Bugs, Supermoons, Oaks & Other November News

Posted on November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

You may find yourself with an abundance of Asian Lady Beetles and Brown Marmorated stink bugs in your home as the weather cools down. There are many ways to keep these pests at bay over the winter months:

Use weather stripping or caulking to prevent them from entering through cracks in doors or windows

Remove them with a vacuum and immediately dispose of the contents to prevent them from returning.

They dislike strong smells. Place cloves, citronella candles, bay leaves near windows or doors to repel them. Similarly, you can make a spray by mixing water with a few drops of spearmint, peppermint, lavender, or lemongrass essential oil and spray it around entry points.

Plant or place chrysanthemums around your home, as they have a natural ladybug-repelling chemical

Scrub areas where the insects congregate with soapy water or vinegar to get rid of their pheromone trails, which could attract more insects.

Supermoons

A supermoon in the night sky — Photo by Sean Flynn/UConn Photo

With our gardens cleaned up, it's time to embrace other natural wonders. On Wednesday November 5, we will see the second of four consecutive supermoons! This November supermoon will appear 7.9% larger than what we see in the sky on an average night. It is expected to be the largest and brightest of 2025.

A great place to view the supermoons in Storrs is from the top of the Horsebarn Hill pasture at UConn. The moon will begin to rise in the east around sunset.

Identifying Oaks by Their Leaves & Acorns

Two acorns attached to an oak branch — Turkey oak leaves and acorns. Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

All oaks belong to the genus Quercus and belong to one of two groups- white oaks or red oaks.
The white oak group has leaves with seven to nine rounded lobes and are a deep green to blue-green with pale green leaf undersides. Leaves are widest in the middle.

The red oak group has leaf lobes with bristled tips, and some have deeply cut sinuses and very narrow leaf bases.

Acorns of the white oak group mature in a single year, while the acorns of the red oak group mature in two years. Fall is a perfect time to identify our native oaks as acorns are present and leaves are still on the trees.

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

When the Worlds of Wine and WiSE Collide!

This month, UConn’s Women in Soil Ecology brings you a word on soils and wine from one of our students currently studying abroad in Italy:

What does soil science have to do with wine? Well, everything! The same as other plants, grapes prefer certain climates, soil types, and nutrient levels. Additives to wine can cover up these imbalances in the ground. The real magic is when a farmer can monitor the terroir, all the natural environmental factors affecting a wine, just right to display the true farm-to-table taste.

Depending on the climate of the vineyard, different soil types will be beneficial. What you would consider necessary for other plants, like well-draining soil or adequate plant hydration, may be the opposite for a vineyard. This is because sometimes, in the case of grapes, it is good to stress them appropriately to improve the flavor concentration.

Soil fertility refers to the well-balanced mix of nutrients in the ground. For grape vines, it's very important to ensure that there is just enough of vital nutrients, since too much nutrition would encourage overvigorous growth, creating a diluted flavor.

So next time you drink your favorite wine, remember how well balanced the soil had to be to get that perfect glass!

By Ella May, Plant Science Undergraduate Student

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

40 Things to do in Connecticut this November

Find holiday gifts at local craft fairs!

Find your Christmas Tree!

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Habitats for All Seasons - November 6, Derby, CT

The Growth of Trees: A Journey Through Time with Michael Wojtech, November 20, West Hartford, CT & Virtual

Saturday Skygazing, November 22, Derby, CT

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

2025 UConn Native Plants and Pollinators Conference

UConn Native Plants & Polinators Conference November 13, 2025 Storrs CT Information & Registration

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

Good Bug/Bad Bug with Pamm Cooper
November 3, 2025 - 11:00 AM
Hosted by the Old Saybrook Garden Club
Grace Episcopal Church, 336 Main Street, Old Saybrook CT

Lichens and Slime Molds of Connecticut with Pamm Cooper
November 10, 2025 - 7:00 PM
Hosted by the Manchester Garden Club
Assumption Church Hall, 27 Adams Street South, Manchester CT

November Gardening Tips

Wait to spread winter mulch until after the ground has frozen. Mulching beforehand can delay dormancy and makes a good home for voles. Once the ground has frozen (but before it snows), mulch fall planted perennials by placing 3 to 5 inches of pine needles, straw, chopped leaves around them

Finish the cleanup of the vegetable garden or beds, removing all plant debris

Cut back perennials that were covered in powdery mildew during the summer. Cut stalks to the ground and dispose of them

Continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds, lawn areas and recently planted evergreens until a hard frost. Plants should go into the winter well-watered

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

Keep mowing your lawn as long as the grass is growing. Meadow voles and field mice will damage turf and nearby trees and shrubs if they have long grass for food and cover

Remove any mummified remaining fruits from trees, rake up and dispose of old leaves

Pull stakes and plant supports. Clean them with a 10% bleach solution before storing for the winter

Shut off and drain outside faucets

Consider providing sunflower hearts instead of whole seeds. It will provide a better source of calories for the birds and eliminates hull waste beneath the feeder

Clay and ceramic pots can crack over the winter if they fill with rain or melted snow that subsequently freezes and expands. Empty pots and place upside down under a tarp or store them in a shed or the garage

More November Gardening Tips

Garlic, Garden Wind Down & Other October News

Posted on October 3, 2025October 3, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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:

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

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

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

40 Things to do in Connecticut this October

Scarecrows on Main, Old Wethersfield, CT

Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival, Oct 11-12, Bethlehem, CT

Check out a local corn maze, haunted house or other halloween events!

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Natures Buds- October 9, Hampton, CT

60 years/60 Trees: Nut & Deciduous, Oct 14, Stamford CT

Spooky Creatures: Fact or Fright?, October 25, Derby, CT

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

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.

More October Gardening Tips

Perennials, Fall Foliage, and Other September News

Posted on September 5, 2025September 5, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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

Soil Acidity and Aglime

Facts about Soil Acidity and Lime

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?

UConn Pest Alerts

UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

UConn Fruit Pest Messages

New England Vegetable Management Guide

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

39 Things to do in Connecticut this September

September is the peak of Fair Season in Connecticut!

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

Firewise Forests- September 5, Hampton, CT

Bat Appreciation Day, September 20, East Granby CT

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

UConn Horseback Riding

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.

More September Gardening Tips

Weeds, Strawberries, Butterflies, and Other August News

Posted on August 1, 2025August 1, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Overwhelmed by Weeds?

A garden bed with bare soil, weeds, and a hand tiller — It doesn't take long for weeds to creep into garden beds! Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

This season's pattern of lots of rain and lots of heat have made it difficult for gardeners to get out into their gardens, while creating the perfect environment for weeds to thrive!

We've been getting quite a few calls regarding weed management and invasive species control as gardens are booming with unwelcome guests. And while there is no one[size-fits-all approach to weed management, here are the key points to remember:

“Nature abhors a vacuum." Leaving bare soil or undisturbed garden areas will more likely lead to the development of weeds. Instead, keep the soil covered until you intend to plant. Encourage dense plantings of cover crops in vegetable gardens, utilize groundcovers, or consider using mulch of a thickness of 3" or more for walkways and desired plant-free areas.
Minimize the seed bank. Keep weeds mowed or cut back before flowers or fruit emerge. Turn the soil, or ensure dense plantings don't allow seeds to germinate by shading out the area or preventing good soil contact. Consider pre-emergents if you have a history of recurrence.

Sometimes (not always) weeds can be an indication of soil fertility. Therefore, soil amendments may be more effective than spraying or hand pulling. Get your soil tested to know for sure!

If considering garden chemicals, always make sure to identify the weed and use only products that are labeled for that plant. Read the label in full for all information regarding application rates, safety and environmental considerations.
Be patient and persistent with management. Total eradication and control may eed multiple seasons before you see results. Keep at it!

Weed Control in Landscapes Non-Chemical Measures

Weeds as Indicators of Soil and Growing Conditions in Turf

CIPWG Invasive Plant List

Renovate Your Strawberry Beds

To promote continuous success of strawberries in your garden, take time this August to perform renovations to your plants. Maintenance such as clipping tall growth, removing weak or dead leaves, and fertilization will help to maximize the productivity of your strawberries in the coming years. Mulching, ensuring adequate water intake, and weeding are also necessary for upkeep of strong plants. These techniques maximize yields and protect against disease prevalence.

End of Season Strawberry Renovation - UConn HGEC

Renovation of Strawberry Plantings - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Where are the butterflies?

Small brown butterfly on a twig — Banded Hairstreak Butterfly. Photo by Pamm Cooper,
UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Are you seeing fewer butterflies in your garden? You're not alone.

New studies have determined that over the past two decades in the continental United States, the populations of hundreds of butterfly species have fallen by 22%. These declines are commonly attributed to pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change. This is concerning because butterflies play important roles in pollination, cycling nutrients, and are a significant food source for other organisms such as birds.

However, conservation biologists have created a roadmap for recovering butterfly populations across the US, and their best chance at recovery starts in your backyard. Actions you can take include providing as much habitat as possible for these animals and keeping these areas pesticide-free.

As U.S. butterfly populations plummet, scientists map a road to recovery

Study raises the possibility of a country without butterflies

Native Plant: August Flowering Perennials

Bonset, Spotted joe-pye weed, and goldenrod blooming in a meadow — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Native spotted Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum), Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) and certain moisture-loving goldenrods (Solidago spp.) can often be found in dampish soils in open areas. They are often found together in the wild, and all three are attractive to pollinators and butterflies.

These natives bloom at the same time in late July through early September, making them a good addition to a moist garden area that could use some color in late summer. There are many native goldenrods that will do fine in drier soils, as well, making them a versatile plant.

Learn More About Boneset

Learn More About Goldenrods

Learn More About Spotted Joe-pye Weed

The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Surf the Web on Web Soil Survey!

This month, UConn’s Women in Soil Ecology brings you a word on Web Soil Survey. Are you ever curious about the soil in your yard and wish there was some way you could learn more information about it? You’re in luck, because there is an online web tool that allows you to do just that!

Web Soil Survey is a free online tool that allows you to input an address and select an area of interest to view a soil map and soils data in that area. This information is provided by the National Cooperative Soil Survey, which is operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This tool can help you decide what plants to grow based on your soil conditions, as well as aid in other land planning. Web Soil Survey contains a lot of information, but an interesting feature is the soil health data, which can provide descriptions and ratings for key soil health indicators.

By Nora Doonan, Soil Science Graduate Student

Learn About the Web Soil Survey

USDA Web Soil Survey

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

Tobacco Budworms

Tobacco budworm caterpillars, can be pests of many flowering plants in the tobacco family. Petunias, geraniums, snapdragons and Calibrachoa are just a few of the plants whose buds and flowers can be damaged by this caterpillar.

Check plants that have stopped flowering to see if buds have been eaten or damaged. Check inside flowers for these caterpillars as they have a preference for reproductive flower parts and petals.

Hand- picking them off is the best control method. Most insecticides should not be used on flowers as pollinator may be killed or injured. BtK is normally ineffective.

Tobacco Budworm

UConn Pest Alerts

UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

UConn Fruit Pest Messages

New England Vegetable Management Guide

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

37 Things to do in Connecticut this August

National Night Out events are taking place across the country on August 5, 2025

Sunflower Festival August 9 & 10, 16 & 17, Windsor, CT

August kicks off Fair Season in Connecticut!

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Plant Science Day 2025, August 6, Hamden CT

Under the Net - The Secret Lives of Insects- August 8, Hampton, CT

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

August Gardening Tips

Lawn seeding, whether it's renovation, repair, or spot seeding should take place between August 15th and September 15th

Container and hanging plants may need additional water later in the day if hot and windy conditions prevail. Check plants again at day’s end to see if any additional water is necessary

Fertilize container plantings and hanging baskets if they look yellow with a ½ strength dose of a balanced liquid fertilizer.

Fertilize perennials with a 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 product to encourage continued blooming.

Remove old plants that have stopped producing to eliminate a shelter for insects and disease organisms. Replant sites with chard, quick maturing beans or cucumbers, leafy greens etc.

Put netting on fruit trees and bushes a few weeks before the fruit begins to ripen to protect it from birds and squirrels

Raise your mowing height to 3 inches during hot weather and mulch clippings if possible

Even though tomatoes continue to ripen after picking, fruits develop greatest flavor when allowed to ripen on plants. The exception is cherry tomatoes since many varieties are prone to splitting. Pick any almost ripe ones before a heavy rain.

Renovate strawberry beds by mowing to a height of 1 ½ inches, thinning plants and side-dressing with a balanced fertilizer

To reduce the number of pests on your fruit trees for the coming year practice good sanitation by removing and destroying all fallen fruit. Do not compost it.

Do not add weeds with mature seed heads to the compost pile. Many weed seeds can remain viable and germinate next year when the compost is used.

More August Gardening Tips

Succession Planting, Herb Harvesting and Other July News

Posted on July 2, 2025July 2, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

There's Still Plenty of Planting Time

A garden bed of garlic with half of the plants removed — Once the garlic is removed from this bed, something new will have to go in! Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

This year’s wacky weather set our gardens up on what feels like a very strange schedule. Typically, by this point in the season we start to sit back and wait for the tomatoes to ripen, but if you want a garden that stretches into autumn, the work continues!

As of July 1st, we are 106 days away from the Farmer’s Almanac’s anticipated first Frost Date (Oct. 15th in Storrs, CT). That’s still plenty of time to grow!

Succession planting helps keep your garden space constantly active through the growing season. It may look like planting a new crop immediately after one has completed its cycle in the garden, or staggered plantings for an extended harvest. We looked at this briefly in our May Newsletter as a way to maximize space. Here's some tips to keep rolling with succession planting this summer:

Continue planting bush beans from seed every 2 weeks through the end of July for a bountiful harvest!

Did you harvest your garlic this month? Are your cool season crops past their prime or starting to bolt? Replace them and direct seed new plants!
- Look at days to maturity to ensure there is enough time for the plants to develop before frost hits
- Don’t follow up with the same thing in the same planting space – rotate your crops for better soil and plant health!
- There are varieties of cucumber, squash and zucchini that can still be planted
- Many types of greens and root vegetables like carrot, radish, turnip and beet can be planted in July

Replace vegetable plants that are no longer producing with annuals that have short flowering time for late season beauty

Allow the garden bed to “rest” by planting a cover crop

Don’t put away those grow lights just yet! Cool season crops, like brassicas, may need to be started indoors. The summer heat outdoors may inhibit germination or growth.

What You Can Plant Mid-July

Succession Planting

Fall Vegetable Gardening

Harvesting Herbs in Your Summer Garden!

Including herbs in summer gardens is a common practice due to their low-maintenance care and delicious flavors that pair well with many summertime dishes and drinks.

Herbs should be harvested when the oils responsible for aroma and flavor are at their peak. This harvest time is determined by the growing conditions of each individual plant, rather than a specific month or day.

Many herbs are most flavorful and ready to harvest just as the flower buds first appear, but before they are fully open. It’s best to harvest them in the late morning, after the dew has dried and before the hot afternoon sun draws out their delicate flavor. However, some species, like cilantro, may become bitter as the plant starts to flower. Bottom line: know your plants!

Annual herbs such as basil and parsley can be harvested until frost. Perennial herbs such as oregano, thyme, mint and chives can be clipped until late August.

For your perennial herbs, stop harvesting about one month before the frost date, because late pruning could encourage tender growth that cannot harden-off before winter.

Growing, Harvesting & Drying Herbs

Harvesting & Preserving Herbs for the Home Gardener

Native Plant: Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on pink flowers of the swamp milkweed — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is native to most of the U.S. It's flowers bloom from mid-July to mid-August in the Northeast. A. incarnata is one of many native Milkweeds including A. tuberosa, A. syriaca and others.

Look for it in moist habitats such as pond, stream, and river edges or in moist areas of meadows. Pink flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, moths, bees and other pollinators.

Learn More About Swamp Milkweed

Common CT Milkweeds

The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Sweet Summer Strawberries!

This month, we bring you a word on a sweet summer berry you can easily grow at home - strawberries! Strawberries can be purchased from three main groups: June-bearing, ever-bearing, and day-neutral. For one summer harvest of large berries, gardeners can opt for June-bearing; For two harvests of smaller berries, grab some ever-bearing strawberries. For continuous production all season long, plant day-neutral strawberries. Plant strawberries in the ground in slightly acidic, well-drained soil; Or, if you are space-limited, ever-bearing and day-neutral varieties do well in window boxes that are at least 1ft deep. In fact, planting strawberries in window boxes and keeping them off the ground helps protect them from some pests and diseases which may reduce yields. Enjoy strawberries fresh from the vine, or try your hand at a USDA-approved canning recipe to have strawberry jam year-round.

By Abigayle Ward, Soil Science Graduate Student

Strawberries

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

In the Garden: Cabbage Worms, Moths and Loopers, Oh My!

Start scouting in July for the various types of caterpillars that can damage your brassicas! Along with lots of holes chewed into leaves, caterpillars typically leave waste behind known as "frass."

Search on the undersides of leaves and inside the center of plants where leaves are tightly condensed. Once you find the pest, identify it properly for the best control methods! Use Bacillus thuringiensis to control them, or incorporate row covers before a problem is observed to keep pests out.

Caterpillars on Cole Crops

UConn Pest Alerts

UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

UConn Fruit Pest Messages

New England Vegetable Management Guide

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

40 Things to do in Connecticut this July

The Sky's the Limit Hiking Challenge and The CT Wine Trail are opportunities to see more of CT and get rewards for completing challenges.

It's the season for Garden Tours! Check with your local garden club for schedules, or find events through the Federated Garden Clubs Events page.

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Fireflies Workshop, July 11, Derby CT

Vital Signs of the Forest- July 12, Hampton, CT

UConn Bug Week 2025 - July 14th - July 19th, Statewide Events

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

CT State Parks have multiple events happening this month!

Save the Date for the 4th Annual UConn IPM Seminar for the Home Gardener

Black and red moth with long antennae on a squash leaf. — Squash Vine Borer Moth
Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Thursday, August 14th, 2025
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

UConn Research Farm
99 Agronomy Road, Storrs, CT 06268

Learn basic principles of Integrated Pest Management and techniques to implement in your gardens with a day designed for the home gardener. Speakers from the UConn IPM team will present on various topics to help you improve the plant and soil health of your gardens, lawns, and landscapes.

Learn About the UConn IPM Program

Event Details

July Gardening Tips

Water early in the morning to reduce the loss of water to evaporation during the hottest days

Container and hanging plants may need additional water later in the day if hot and windy conditions prevail. Check plants again at day’s end to see if any additional water is necessary

Pinching back herbs to stop flowering will keep the best flavor in the leaves and encourage branching. Herbs can be air dried, dried quickly in the microwave, or frozen

Cucumbers are heavy drinkers and feeders. Keep the soil evenly moist during hot spells to avoid bitter fruit and side-dress plants with 1/4 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer or the equivalent in mid-July

Plant cool-season crops such as broccoli, spinach, kale, lettuce, and chard where they will be shaded from the sun

Put netting on fruit trees and bushes a few weeks before the fruit begins to ripen to protect it from birds and squirrels

Raise your mowing height to 3 inches during hot weather and mulch clippings if possible

Fertilize roses for the last time in mid-July

Control mosquitoes by eliminating all sources of stagnant water. Clean bird baths and pet’s outdoor dishes often

Check family members and pets for ticks after being outside, especially when in tall grass or wooded areas. If necessary, send ticks to the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for testing

Leaky garden hoses and fittings can waste water. Check hoses while they are under full pressure and make repairs

More July Gardening Tips

Move Houseplants Out, Prune Spring Shrubs and Other June News

Posted on June 3, 2025July 2, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Move Your Houseplants Outside!

Potted tropical hibiscus flowering on an outdoor patio — Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

With summer sunshine finally arriving in Connecticut, it’s a great time to give your indoor houseplants a seasonal boost. The increased sunlight, warmer temperatures, and higher humidity can help your plants thrive—but only if they’re eased into the change. Like people, houseplants need time to adjust to new conditions in order to succeed in them.

To help them transition from indoors to outdoors, start by placing them in shaded areas. If desired, you can gradually increase their sun exposure over about two weeks. This slow adjustment helps prevent sunscald, a common issue when plants are suddenly exposed to much stronger light, similar to a sunburn. Keep in mind that even the brightest indoor spots receive far less light and radiation than full sun outdoors. Therefore, many houseplants do best in full shade or indirect light all summer, while some can tolerate part shade once properly acclimated.

To keep your plants happy and hydrated, place them somewhere visible so you’re reminded to check on them regularly. With more sunlight and warmth, they’ll likely be pushing out new growth, and will need water more often. Check the soil daily during hot, sunny weather to prevent drying out and ensure a smooth adjustment to their new environment.

Moving Plants Outside for the Summer

Summer Vacation for Houseplants

Spring Flowering Shrubs Need Maintenance!

Pruning spring flowering shrubs is an essential aspect of maintaining a healthy and vibrant garden. Early spring is typically the ideal time for pruning these shrubs, as it allows for healthy growth and better blooms during the upcoming season.

When pruning these shrubs, focus on removing any dead, damaged, or diseased wood, as well as any crossing branches that may cause damage or hinder growth. It's important to keep in mind that each shrub has its own unique pruning requirements based on its growth habits and flowering times. For example, early-flowering shrubs should be pruned after their blooms have faded, while late-flowering shrubs should be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.

Springtime Pruning Tips

Some Shrubs Best Pruned After Flowering

Native Plant: White Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)

Open flower of a white water lily with a yellow center — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

This native water lily occurs in still water that is 5-6 feet deep. The fragrant flowers appear in June and float between the large, circular leaves.

Flowers are open for three days, displaying a cup-shape the first day filled with sugary liquid that attracts the beetles and bees that pollinate them, and on the second and third day pollen is available.

Seeds are dispersed by water fowl such as wood ducks and by water currents. Sometimes a pink form of the flower occurs.

Learn More About White Water Lily

The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Nutrients Plant Krave: NPK

You tested your soil, you receive your soil test report, and now you need to decide on a fertilizer. But in the fertilizer aisle, all you see are triads of numbers: 20-20-20? 0-1-2? 10-5-35?? How do you know which to select? First, it’s important to know that these numbers correspond to the percent by weight of nitrogen to phosphorus to potassium – in that order – in the fertilizer blend. Second, be sure to check the back of the bag – Other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and boron, if they are present in the blend, will be listed on the back. The ingredients list will give you a sense of the form of that nutrient – For instance, polymer coated urea is a form of N that will be released slowly over time; Whereas something like potassium nitrate will be highly water-soluble. Most bags will also indicate the effect of the product on the soil pH: It may say something like “potential acidity” or “potentially basic”. For more information about soil testing, be sure to check out our website below! Also, to help calculate what fertilizer you need based on your soil test report, check out this handy calculator tool from Clemson!

By Abigayle Ward, Soil Science Graduate Student

Clemson Fertilizer Blend Calculator

How to Calculate a Fertilizer Ratio

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

In the Garden: Fourlined Plant Bug

Four-Lined Plant Bug nymph — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Fourlined plant bugs (Poecilocapus lineatus) are making their presence known in perennial and herb gardens. Damage from both the small nymphs and adults looks the same: black sunken areas on leaves and sometimes stems.

While they only have one generation per year, nymphs emerge over a period of weeks in the late spring/early summer. They should be out of the garden by the end of July.

They can cause considerable cosmetic damage, but they generally do not kill the plants. Adults are neon green with 4 black stripes down the back.

Fourlined Plant Bugs

UConn Pest Alerts

UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

UConn Fruit Pest Messages

New England Vegetable Management Guide

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

38 Things to do in Connecticut this June

It's Strawberry season! Pick Your Own throughout the month and into July!

Strawberry season means Strawberry Festivals! Find one close to you in towns like Mystic, South Windsor, Orange, and more!

The Sky's the Limit Hiking Challenge and The CT Wine Trail are opportunities to see more of CT and get rewards for completing challenges.

It's the season for Garden Tours! Check with your local garden club for schedules, or participate in CT Historic Gardens Day at the Florence Griswold Museum, June 22

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

60 Years / 60 Trees: Flowering Trees- June 10th, Stamford CT & Virtual

Designing for Habitat: From Back Yards to Byways with C. Colston Burrell, June 26, Middletown CT & Virtual

UConn Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Team Tryouts - June 25, Storrs CT

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

CT State Parks have multiple events happening this month!

June Gardening Tips

Heavy rains encourage slug problems. Check for slugs during rainy periods and hand pick the pests.

Lightly cultivate soil after a heavy rain to avoid compaction. A layer of mulch reduces the soil crusting and compaction caused by raindrops.

Be aware that container plants will need more water during hot and windy weather.

There is still time to sow seeds of beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, and summer squash. Plant seeds of bush beans every three weeks for a continuous harvest.

Sow seeds of fast-growing annuals like marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos directly in the garden.

Keep on top of weeds during the early summer when they are small and easy to pull. If you keep your garden plants well-watered and fertilized, they will quickly fill in bare spaces and give weeds fewer places to grow.

Mow lawns often enough to remove no more than one-third the total height per mowing. There is no need to remove clippings unless excessive or diseased.

This is a good time to take cuttings of trees and shrubs, such as chokeberry, butterfly bush, spirea, serviceberry, hydrangea, dogwood, and magnolia, to root for new plantings.

When deadheading rhododendrons, avoid breaking off the leaf buds which are just below flowers. Carefully twist off spent blooms.

Water at ground level for best results. If you must overhead water do so early enough in the day to allow the foliage to dry before nightfall to minimize diseases.

Mosquitoes breed in standing water. To discourage them, change the water in bird baths and outdoor pet dishes every few days.

More June Gardening Tips

Garden Spacing, Drought Injury, and Other May News

Posted on May 5, 2025June 18, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Maximize your Garden Space this Season!

Gardening comes in all shapes and sizes, whether its a few pots on the patio, a large in-ground bed, or somewhere in between. We love the challenge of getting the most out of our gardens and finding new methods to increase efficiency and yield. There's many techniques out there - which one is best for you?

Click on each title to learn more and keep in mind that these are only a few of many techniques gardeners use to maximize their productions!

Intercropping
This practice focuses on growing two or more crops in close proximity to maximize the use of space in the garden. Plants need to be of similar culture in terms of watering and care needs in order to be successful. Often, timing of harvest can be a significant player in this system. Planting radishes in between broccoli, for example, ensures that the radish will be harvested before the broccoli needs additional space to produce its crown.

Companion Planting
While it may seem easy to use companion planting and intercropping interchangeably, they are two different practices. Companion planting focuses more on the relationships between plants and their environment. For example, some companion plants benefit others by deterring pests or fixing nitrogen into the soil. These complex relationships add benefit to your garden while also maximizing space.

Succession Planting
This method involves re-planting immediately after harvest to utilize the space for as long as possible. For example, planting escarole and lettuce once warm season vegetables have been harvested can help extend the gardening season. Alternatively, planting peas from seed every 2 weeks during the months of April & May ensures staggered harvest when compared to a single planting ready for harvest at the same time.

Square Foot Gardening
Looking to create an organized and efficient vegetable garden this growing season? Try using the square foot gardening method. In this technique, the growing area is divided into small sections, each one square foot in size. The result is an orderly garden grid with a different plant species in each square. Construction is simple and can be done with minimal materials.

Container Gardens
We are fortunate that the availability of container-friendly production plants has been increasing over the years! If your garden space is limited, seek out plants that are specifically intended for containers.

Drought Injury Continues

A row of Giant Green Arborvitae. 3 Appear to be a lighter green and sickly, and one is healthy and dark green. — A hedge of Green Giant Arborvitae showing signs of winter damage. Note that the one on the far right appears to be unaffected, likely due to some sheltering from winter winds. Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Connecticut's woody ornamentals have suffered from a unique challenge this past winter season: the lingering effects of a moderate drought during the preceding fall, along with cold temperatures and harsh winds. This combination of factors poses a threat to the health and vitality of trees and shrubs, exacerbating the typical stressors of winter in New England.

Many gardeners even reported a delayed response, noting that their evergreens looked okay throughout the winter and early spring.

While drought-stressed plants are generally more susceptible to winter injury, this year's moderate fall drought has weakened many woody ornamentals, leaving them vulnerable to frost damage, branch dieback and pathogens, which become opportunistic when woody ornamentals are under stress.

Monitoring your trees and shrubs over the coming season will help you mitigate any further damage. Providing supplemental water when less than 1" of rain is forecasted for the week may also help plants out of this stressful time. Checking the soil before watering will help you avoid overwatering, which can cause its own host of issues.

Rocky Start for Rhododendron's This Spring

UMass Landscape Message Reports Winter Injury

Native Plant Highlight: Wild Ginger

Wild ginger, Asarum canadense, is a native plant that is a good choice as a shaded groundcover. Found naturally in woodlands in the eastern U.S., flowers are often overlooked as they are hidden near the ground below the leaves of this low-growing plant. Not considered edible, it is unrelated to the ginger used in cooking.

Shopping for native plants this spring? UConn has created a valuable resource that not only identifies CT Native plants, but helps you find the garden centers that carry them!

Learn More About Wild Ginger

The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

To Keep, or not to Keep? Clover Edition

As we move into the summer the common plant clover starts to pop up everywhere throughout your lawn! However, instead of hand pulling or digging out the “weed”, should you actually keep it in your yard this summer? The answer is: yes! Clover is actually extremely beneficial to the environment in multiple different ways, and is also more drought tolerant, requires less fertilizer than grass, and attracts pollinators such as bees! This plant is a nitrogen fixing legume, which forms a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobia bacteria that start to form bumps that are able to extract the nitrogen from the atmosphere. When the nitrogen is extracted, the Rhizobia helps turn it into a usable form for the legume, and it “fixes” it within the plant. Clover is a great plant to keep in your lawn this summer!

By Zaira O’Leary, University of Connecticut Sustainable Plant and Soil Science Undergraduate

Legumes & Nitrogen Fixation Inoculating Garden Legumes

Gardening Resources & Pest Alerts

UConn Vegetable Pest Alerts

UConn Fruit Pest Messages

New England Vegetable Management Guide

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

37 Things to do in Connecticut in May

World Migratory Bird Day Walk, May 10, Vernon CT

Pick your own spring flowers at a local farm!

Mother's Day is May 11th this year! Find the perfect gift for the mom who loves to garden.

The CT Wine Trail is open for the season!

UConn Commencement Weekend is May 10- 12, 2025. Congratulations to all graduating Huskies!!

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Native Plant Workshop: Understanding Their Features and Learning to Design with Them- May 8, Stamford CT & Virtual

Nature is Everywhere Series: Pollinators - Unsung Heros Pt 1, An Introduction - May 13, East Hampton CT

Take to the Trees - May 21, Virtual

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

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!

In spring, some farms and farmers markets even offer plant starts for sale to be planted in your home garden.

This Memorial Day we also recognize ctveterangrown.org as a valuable resource for both veteran farmers and community members who wish to support Veteran-Owned or Operated Farms in CT.

May Gardening Tips

Harden off tomato, eggplant and pepper transplants before planting out at end of month.

As night temperatures moderate into the 60's, move houseplants outdoors. Help them with the transition by putting them outside on warm days and bringing them in on when nights are too cold. Avoid putting them directly into full sun or windy locations.

Remove any tree wraps or guards you placed on young trunks for winter protection.

Remove spent blooms on tulips, daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs. The plant will focus its energy on growing new bulbs rather than producing seeds.

Use fresh potting soil in your containers as old soil has fewer nutrients and may contain harmful bacteria and fungi.

Mow your lawn any time the grass is 1½ times the normal height, for example, if you mow at a 3-inch height, don’t let the grass get longer than 4 to 5”.

Aphids and lace bugs will appear soon. Spray with water or use a low-toxicity insecticide to control them. Asian lady beetles are a beneficial insect that feed on aphids.

Put nets over ripening strawberries to protect them from birds and other wildlife.

Shopping for native plants for your gardens this spring? Check out the CT Native Perennial, Tree & Shrub Availability List for plant lists and shopping locations!

Clear grass and weeds from root zone areas around tree trunks and remove any suckers growing from the base of the trees. Spread compost and top with 3 to 4” of bark mulch. Keep mulch an inch or two away from the trunks.

Disinfect all pots and containers before refilling them for the season.

More May Gardening Tips

Cold Frames, Easter Lilies, Bloodroot, and Other April News

Posted on April 2, 2025April 16, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Get Your Plants Outside Earlier with Cold Frames!

Cold frames act as small greenhouses, allowing you to get an earlier start on your garden in the spring and harvest produce later in the fall as temperatures begin to drop. These structures allow light in through clear covers while protecting plants from the elements – namely cold weather. The cold frame is heated by the sun during the day and at night, heat is radiated inside to keep plants warm. Cold frames can be constructed from a variety of materials to form the basic components of a frame and transparent covering.

These structures also help gardeners to "harden off" seedlings - a process which helps them adjust from a controlled indoor environment, to a more variable outdoor environment.

All About Cold Frames

Hardening Off Vegetable Seedlings

Building and Using Hotbeds and Cold Frames

Easter Lily Selection & Care

With its namesake holiday approaching, the demand for Easter lilies is rapidly increasing!

While inside your home, choose a location which provides bright light but is out of direct sunlight. Ensure that watering is done when the soil surface is dry to the touch.

These are not pet-safe plants! Keep them out of reach from your furry friends.

When danger of frost has passed, Easter lilies can be planted outdoors. Plant your lily in a location with full sun and sufficient drainage.

Selection and Care of the Easter Lily

Easter Lilies

Word from the WiSE

How ‘beneficial’ are the microbe blends to your soil, as well as your plants?

Microbial additions are being discussed increasingly, and they are starting to show up on sites, such as Amazon, easily accessible by the average home grower. The big question is: are these additions and blends aiding your soil, or are they just another sales pitch? Microbial additions greatly benefit your soil, because they aid in multiple essential functions within the soil, including cycling nutrients, breaking down organic matter within the soil, and helping your soil stay healthy. These additions can also be a benefit to your plants by helping them absorb more nutrients, as well as encouraging growth, and possibly even disease suppression! Microbial additions are truly ‘beneficial’, and should be considered this spring season!

By Zaira O’Leary, University of Connecticut Sustainable Plant and Soil Science Undergraduate

Should you add microbial soil amendments to your garden?

Understanding and Managing Soil Microbes

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

37 Things to do in Connecticut in April

CT Horse Symposium - April 5, Storrs, CT

Earth Day is April 22nd - Celebrations are happening statewide! Check with your local municipality, nature centers and parks to see what events they have planned.

Arbor Day is April 25th - Visit one of CT's many recognized Tree City USA sites.

Tour the UConn Arboretum and visit our collection of specimen trees!

Earth Day Bird Walk - April 26th, Hartford, CT

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Food Waste Solutions April 3, Virtual Event

Lecture: Summer Annual and Biennial Weeds April 12th, Stamford, CT.

Oh! What I didn't Plant with Nancy DeBrule-Clemente sponsored by the CT Horticultural Society, April 24th via Zoom

Attend a UConn Master Gardener Course! (Various dates and various locations)

April Gardening Tips

Freezing temperatures don’t harm pansies, but if they have been grown in a greenhouse they should be gradually exposed to outdoor temperatures before planting.

Divide overcrowded summer or fall blooming perennials.

Get your hands in the soil on cold spring days by transplanting houseplants that need repotting.

Weather permitting, direct sow peas, carrots, radishes, lettuces, and spinach every two weeks through mid-May for staggered harvests.

Place seedlings in cold frames around April 25 or later to harden off.

A new generation of Spongy Moth Caterpillars will hatch in late April and begin feeding on the leaves of many tree species. Remove and destroy any egg masses you find on your trees.

Check fruit trees for Eastern Tent Caterpillars, they emerge around the same time as leaves sprout. Blast nests with a strong spray of water to destroy them.

Complete removal of diseased, weak, or crossing branches on shrubs and small trees.

Shopping for native plants for your gardens this spring? Check out the CT Native Perennial, Tree & Shrub Availability List for plant lists and shopping locations!

Don't wait too long to remove mulches from strawberries. Once the leaves have emerged from under the straw and yellowing is evident, pull the mulch away from the tops of the plants and tramp it down between the rows. Keeping the base of the plants mulched helps keep the berries clean, controls weeds, and conserves moisture.

Apply pre-emergent crabgrass weed control when soil temperatures reach 50°F. Use a tool like this soil temperature map to track your timing.

More April Gardening Tips

Last Frosts, Cool Season Annuals, Black Knot & Other March News

Posted on March 5, 2025April 16, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Garden Planning - Last Freeze & Frost Dates are Coming!

Whether you're starting seeds indoors or just itching to know when you can kick your houseplants back outside - the last frost date of the season is a moving target that all gardeners grapple with!

Luckily, there are a few tools that we can use to help us understand, predict, and prepare for the changes in weather that will mean growing season is here to officially start. The last freeze of the season is not the same as the last frost. However, both of these milestones can help us make plans for succuessful gardening.

Many seed packets recommend planting a certain number of "weeks before/after frost."

When it comes to finally moving your plants outside, even the best prediction tools may not beat your "gardeners intuition." This is especially true in cases where you know the microclimate of your property and gardens. Watch the weather carefully and make decisions based on your commitment to protecting your plants in cases of sudden changes.

When planting early, always be prepared to cover plants to protect them from pop up frosts in the late spring until you're confident the threat has passed.

Avoid moving houseplants outside until the night temperature is consistently 50°F.

Learn more and find your last predicted freeze and frost dates using the links below!

Freeze Date Tool - Spring & Fall Frost/Freeze Dates

When to Expect Your Last Spring Freeze

Farmers Almanac: 2025 Frost Dates

National Gardening Association - Frost Dates

How to Protect Plants from Frost and Freeze

Get Ready to Plant Cool Season Annuals!

Snapdragons in bloom — Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

With spring on the horizon, you can provide your garden with a much-needed burst of color by planting cool season annuals. These flowers are tolerant of temperatures down to 28°F and can be directly sown into the ground near the end of March.

Popular varieties include pansies, calendulas, and larkspur. Proper care is species specific, but in general techniques such as dead-heading and proper watering can prolong the blooming period. Always check the seed packet for proper planting depth and timing of planting.

Growing Cool Season Annuals

Learn More About Annuals

Scouting for Diseases: Black Knot

Black knot on Prunus spp. Photo by Rebecca A. Melanson, Mississippi State University Extension, Bugwood.org

Winter can be a good time to scout for diseases and pests, even when everything is dormant. The lack of leaves allows us to see stem and bark tissue and check for the presence of overwintering structures such as egg masses of insects, dormant fungal bodies or galls on branches.

Black Knot is a fantastic example of a disease that is best observed when there are not any leaves on the trees.
If you spot large black swellings on your plum or cherry trees, this can be attributed to the fungal disease Black knot. Caused by the fungus Apiosporina morbosa (aka Dibotryon morbosum), symptoms first appear as green galls on branches, eventually becoming black by the following spring. Branches will be become engulfed by the galls, cutting off resources and causing death of the upper stem. Control methods include manual pruning and removal of galls, as well as chemical control when necessary.

Learn More about Black Knot

Winter Scouting for Ornamental Plant Problems

Word from the WiSE

Hold Your Hoses!
This month, UConn’s Women in Soil Ecology bring you a word on soil moisture and soil aggregates.

As we warm into spring and the ice begins to thaw, you may be eager to take advantage of some beautiful 50°F days to prepare your garden beds for spring planting. However, working very wet soil can destroy soil aggregates. Soil aggregates allow for good water drainage, give space for roots to grow, and provide homes for microbes to turn organic matter into nutrients your plants need. Soil compaction, caused by destruction of aggregates, can be very difficult to reverse – It may take years to form aggregates in sandy soils, such as those found in Connecticut.

While organic matter can be a great way to improve soil health and encourage aggregate formation, avoid disrupting aggregates by working soil that is too wet. To check if your soil is too wet, form a soil ball in your hand, then give it a squeeze. If the ball falls apart, the soil is ready to work. If it stays together, avoid working the soil until conditions get drier.

By Abigayle Ward - Soil Science PhD Student, Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture

Is Your Soil Too Wet?

Learn More About Aggregates

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Get your seeds and seed starting supplies, locally! While many big box stores can be a great resource for affordable seed and seed starting products, local garden centers throughout the state are starting to provide these products and their expertise as well!

Maple Weekend - March 15th & 16th, Statewide
- More Maple Syrup/Sugaring Events!

Vernal Pool Hike - March 16th, 2025, Burlington, CT

Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruises - Wednesdays in March, Essex, CT

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day! Throughout March, Statewide

Nutmeg State Orchid Society Show & Sale, March 22 & 23, West Hartford, CT

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Attend A Local Garden Club meeting, talk, or workshop

Check out the UConn Master Gardener Course Catalog - Classes are open to all, cover many varied topics and are offered at various times throughout the spring.

Black Bears in Connecticut - March 6, 2025, via Zoom

Gardening in Overtime: Getting the Most out of Your Late Season Display with Dan Benarcik, March 20, 2025 - Zoom

Learn About the UConn Well Testing Program

March Gardening Tips

Seeds of annuals that require 10-12 weeks of growth before transplanting can be started indoors now.

Some seeds can be sown onto an inch or so of melting snow on a calm day. These include poppy, calendula, evening primrose and lupine. Be sure the area beneath the snow is bare ground.

March is a great time to be pruning your fruit trees.

If house plants or seedlings are growing tall and leggy, they probably need supplemental light. Use fluorescent lights to help compensate for short days.

If you’re starting seeds under fluorescent lights, check the light tubes for signs of age. Dark rings on the ends of tubes means they should be replaced. Dispose of properly.

Thin bramble plantings (raspberries, blackberries, etc.) to increase air circulation and reduce stem and leaf disease problems.

Check landscape plants for winter damage and prune if necessary after all freezing temps have passed for the season and new growth begins.

Move woody plants before they begin new spring growth; transplant as soon as the soil is workable.

Start cleaning containers and pots so they are ready for planting.

Clean and sharpen garden tools. Take an inventory of supplies you will need for the upcoming growing season. Paint handles red or orange to make them more visible on the lawn.

Bring in bird feeders once black bears emerge from hibernation.

More March Gardening Tips

Pruning, Birds & Other February News

Posted on February 4, 2025April 16, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Winter is Great for Pruning

Wiping pruners with alcohol and a cloth — Wiping down pruners between plants can help reduce the spread of pests and pathogens. Photo by M. Woodward

Late February and early March are an ideal time for pruning many of our favorite woody ornamentals. Gardeners and landscapers prune for many reasons including plant health, aesthetic appeal, better fruiting/flowering, safety and size management.

Cold weather can help to limit pathogens and pests entering woody stems through fresh cut wounds. In spite of this, it is still best practice to sterilize your pruners with a bleach or alcohol wipe before moving from one tree to the next.

Avoid cutting spring flowering ornamentals, however, as they may already have their buds set and ready to go. Always research the pruning techniques for the specific species you are working with to ensure best results.

Prune Now for Beautiful Summer Trees

Pruning Trees and Shrubs

Pruning Woody Landscape Plants

Landscaping to Support Birds in Winter

robins feeding under crabapple tree in winter — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Birds can be attracted to properties during the winter if there are suitable food plants.

Some of the best for winter fruits are native winterberry and inkberry, native and non- native viburnums, native eastern red cedar and crabapples.

Perennials such as coneflowers, Rudbeckia, asters, grasses with seedheads and goldenrods that are left standing, so seeds are available, are also good for birds. Throughout the winter, as seeds are eaten, plants can be cut back if desired.

Caring for Birds in the Winter

Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines with Wildlife Value

Bird Flu Safety for Gardeners

Waxwings on Viburnum — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Seeing Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in the news recently may raise questions about wild bird populations in our gardens. While we are not animal professionals, we have a few general tips and resources to share.

Always avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds.
Heed the recommendations of your state and local government agencies regarding keeping bird feeders out or taking them down.
Report sightings of dead birds (especially in large groups) to CT DEEP
If you have additional questions, CT DEEP Wildlife Division, the State Veterinarian, or the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory are all great resources that can assist!

There are three agencies in the state of CT are keeping an eye on developments.

Questions regarding wildlife should go to CT Dept of Energy & Environmental Protection Wildlife Division
Questions regarding backyard poultry should go to CT Dept of Agriculture or the State Veterinarian
Questions regarding human health concerns can be directed to CT Dept of Health

CT DEEP: Avian Influenza

Reporting Dead Birds

Word from the WiSE

Air flow, Avoid Fungus Growth!
This month, the UConn Women in Soil Ecology club brings you a word about conditions needed for starting seedlings: Avoiding the dangers of the fuzzy white fungus.

Have you ever experienced a fuzzy white fungus growing in your seedling tray? If so, your seedlings may have been at risk of damping off. Damping off is a soilborne fungal disease that can cause your seedlings to rot. The typical culprits in your seedling trays are the fungi Rhizoctonia spp., Fusarium spp., and Pythium spp. These fungi love cool and wet conditions. If your seedlings have fallen over or collapsed, it may be a sign of these pathogens.

Overwatering your seedlings can put them at an increased risk, so it is best to adjust your watering regime and increase air flow. To prevent damping off, be sure to use fresh potting media and sterilize your pots, trays, and tools if they are being reused from previous growing seasons or made contact with garden soil. Provide your seedlings with warmth and bright light for seedling success!

By Nora Doonan – Soil Science PhD Student, UConn PSLA

Learn How to Prevent Seedling Damping Off

Tips for Keeping Seedlings Healthy

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Get your seeds and seed starting supplies, locally! While many big box stores can be a great resource for affordable seed and seed starting products, local garden centers throughout the state are starting to provide these products and their expertise as well!

Find something to please everyone in the family with 37 Things to Do in CT this February!

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Attend A Local Garden Club meeting, talk, or workshop

Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium - Various dates through February & March, Via Zoom

Gardening for the Frogs - Feb. 20, 2025, via Zoom

UConn's Master Gardener Program runs a Seed Distribution program in the winter in partnership with Ocean State Job Lot. This program helps donate seed to schools, community organizations, and non-profits across the state.

CT Flower & Garden Show 2025

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center will have our booth at the CT Flower Show this year! Come and say hello to our Plant & Soil Health Staff and Master Gardener Volunteers!

Speakers & Presentations from the UConn Plant & Soil Health Team

Thursday 2/20 - 11:00 AM
- Al's Top Secret Compost Recipe
  - Alastair Ong, Esq., UConn Master Composter

Friday 2/21 - 12:30 PM
- Look at Interesting Connecticut Lichens and Slime Molds
  - Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Saturday 2/22 - 12:30 PM
- Learning to Speak Horticulture
  - Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Sunday 2/23 - 11:00 AM
- Be a Plant P.I. Learn to Detect, Identify and Prevent Plant Diseases
  - Dr. Nick Goltz, UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab

February Gardening Tips

Recent temperature swings may cause perennials to heave out of the ground. Gently push them back into the soil or cover with mulch.

When buying houseplants in winter, be sure to wrap them well for the trip home and, if possible warm up the car. This prevents the foliage from freezing and protects tropicals from drafts.

When using salt to melt ice on walks and driveways, spread it carefully to avoid damage to nearby shrubs. Consider using sand or sawdust instead. After the snow melts, flush the area around the roots exposed to salt with fresh water.

Bring pruning tools inside and clean them for the upcoming season. Disassemble hand pruners, and loppers. Sharpen the blades, oil the levers, and remove any rust.

If you’re starting seeds under fluorescent lights, check the light tubes for signs of age. Dark rings on the ends of tubes means they should be replaced. Dispose of properly.

If you potted bulbs for forcing last fall, check their progress. Soil should be barely moist. If tips have sprouted and have a few inches of growth, bring the pot into a cool, bright room (50 to 60 degrees F). Gradually expose the plant to increasing warmth, indirect sunlight, and increased watering. Feed once a week with half-strength houseplant fertilizer. To help the stems grow straight, turn the pot every day. When buds and foliage are fully developed, bring into full sunlight, and enjoy!

Brush snow from evergreens as soon as possible after a storm. Use a broom in an upward, sweeping motion. Serious damage may be caused by heavy snow or ice accumulating on the branches.

Turn the compost pile during any stretches of mild weather.

Clean leaves of large and smooth leaved houseplants like dracaena, philodendron, ficus, etc.

Scout for invasive vines like bittersweet. Cut them off of tree trunks to help discourage girdling.

This is the time to start small-seeded flowers such as begonias and petunias. Leek and onion seeds should also be started as soon as possible.

More February Gardening Tips

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E-mail:	ladybug@uconn.edu
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“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.”

— Elizabeth Lawrence

Who's Buggin You?

Supermoons

Identifying Oaks by Their Leaves & Acorns

Native Plant: Sourwood

Word from the WiSE

When the Worlds of Wine and WiSE Collide!

Weather Outlook

Knowledge to Grow On

Read our Ladybug Blogs Written Weekly

Find Us in the Media

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

2025 UConn Native Plants and Pollinators Conference

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

Supplement Your Garden Produce with CT Grown Products!

November Gardening Tips

“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!

As the Garden Winds Down...

Sooty Blotch and Fly Speck on Apples

Native Plant: New England Aster

Word from the WiSE

Load Your Logs: Mushroom Cultivation

Weather Outlook

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

UConn Pest Alerts

Knowledge to Grow On

Read our Ladybug blogs written weekly:

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Supplement Your Garden Produce with CT Grown Products!

October Gardening Tips

“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

Fall Foliage Predictions are Here!

Hope for Biologic Control of Spotted Lanternfly

Native Plant: Fringed Gentian

Word from the WiSE

The Best Time to Lime!

Weather Outlook

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

Baldfaced Hornets & Yellowjackets

UConn Pest Alerts

Knowledge to Grow On

Read our Ladybug blogs written weekly:

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Supplement Your Garden Produce with CT Grown Products!

September Gardening Tips

“A late summer garden has a tranquility found no other time of the year.”

— William F. Longgood

Overwhelmed by Weeds?

Renovate Your Strawberry Beds

Where are the butterflies?

Native Plant: August Flowering Perennials

Word from the WiSE

Surf the Web on Web Soil Survey!

Weather Outlook

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

Tobacco Budworms

UConn Pest Alerts

Knowledge to Grow On

Read our Ladybug blogs written weekly:

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

Supplement Your Garden Produce with CT Grown Products!

August Gardening Tips

"Flowers are wilting My enthusiasm, too Only weeds survive."

— Gaia Garden

There's Still Plenty of Planting Time

Harvesting Herbs in Your Summer Garden!

Native Plant: Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Word from the WiSE

Sweet Summer Strawberries!

Weather Outlook

In the Garden & Pest Alerts

"Flowers are wilting
My enthusiasm, too
Only weeds survive."