; they either love it or hate it. Whether you add it to your pantry of seasonings or not, there are tons of fantastic reasons to plant it in your garden.

Garlic cloves
Photo by H. Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Garlic is great for gardeners on the go. One of my favorite things about these plants is the window in which they grow. You plant cloves in October and harvest the bulbs in July. Planting garlic cloves is one of the last things I do in my garden before hanging up my gloves for the season. This means I have an entire bed already working for me when the spring starts. In early summer, you can harvest the young flower spikes, known as scapes, and use them in recipes for a mild garlic flavor. They blend beautifully with early season cole crops to make some fantastic spring dishes!

From a practical standpoint, the time saved in planting an entire bed before the season has even started is invaluable. Their presence helps to retain garden soil and prevent loss through erosion over the dormant season. Their care is minimal, only needing a side-dress of fertilizer in the spring and supplemental water when active growing starts. On top of all of that, they package themselves perfectly for storage, when cured and stored properly.

A garden bed of garlic with half of the plants removed
Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Another fantastic benefit to having garlic in your garden beds is that it is well equipped to fend off many vertebrate and invertebrate types of pests. From personal experience, my garlic beds have not needed a fenced in area like my other vegetables and have been relatively undisturbed by local wildlife.  While there are claims out there regarding companion planting, I only can confirm for certain that the properties of garlic keep animals away from garlic plants. Scientists are also studying the benefits of garlic for the microbial environment in the soil, to see what other impacts they may have.

As large bulbs develop, they help to break up the soil in the bed for whatever is next to come in the rotation. Once garlic bulbs are harvested, we usually have anywhere between 90 and 100 days left of the growing season. This is plenty of time to rotate in a fast-growing crop like leafy greens, summer squash, carrots, radish, or even some kinds of brassicas.

If you do decide to give garlic a try this year, make sure you pick up clean seed garlic from a trusted source. As with any other plant, healthy starting material will help in yielding healthy plants. Hardneck varieties tend to grow best in our climate. They have a firm stem that starts at the base of the bulb and grows through the plant, giving it a strong single stalk during the growing season (this is where the scapes come from). They need a vernalization (cold) period, which is why it is best to plant them before the ground freezes. There are many varieties of hardneck garlic with a wide range of flavors.

Do not use garlic cloves from the grocery store. Grocery stores typically carry softneck garlic, which has no central stem and may have more cloves inside. A lot of our commercial garlic is grown in California.  Softneck garlic may not grow as well in our climate. In addition, commercial agricultural produce can sometimes be treated with growth inhibitors or inadvertently carry pests or pathogens that would not serve your garden well. Local farms, farmers markets, and harvest festivals are great resources to find quality planting garlic. There are also reputable catalog companies out there, but you better get to ordering as time is short!

Garlic leaves peeking through straw mulch
Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Before planting, break the garlic bulb into its numerous cloves. Don’t be too concerned if some skin flakes off of the outermost layer, but do not peel the garlic before planting it. The intact skin acts as a protective barrier to keep them from rotting in the soil. Place cloves pointy end up in the soil at a depth of 1-2 inches, depending on the size of the clove. Water in and cover with a straw or leaf mulch, and it’s done! Don’t be too shocked if you see them start to emerge from the soil before the snow. Leave them be and assess in the spring, sometimes you don’t even have to cut those leaves back!

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, garlic offers something for everyone. Its numerous benefits in the garden, plus its versatility in the kitchen provide a great starting point for those who want to have their own garden-to-table experience. You’ll be a pro in no time!

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations.

This article was published in the Hartford Courant October 4, 2025

Garlic, Garden Wind Down & Other October News

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October 2025

“October is the month for painted leaves.... As fruits and leaves and the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall, so the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight.”

— Henry David Thoreau, "Autumnal Tints"

It's Time to Plant Garlic!

October is the month to plant garlic! This easy to grow vegetable is planted now, hibernates in the ground over the winter, and is ready for harvest come early summer. Garlic is often propagated via cloning. A single clove will form an entire bulb, which will then be broken apart and the process starts over again. Here are some tips for growing:

  • Garlic cloves
    Photo by H. Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

    Look for hardneck varieties of garlic, as they are best suited to the New England Climate.

  • Some softneck varieties are hardy, but do not plant cloves from the grocery store. Commercially grown garlic usually comes from California or China, and is not adapted to our New England climate. Produce sold in stores may also be treated with growth inhibitors which will prevent sprouting.
  • Break up the garlic bulb, but do not peel the cloves before putting them in the ground - their skin is meant to protect the tender tissue inside, which stores energy for the next season. 
  • Plant cloves with the pointy side up in loose soil, at a depth of 1 to 3 inches, depending on the variety and size of the clove.
  • Provide 6-8 inches of spacing between cloves.
  • Cover your bed with a straw or leaf mulch to help insulate the new bulbs. 

 

As the Garden Winds Down...

By October, many gardeners are ready to put their gardens to bed, or at least put parts of their gardens to bed. Here's a few helpful tips to help you tuck in those vegetable gardens!

  • Before cleaning up your garden for the season, make a quick sketch or diagram of where you planted various crops. Use this as a reference next spring so you can practice crop rotation strategies. This is also a useful disease prevention technique against pathogens which overwinter in the soil.
    • Add notes about what varieties were successful and what suffered to help you with seed selection this winter!
  • Remove entire plants. Dispose of any leaves and plant material that were infected by disease, or heavily infested by insect pests. Compost only healthy plant material to help prevent the spread of problems next season.
  • Clean up any dropped fruit to prevent volunteers next spring. (Or leave them for a fun experiment!)
  • Save seeds from matured flowers and fruit for next year's garden
  • Consider having your soil tested this fall to be ready to ammend as soon as spring kicks off next year!
  • Find a way to cover the soil. If you have not already planted cover crops or winter vegetables, you can use healthy leaves, straw, or mulch to help keep your garden soil covered to prevent erosion during the winter. 
    • Pro Tip: Shred leaves before using them as mulch to help them break down faster 

Sooty Blotch and Fly Speck on Apples

An apple showing symptoms of sooty blotch and flyspeck
Cheryl Kaiser, University of Kentucky, Bugwood.org

Seeing fruit that looks less than stellar while apple picking this fall? Sooty blotch and fly speck,  interesting group of fungi that affect apple, may be to blame.

Sooty blotch causes brown, grey, or black smudges on an apple’s surface that can be easily wiped off. While clusters of small black dots on the apple’s external surface, more difficult to clean off than sooty blotch, are likely due to an infection of fly speck. Several different fungi can cause Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck, and these two issues may appear together or separately.

Fortunately, these concerns are only "skin deep" as they say. Apples that have been infected by either of these diseases are perfectly safe to eat, although their aesthetic value has been diminished. You can use apples of this nature to make treats such as apple butter, apple cider, or applesauce.  

 

Native Plant: New England Aster

Purple aster flowers with a bumblebee
Photo by H. Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

An excellent choice for late-season beauty for your garden is the New England aster, a Connecticut-native perennial with notable ecosystem benefits. This plant produces daisy-like flowers in brilliant shades of violet starting in late August and continuing through October. They fit perfectly in pollinator gardens, rain gardens, or as accent plants in a landscape.

This plant is extremely hardy. It can tolerate a wide range of conditions and soil types, from full sun to partial shade, and dry to wet ground conditions. They grow in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 to 8 (https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/). In addition, they are resistant to many pests and diseases and may offer worthy competition against the weeds in your garden.

During the late growing season, many pollinators rely on the New England Aster as one of the few remaining sources of pollen and nectar, especially the migrating Monarch butterflies. Including this species in your garden will promote beneficial insects and pollinators to your garden from late summer through late fall, helping them thrive when their food sources become scarce.

New England Asters can grow to be between 3 and 5 feet in height and produce rough, velvety leaves. From early to late fall, they form clumps of vibrant flowers. Their natural habitat includes areas with open ground and high moisture, including prairies, lake shores, and wet meadows. They’re also often found on roadsides or along railroads, a testament to their hardiness and resilience.   

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Load Your Logs: Mushroom Cultivation

This month, UConn’s Women in Soil Ecology brings you a word on mushroom cultivation. Have you ever thought you were able to grow food from agricultural waste? Logs make a great environment to grow your own mushrooms!

Is it expensive to grow desired strains? Not really! It depends on how much you want to grow, and which mushrooms. Just remember these principles:

  • Different mushrooms have different requirements; some like specific types of wood better than others - know your mushroom species beforehand. 
  • Reduce Competition: There are a lot of microorganisms in the environment looking for food, some of them like the same food your desired mushrooms do, or they would even like to eat your desired mushrooms! To avoid competition, you should sterilize your tools with 70% alcohol. Some fungicultors recommend using the log as it comes and some would recommend rinsing them with hot water before inoculation. You may want to increase the inoculum (the amount of mushroom you put to grow) when you are not in a sterile environment to improve chances of success. 
  • Monitor Humidity: mushrooms require between 70-75% humidity in their substrate (the place where they grow). When the log is fresh, the amount of water is considered ideal, but you should keep irrigating at least once per day. 
  • Mushrooms are not plants, they don’t need light to grow; in fact, they don’t like light when growing. Keep your logs under shade. 

Kits are readily available for novice home cultivators. Remember, never consume or cultivate mushrooms that are not properly identified as many species can be toxic!

Always remember to be cautious but enthusiastic as you keep learning about fungi! 

By Paulette Goyes, Soil Science and Mycology Ph.D. student

Weather Outlook

A seasoned gardener always keeps their eye to the sky at any time of year! Maps and the 30 day outlook from NOAA will help you stay prepared for any and all of your gardening chores! (Click image to see larger map.)

    Temperature map

Precipitation Outlook

 

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

UConn Pest Alerts

During the growing season, UConn Extension publishes a regular pest alert for both vegetable and fruit producers. Additionally, the New England Vegetable Management Guide offers a lot of information about specific vegetable crops.

While the target audience for these publications is usually commercial growers, home gardeners can learn a lot from these materials including identification and management of common pests in your veggie gardens!

If you ever need confirmation on an ID or have additional questions about what you read in these reports, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at the Home & Garden Education Center! We're happy to help your gardens thrive.

UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

UConn Fruit Pest Messages

New England Vegetable Management Guide

Knowledge to Grow On

Mum in partial bloom
Photo by H. Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

           

          Educational Opportunities & Workshops

                    Supplement Your Garden Produce with CT Grown Products! 

                    Connecticut is rich in agricultural history, with many operational farms that have lots to offer local markets! 

                    Supporting local CT Agriculture is a way that gardeners can supplement the fresh foods they grow in their garden, with seasonal offerings from year round operations.

                    Consider attending a local farmers market, joining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's), or even stopping by your nearest farm stand to see what they have to offer!  

                     

                    October Gardening Tips

                    • Dig and store tender bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers in a cool, dark, place.
                    • Keep collecting matured seeds. Dry them out and place them in labeled brown coin envelopes within an air tight container, and store in a cool place.
                    • When finding an indoor location for houseplants that have been out all summer, keep plants away from drafts, vents and sources of heat
                    • Examine houseplants carefully for insect pests before bringing them back inside. Give them a good grooming if necessary. You may want to spray plants with insecticidal soap after hosing off the foliage. Let the plants dry first.
                    • Beets, parsnips, and carrots can be covered with a thick layer of straw or leaves and left in the ground for harvest, as needed, during the winter. This may not be an option in areas with heavy vole populations.
                    • Prune fall-bearing raspberries after harvest.
                    • If rain is lacking, continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds, and lawn areas. It is especially important to keep newly planted evergreens watered
                    • Keep lawn areas seeded in September well-watered
                    • Use a mulching blade to chop leaves finely and let them decompose on the lawn
                    • Outwit hungry squirrels and chipmunks by planting bulbs in established groundcovers.
                    • Drain garden hoses and store in a shed, garage, or basement for the winter. Turn off all outside faucets.

                    This Month’s Newsletter Contributors: 
                    Heather Zidack, Emily Leahy, Holly McNamara, Paulette Goyes, Dr. Nick Goltz

                    Office Closures in October 2025

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                    The UConn Home & Garden Education Center will have a brief change in our regular schedule on the following dates in August. Hours on the listed dates will be as follows:

                    • October 8th: Office Closed
                    • October 9th: Office Closed to the Public
                    • October 13th: Office Closed – Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day

                    Our office will run on regularly scheduled business hours on all other business days during the month.

                    Our red sample cooler will be accessible for drop offs during this time and checked regularly by staff during these disrupted hours.

                    Please plan your visits accordingly and thank you for your understanding!

                    Your questions are important to us! Please continue to send your questions to ladybug@uconn.edu or call us and leave a voicemail at 860-486-6271.

                    Extend Your Fall Color with More than Mums!

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                    By Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    A garden bed with mums cabbage and millet
                    Photo by H. Zidack

                    By September, many of our ornamental garden beds and containers are ready for a refresh. Fall annuals help us bring color and vibrancy back into the garden while we still can enjoy the outdoors. The classic go-to for many gardens is the traditional chrysanthemum. These rotund, uniform little plants come in many different colors, various flower shapes, and a wide range of blooming periods from the end of August until the end of October. For extended color, it is often recommended to plant a mix of early, mid, and late season mums to ensure that color will last throughout the autumn. Alternatively, gardeners can mix mums with other types of annuals and perennials to extend their season of color and build a textured, multi-dimensional garden display. 

                    A unique challenge with fall annuals is that they do not grow as vigorously as spring and summer annuals. In terms of size, oftentimes the plant you purchase is the plant you will see in your garden for the remainder of the season. It is important to purchase your plants with this in mind. Fill your space densely and don’t hold as much space for plants to “grow into.” 

                    Large, full ornamental grasses like Pennisetum ‘Rubrum,’ Pennisetum ‘First Knight,’ or varieties of Millet will take up a lot of space and add height and an airy texture to your annual display.   If working in a container, add these giants to the middle of your planters and work your way outwards with other annuals.  

                    Yellow flowers with brown centers surrounded by ornamental grasses in a display
                    Rudbeckia Hirta 'Denver Daisy' in an autumn display. Photo by H. Zidack

                    Varieties of Rudbeckia hirta, like the ‘Toto’ series can take up a large space and have an open habit and less uniformity when compared to the traditional mum. Echibeckia (Rudbeckia x Echinacea hybrids) also do a great job of filling the space. Autumn is their time to shine and shine they do! Some of them may be hardy to Zone 6 but always check the variety and plant label to know if they have a chance of survival.  

                    We’re always looking to get more for our money. Don’t let your fall garden spruce up be any different this season!  Garden perennials that are currently in bloom, like Rudbeckia, Sedum, or Asters can be purchased and planted in containers for fall display. When they start to wind down, re-plant them somewhere in the garden before the ground freezes for a chance of coming back next season. Who doesn’t love a multi-purpose purchase? 

                    Many of us think of pansies and violets as spring flowers. However, they are gaining more traction in the world of ornamental horticulture as an autumn accent plant. These tiny flowers are already adapted to warm days and cool nights, and come in a wide range of colors for every gardener to enjoy. If you’re lucky, they’ll drop seeds and pop back up again in the springtime!  

                    Annuals like Nemesia and Snapdragons are well adapted to our autumn temperatures and will produce flowers well into the autumn season, though may need frost protection to keep flowers beautiful.  

                    One of the risks we take with flowering annuals in the autumn is the risk of frost damaging flowers before their time. When frosts are expected, it is important to cover plants to preserve flowers. If you find this is a lot of work, let me introduce you to ornamental kale and cabbage. A symbol of a bountiful harvest, these plants naturally lend themselves to an autumn display and can last far beyond their flowering counterparts. In fact, the colder they get, the more vibrant their foliage becomes!  

                    A wheelbarrow full of flowers and pumpkins
                    Photo by H. Zidack

                    Again, using perennials in fall displays, lends itself to solving this problem. As hardy plants, they are able to adapt to cooler nights and light frosts. This works well with foliage plants like Heuchera, or hardy ferns, that do not need additional frost protection to survive.  

                    To add the finishing touches to your display, consider adding pumpkins, hay bales, or even a home-made scarecrow! Your fall garden will be the envy of the neighborhood! 

                    The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations. 

                    This article was published in the Hartford Courant September 27, 2025

                    Fall is a Great Time to Lime and Fertilize Lawns

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                    By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    With the end of summer drawing near and hopefully bringing cooler temperatures and needed precipitation, now is a great time to attend to your lawn. While some of us are reducing the size of our lawns and adding native plants, in many cases lawns still serve a valuable purpose for practical uses, recreation and to set off plantings. Traditional cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fescues and rye grasses require a higher pH and more fertility than our native soils provide. Right now is the perfect time to add limestone and fertilizer, if needed. Improved soil conditions will assist lawns recovering from the heat and drought stresses of summer. Also, the cooler fall temperatures allow turfgrasses to resume active growth.

                    Having your soil tested before purchasing limestone and fertilizer is always a wise move. Check out the UConn Soil Testing Lab’s website or give them a call at (860) 486-4274. Many of our soils tend to be acidic with a pH of 5 or so. You might remember that the pH scales ranges from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral and values below that acidic and above that alkaline. Cool season turf grasses prefer a soil pH in the mid 6’s. When the soil pH is too low, it reduces the amounts of nutrients that are available to turf grasses even if fertilizer has been applied, increases the solubility of toxic elements like aluminum and can cause a decrease in good root formation, contribute to thatch accumulation and affect soil microbes.

                    Fortunately adjusting your soil’s pH is relatively easy and affordable. Limestone can be purchased either as a ground white powder or in earth tone pelletized forms. There are two main types. Calcitic limestone consists predominantly of calcium carbonates while dolomitic limestone contains both calcium and magnesium carbonates. Usually, dolomitic limestone is more commonly found as it is mined locally and it is fine to use as magnesium is an essential nutrient.

                    A person pushing a spreader
                    Photo by dmp2024

                    Typically, limestone is applied at rates of 50 pounds per 1000 square feet. If the soil pH needs to be raised significantly, additional limestone can be applied either spring/fall or at 30-day intervals. Once your soil pH reaches the mid 6’s, a maintenance application of 50 pounds/1000 square feet every other year should suffice. Do keep in mind that limestone does take anywhere from 6 to 18 months to change the pH depending on environmental conditions. While some more costly products are advertised as ‘Fast Acting Lime’, studies comparing them to traditional ground or pelletized limestone are inconsistent. If using these products, just follow the instructions on the package.

                    Choosing a fertilizer is often a confusing task considering the vast selection available. All plants need at least 18 different elements to grow. The 3 that are most often deficient in our soils and components of most fertilizers are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). So, the 3 numbers found on a bag or box of fertilizer, like 10-10-10 or 27-4-6 represent the percent of total nitrogen, available phosphate, and water-soluble potassium, respectively. For instance, a ten-pound box of 10-10-10 contains 10 percent or 1 pound of total nitrogen, and another 10 percent or 1 pound each of available phosphate and water-soluble potassium.

                    A law passed in 2013, limits the amount of phosphorus that can be applied to established lawns because it is the number one inland freshwater pollutant. Lawn maintenance fertilizers sold in Connecticut will typically have analyses like 30-0-4, 29-0-5 or 10-0-6. While phosphorus applications are prohibited on established lawns, fertilizers with phosphorus can be used when seeding, sodding or overseeding.

                    Fertilizers are also grouped as either those containing water-soluble nitrogen (WS) of water insoluble nitrogen (WIN). Look for a fertilizer that contains both. That way some nitrogen will be immediately available to your lawn and some will be released slowly over time. Fertilizers containing solely soluble N will produce rapid results but can easily burn if over applied and since some forms of nitrogen are readily leached from the surface soil, more frequent fertilizer applications may be necessary. No more than 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet should be applied at one time. If grass clippings are left in place then only 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of turf area will be needed each year. The best times to fertilize lawns are in September and in late April through the end of May. Avoid using too much nitrogen as it can lead to increased susceptibility to diseases and lower resistance to stress. If in doubt as to how much lime and fertilizer to apply, consider having your soil tested.

                    The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website or reach out to your local UConn Extension center.

                    This article was published in the Hartford Courant September 20, 2025

                    Plectosporium – Not as Spooky As it Sounds!

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                    By Emily Leahy, UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab

                    White blister like spots on an orange pumpkin
                    Raised white lesions, indicative of Plectosporium blight, on a pumpkin. William Nesmith, University of Kentucky.

                    A chill in the air, football playing on the TV, and a certain kind of latte in your hand – there is only one season which encapsulates all three. Autumn is at our doorstep, bringing with it vibrant colors to paint the trees and an abundant harvest to use in all the season’s culinary endeavors. Many of the crops most representative of fall are cucurbits – the most relevant of which being various varieties of squash and pumpkins. Although the season is associated with comfort, danger lurks for these plants in the form of a fungal disease – Plectosporium blight.  

                    As the disease name suggests, the fungal pathogen Plectosporium tabacinum is responsible for its occurrence. Following a typical cycle of disease in infected hosts, fungal reproductive structures overwinter on crop residue. The pathogen even has the ability to dwell in soil for up to three years, much overstaying its welcome. As the growing season progresses, fungal spores will enter hosts through natural openings like cuticles and stomata. Plectosporium tabacinum prefers a cool and rainy environment, as windy and wet weather can assist in the spread of fungal spores and therefore the disease itself.  

                    White lesions on a pumpkin stem
                    Squash host exhibiting tissue desiccation in late stages of infection. Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org

                    Plectosporium blight has a few key symptoms which are easy to spot. White or cream-colored patches of various sizes will be present on stem tissue and can also spread to leaf petioles – the stalk which connects the leaf to its stem or branch. In severe cases of infection with Plectosporium tabacinum, hosts can become entirely defoliated as these lesions deplete petioles of their strength. Raised circular lesions in colors including white, tan, and gray, will appear on the body of the fruit and possibly leaves. As the disease progresses, infected tissue will become increasingly brittle and dry, forming tan abrasions that detract from the plant’s vigor.  

                    Up close image of white spots
                    Symptom of Plectosporium tabacinum – white pathces on a squash stem. Virginia Tech Learning Resources Center , Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org

                    Fear not – all hope is not lost for the unofficial mascots of autumn. There are management strategies readily available to deter Plectosporium tabacinum. Due to the pathogen’s ability to dwell in plant residue and soil for long periods of time, crop rotations are beneficial to position potential hosts away from areas where the disease was observed in the past. In addition, assuring that plants have ample space between each other and therefore promoting air circulation. This leaves fungal pathogens without a suitable place to dwell, reducing infection of plants in the area. Control can also be achieved by fungicides, including Chlorothalonil and strobilurin based compounds. Always read the label in full before using any chemical product on your plants. 

                    The number of management strategies available for Plectosporium blight is a comforting indicator that this disease is easily controlled. As you are outside admiring the fall foliage and enjoying a reprieve from the harsh heat of summer, peruse your fall cucurbit harvest for the aforementioned symptoms. Stay curious and enjoy the dynamics of the season – it'll slip away in the blink of an eye!  

                    The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations. 

                    This article was published in the Hartford Courant September 13, 2025

                    Why Bees and Wasps Really Crash Your Late Summer Picnic!

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                    By Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    Did you notice a few unwelcome guests trying to steal a sip from your soda can at your Labor Day picnics last weekend? In late August/Early September, bees and wasps are highly visible, more persistent, and at their peak populations in social hives. We get a lot of calls this time of year asking what can be done to remove them from shared spaces. 

                    A yellowjacket flying low to the ground
                    A Yellowjacket. Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    Thousands of described species are spread across 7 taxonomic families, worldwide. Eusocial species, like honeybees and paper wasps, have complex social structures that contribute to the overall survival of the hive. Meanwhile, a large majority of species are solitary and may live close to similar species but don't work together when it comes to provisioning resources or defending a territory. Diets range from carnivorous to herbivorous. However, most of them have developed a relationship with flowering plants in some capacity. Some are specialists, needing specific flowers for various resources, while others are generalists. Flowers have co-evolved with these insects so that they may benefit from the relationship via pollen distribution. Only those that help to move pollen are considered pollinators, though many may feed on floral resources. Entomologists dedicate their entire careers to understanding these insects and their complex relationships with the larger world. 

                    So why do they bother us around Labor Day but not so much during other summer picnics? A lot of it has to do with life cycles. By August, a hive has had a significant amount of time to establish. In spring, a queen will start a nest the size of a quarter. They aren’t on our mind so we’re not on the lookout. By now, some of those social nests can be the size of a basketball, or larger, with thousands of insects working for the good of the hive. At the same time, we're in the season when bees and wasps are on the lookout for sweet, sugary energy sources as their natural floral resources start to become scarce with the change of the seasons. Some become more protective of territory, trying to protect local resources and inadvertently mistake your sodas, fruit, and sweet picnic goodies as their next opportunity. Keeping drinks and food covered at picnics at this time of year is highly recommended to avoid attracting bees and wasps. If you grow fruit trees or berries, clean up any dropped fruit that could also attract these sugar fiends.  

                    In general terms, the easiest management strategy is to avoid the area, if possible. Hives built in low traffic areas can plausibly be left for the season, since workers will die out with colder weather. The only one to overwinter is the queen, and she will usually overwinter in leaf litter or plant material at ground level. In addition, wasps are not going to re-use their hives. The new queen will start fresh with her own nest, and her own colony come springtime. Next spring would be the time to scout for any unwanted guests and physically remove the beginnings of a nest early. This not only helps keep them out of your space but gives the queen time to reestablish a nest somewhere else that is safer for both parties and allows them to coexist with us more favorably. 

                    We always encourage having a bee or wasp identified before managing a nest, for a multitude of reasons. Your local beekeeper may be skilled and willing to help you remove a hive or swarm of honeybees from your property, but they won’t want to go near wasps any more than you might. Some species, like carpenter bees, may cause property damage and management may include removal of the bees as well as some minor carpentry repairs.  Others, like the Cicada Killer, may appear big and scary, but want nothing to do with humans and can be left alone to complete their season.  

                    If you or a family member has an allergy, damage is being done to property, or the nest is in a high traffic area, removal of the nest may be appropriate. Chemical management products, like bee and wasp sprays, are highly effective when used according to the label. These products will kill the insects. Not all products may fit all situations, so check labels carefully. As an example, sprays for ground bees and wasps should be labeled for ground use. Remember to read the label in its entirety before use and follow all instructions as written. Consider hiring a pest removal professional who can take the proper safety precautions. These professionals also know strategies that may help reduce the impact on nearby pollinators, treating only the problem at hand. 

                    If you have questions about bees or wasps or need help identifying them to navigate which action to take, the UConn Home & Garden Education Center is here to help!  

                    The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations. 

                    This article was published in the Hartford Courant September 6, 2025

                    Perennials, Fall Foliage, and Other September News

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                    September 2025

                    “September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.”

                    — Rowland E. Robinson

                    Fall Perennial Chores

                    The fall is a great time to plant, transplant, and divide perennials. Here are a few tips to help you maintain your perennial gardens:

                    Daylily leaves emerging from the ground in spring
                    In the spring of 2025, the plant came back strong. Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    Recently transplanted daylily wilting in the garden
                    Daylilies were divided and planted in the fall of 2024. The stress and shock of the move was apparent upon planting. Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    • Divide spring blooming perennials in the autumn. Later season bloomers can be divided in the spring. 
                    • If perennials start to die from the center out, it may be time to divide them. This is very common in plants like hostas and ornamental grasses. 
                    • Cut perennials back to 6 inches before transplanting.
                    • Aim to do your planting and transplanting 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost in order to give your plants enough time to settle in before the ground freezes.
                    • Newly transplanted perennials should be adequately hydrated and monitored until the ground freezes. Plants should get one inch of water per week. If rain is not meeting that minimum, supplemental water will be needed.
                    • Plant spring bulbs at this time too, including daffodils, tulips and hyacinth. 

                     

                    Perennials

                    How and When to Divide Perennials

                     

                    Fall Foliage Predictions are Here!

                    Fall foliage in a mountain landscape
                    Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    The beauty of fall leaves here in New England is undeniable, and while many of us are hanging on to the last days of summer, the changing of leaves will be here sooner than we realize!

                    Some sources are predicting a slightly earlier autumn change of leaves this year. And some of us have already noticed early leaf drop in our trees and shrubs at home from a stressful growing season. Weather events, environmental pressures, and the natural physiology of our beloved trees all factor in to when, why and how the leaves change colors each year. Know what to look out for so you can plan your leaf peeping accordingly!

                    CT DEEP Fall Foliage Report

                    2025 Fall Foliage Prediction Map

                    How Weather Affects Fall Colors

                    Fall Colors: A lesson in Color Theory and Chemistry

                     Hope for Biologic Control of Spotted Lanternfly

                    Spotted Lanternfly Cornell Fact Sheet
                    Spotted Lanternfly Life Cycle. Photo by Cornell IPM

                    In the late summer/early fall, we start to see Spotted Lanternfly moths flying around, bringing a heightened awareness to this invasive pest.
                    As research continues, there are promising findings that native species may be starting to find and prey on the Spotted Lanternfly. While findings are still preliminary, many of the beneficial predators identified have already been found to benefit our gardens with other common pests.

                    Promoting a healthy garden ecosystem, removing the Tree of Heaven host plants, and regular scouting are still the best methods for control at this point, but keep an eye out for future findings!

                    Natural Insect Predators May Serve as Allies in Spotted Lanternfly Battle

                    Detection of Spotted Lanternfly by Bats

                    Spotted Lanternfly Resources for Connecticut

                    Native Plant: Fringed Gentian

                    Purple fringed gentian flowers
                    Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    Mother Nature likes to save her best flowers for last.

                    Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita), one of New England’s most beautiful wildflowers, makes its appearance from late August to October in wet meadows and fields, on stream banks and in moist open woods. It's one of the last native wildflowers to bloom each year in the Northeast. The flower is easily identified by its fine fringed petals and striking blue to purple-blue color. 
                     

                    Learn More About Fringed Gentian

                    The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

                    Word from the WiSE

                    Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

                    The Best Time to Lime!

                    This month, we bring you a word on the best time to lime your soil. Fall is fast approaching, and it is an excellent time to have your soil pH tested for a fall application of lime. Applying lime in the fall guarantees that the lime has adequate time to react with the soil to increase the pH by spring. Lime is best applied 6 months prior to when the desired pH for the crop is needed.

                    pH can affect the availability of nutrients in the soil and overall plant health and growth. Natural processes like rainfall and human activities like the usage of nitrogen fertilizers can accelerate a decline in soil pH. As the soil acidifies, the solubility of aluminum and manganese can increase, which can be toxic to plants with a low tolerance. The addition of lime can raise the pH and add calcium and/or magnesium to the soil. Beneficial soil microorganisms that aid in nutrient cycling do not thrive in strongly acidic soils, as well as the bacteria that fix nitrogen in association with legume plants. Set yourself up for success in the spring and have your soil pH tested.

                    By Nora Doonan, Soil Science Graduate Student

                    Weather Outlook

                    A seasoned gardener always keeps their eye to the sky at any time of year! Maps and the 30 day outlook from NOAA will help you stay prepared for any and all of your gardening chores! (Click image to see larger map.)

                        Temperature map

                    Precipitation Outlook

                     

                    In the Garden & Pest Alerts

                    Baldfaced Hornets & Yellowjackets

                    Baldfaced hornets and yellow jackets will be active until cold weather arrives. In late summer, when flowers are scarce, they often obtain food from fallen or rotting fruit like apples, crabapples, figs, grape and others. They are very attracted to sugars and may sip from hummingbird feeders and open soda cans.

                    Paper nests will remain intact long after the hornets or wasps have died off due to the arrival of persistent cold weather. The nests are not used again.

                    Are Baldfaced Hornets Friends or Foes?

                    Why Are There So Many Yellowjackets in the Fall?

                    Baldfaced hornet on rotting fruit

                    Photo by Pamm Cooper,
                    UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                    UConn Pest Alerts

                    During the growing season, UConn Extension publishes a regular pest alert for both vegetable and fruit producers. Additionally, the New England Vegetable Management Guide offers a lot of information about specific vegetable crops.

                    While the target audience for these publications is usually commercial growers, home gardeners can learn a lot from these materials including identification and management of common pests in your veggie gardens!

                    If you ever need confirmation on an ID or have additional questions about what you read in these reports, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at the Home & Garden Education Center! We're happy to help your gardens thrive.

                    UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

                    UConn Fruit Pest Messages

                    New England Vegetable Management Guide

                    Upcoming Events and Things to Do

                          From late August to Mid-October, hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows near the mouth of the Connecticut River converge at dusk and form large clouds from which they descend into the communal roost along the shoreline. Just west of the mouth of the Connecticut River in Old Lyme is Goose Island,  seventy-five acres of uninhabited reeds making it a mecca for the Tree Swallows.  There are many ways to observe this phenomenon. By boat or kayak. It is a spectacle that no one who is interested in birds should miss.

                          Educational Opportunities & Workshops

                                  Supplement Your Garden Produce with CT Grown Products! 

                                  Connecticut is rich in agricultural history, with many operational farms that have lots to offer local markets! 

                                  Supporting local CT Agriculture is a way that gardeners can supplement the fresh foods they grow in their garden, with seasonal offerings from year round operations.

                                  Consider attending a local farmers market, joining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's), or even stopping by your nearest farm stand to see what they have to offer!  

                                   

                                  September Gardening Tips

                                        • Lawn seeding, whether it's renovation, repair, or spot seeding should take place between August 15th and September 15th
                                        • Mid to late September is a great time to add accent plants, like vivid mums and starry asters, that will provide autumn colors in the landscape. Use them along with cool-colored ornamental cabbages and kales to replace bedraggled annuals in containers as well
                                        • Visit a local nursery or garden center and select spring flowering bulbs to add to your gardens. Plant the bulbs among perennials, under trees and shrubs, or in larger groups for a splendid spring show. Choose colors that complement other spring flowering plants as well as nearby plantings. Work a little Bulb Booster or 5-10-10 into the bottom of the planting holes.
                                        • Examine houseplants carefully for insect pests before bringing them back inside. Give them a good grooming if necessary. You may want to spray plants with insecticidal soap after hosing off the foliage. Let the plants dry first.
                                        • As tomatoes end their production, cut down plants, pick up any debris and put dead/diseased plant parts in the trash or take to a landfill. Many diseases will over-winter on old infected leaves and stems so these are best removed from the property.
                                        • If pesky seedlings of woody plants, such as maple, elm or hackberry are found growing in your yard, remove them as soon as possible so they won’t take over gardens and other landscape plantings.
                                        • Continue to water any new tree, shrub, or perennial plantings until the first hard frost if fall rains are scarce.
                                        • Limit herbaceous plant material located a few feet away from the house to eliminate hiding places for insects and mice that could wind up indoors as temperatures plummet.
                                        • Continue to turn and moisten compost piles to speed decomposition.
                                        • Scout for and remove bagworm egg masses from evergreen shrubs to eliminate the spring hatch from over-wintered eggs. 
                                        • Late season cabbage and beets can stay in the garden until a light frost for best flavor. Some root crops, including certain varieties of beets, carrots and parsnips, may be left in the ground for storage. Wait until temperatures drop and growth stops and cover with a thick layer of straw or leaves. Harvest as needed during the winter. This may not be an option in areas with heavy vole populations.

                                        This Month’s Newsletter Contributors: 
                                        Heather Zidack, Pamm Cooper, Marie Woodward, Nora Doonan

                                        Dodder – A Common but Weird Parasitic Plant

                                        Posted on by

                                        By Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                                        Dodder plant wrapped around a host and flowering
                                        Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                                        Dodder is an obligate parasite of certain plants. This unusual member of the morning glory family is also known as “Angel’s Hair” and “Strangle Weed.” Like Indian pipe, another parasitic plant, Dodder has no chlorophyll to manufacture its own food, so nutrients and water are obtained from its host plant.  Its yellow to orange twining stems can form stringy, dense orange mats that cover its host plants, and it will often climb over other nearby plants as well. This vine twines counterclockwise around stems and other parts of its host.  Look for it in mid- July through September in damp fields or on stream and pond banks. 

                                        Dodder germinates from seeds produced in earlier years. The new plants have only a few days to find a suitable host plant, or they will die. After connecting with the host plant, dodder will degrade at the soil level where it originated and is then free of any soil contact. Dodder has no leaves or roots, but it does produce flowers and then seeds.  The only way new plants can be re-established is from seed produced at least the previous year or even earlier.  

                                        Dodder feeds on its host by means of small tubes called haustoria that pierce into the hosts leaf or stem vascular system. One type will siphon water from the xylem, and another type will obtain food (minerals, sugars etc.) from the phloem of the host plant. In this way, dodder obtains essential nutrients and water for its own survival at the expense of its host plant. Five-angled dodder Cuscuta pentagona, a very common dodder species found here in Connecticut does not have specialized host plant preferences. 

                                        Since not all plants are suitable hosts for dodder, and because it needs to find a host quickly, dodder has a unique ability to “sniff out” certain plant chemicals and will gravitate toward these plants soon after germination. Notable hosts are jewelweed in the wild and tomatoes in crop cultivation. Thus, if you are interested in finding dodder, in July and August check out places where jewelweed abounds. Look for mats of orange, stringy vines covering the tops of this plant and perhaps on nearby Joe-pye weed and goldenrods.  

                                        Yellow strings of dodder encompassing plants in a field
                                        Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

                                        Dodder seeds can survive in soil for twenty years or more and will germinate as conditions are suitable. Because of the longevity of its seed viability, dodder may be found either yearly in the same area or appear there years later. Flooding can also relocate the seeds, so it may appear along various spots along the same stream or pond. Look for its small white flowers appearing in clusters along the vine in late July and August. 

                                        Once dodder is firmly established on the host plant in the wild, research has shown that removal of the host plants and the dodder, especially before seeds are set on the dodder, will be more effective than other methods. This may need to be done yearly until any seed bank is exhausted. Try to scout early in July as dodder is getting established. Sometimes small dodder plants can be removed from the host. Some people with dodder persisting in extensive areas have burned these sites, and this will also severely impact any seeds on the ground. 

                                        Dodder is an aggressive plant, but it is not considered invasive because it is a native plant. It has received the dubious honor of making the Federal List of Noxious Weeds, though.  Although its hosts may be severely weakened, dodder does not always kill its host. While that is not reasonable cause to let it run rampant in a garden, in the wild it is in more of a tournament for survival. May the best plant win… 

                                        The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations. 

                                        This article was published in the Hartford Courant September 1, 2025