Putting Plants Outside, Lilacs, Butterflies & Other May News

Posted on May 1, 2026May 8, 2026 by Zidack, Heather

The George Leigh Minor Plant & Soil Health Center move has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Home Garden Education Office will be closed for walk-in services starting April 27th. Our target reopening date in our new location is now May 18th.

For the comfort and safety of our clients, our office will be closed to the public until our re-opening. Please continue to use our phone and email support during this time. If you are planning to send samples to the Plant Diagnostic Lab or Home Garden Education Office, please call ahead for shipping instructions. Thank you for your understanding.

Closures may also impact the Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab and the UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab. Please check with them directly for more information regarding closures during the move.

Houseplants

To give your houseplants a refresh and encourage healthy growth, begin acclimating them to outdoor conditions for the upcoming summer. On warm days, move your plants outside, while avoiding locations that endure direct exposure to sun or harsh winds. Once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50-60°F, it is an appropriate time to begin keeping plants outside overnight.

For plants that prefer a sunnier environment, gradually expose them to locations in direct sun over a period of two weeks. If nighttime temperatures dip below 50°F, move plants inside for the night, being sure to check for insects beforehand.

Moving Indoor Plants Outside for the Summer

Vegetables

Cool season vegetables including leafy greens, brassicas, and root vegetables may be able to go outside before your houseplants, but they need the same care in transitioning them from inside to out.

If you have warm season plants like peppers, tomatoes or eggplant, be sure to keep them warm just a little bit longer. Peppers, especially, like warm soil and warm air temperatures to grow well.

If your plants aren't ready but you're itching to do something, consider transplanting them into 4 inch pots them so that they can continue to grow comfortably while they wait to go outside.

Keep Your Seedlings Going Strong

Hanging Baskets & Annuals

Annuals are tender and most commonly do best in temperatures similar to our houseplants. When temperatures are consistently above 50-60°F at night, they should be safe to go outside permanently.

There are some exceptions to the rule, like Pansies, and other cool season flowers that may tolerate and even thrive in lower temperatures. We still recommend taking the precautions to harden them off, especially if they were purchased from an indoor setting.

Selecting, Hardening, and Planting Bedding Plants

Perennials & Shrubs

In most cases, shrubs and perennials should be safe to go out as soon as you purchase them. Especially if they seem to have been stored outside at the nursery. If you're walking through a greenhouse to select your plant material, it may be an indicator that it isn't ready for low nighttime temps and may be especially sensitive to late spring frosts.

First year perennials started indoors or in greenhouses may need to be hardened off, the same way tender houseplants, vegetables and annuals are. Ask your local nursery professional if you have questions about plant readiness.

Hardening Transplants

Interesting Insects: Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies

Yellow tiger swallowtail butterfly with black stirpes resting among clusters of pale bluet flowers with yellow centers in a sunlit meadow. — Pamm Cooper, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Tiger swallowtail butterflies can be seen by late April when crabapples and native little bluets (Houstonia caerulea) are flowering. They visit both flowers for much needed nectar. Bluets often form large stands on lawns and woodland edges where there is a good amount of sun. Tiger swallowtails use small black cherry and tulip trees as caterpillar host plants. They breed as early as May.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Spring is For Lilacs

Bumblebees on fall blooming lilacs — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home Garden Education Office

To maintain the striking beauty of your lilacs for many years to come, practice regular pruning techniques. As a spring-blooming shrub, lilacs develop new buds for the next season following the current year’s flowering period is complete.
For this reason, prune immediately after bloom (often in May) to avoid removing next year’s flowers. Deadhead by pruning spent blooms promptly to promote strong flowering next year. Late spring is also the ideal time to practice renewal pruning. Cut back old growth (tall and overgrown stems) at the base, allowing light to reach previously shaded areas.

Over the course of a few seasons utilizing this technique, lilacs will appear fuller and vigorous with new shoots and flowers blooming on lower areas. Lilacs can be shaped according to your preferences by pruning during this time as well.

Yellow-green tulip tree flower with orange stamens opening among bright green, lobed leaves on a sunlit branch; a small “© Pamm Cooper” watermark appears in the lower right — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home Garden Education Office

The tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as yellow poplar or tulip poplar, is a fast-growing, deciduous native of eastern North America that belongs to the Magnolia family.

It has attractive green, yellow, and orange flowers in May that resemble tulips. It is one of the largest North American native trees and sometimes reaches over 200 feet in height. Its leaves are distinctive, forming a broad, flat apex that ends at right angles to the midvein.

Learn More About Tulip Tree

The CT Native Plant Availability List: Updated and even MORE user-friendly!

This native plant guide was created to assist municipalities, conservation organizations, homeowners, landscape architects, designers, and contractors with locating native plants for habitat restoration and wildlife enhancement.

The Connecticut Native Plant Availability List, by UConn Extension and CT DEEP Wildlife Division, identifies nurseries and garden centers that grow/sell native trees, shrubs, and perennials. Along with several nurseries that are new to the list, we have also added the ability for users to view the Availability List sorted by Nursery!

CT Native Perennial, Tree & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Soil Mates: Finding Your Perfect Topsoil Match

From homeowners to landscapers, farmers to developers, many purchase topsoil for
their yearly plants and projects. Topsoil is the surface layer of soil, and can range in thickness from zero to twelve inches depending on how much the soil is worked. Deciding which topsoil you purchase can make or break your season, and inspection is important! Before committing to one topsoil, take a look at the soil stock pile and make sure there is no trash, large rocks, or debris. Soil texture, or the ratio of sand, silt, and clay in a soil, can greatly impact your topsoil. Some great soil textures for your topsoil include loamy sands, loams, silt loams, and sandy clay loams. Many other factors could influence the success of your topsoil, including organic matter and possible amendments. Purchasing a quality topsoil is vital to your soil health, so make sure you get the perfect match!

By Zaira O’Leary, Soil Science Master’s Student, UConn PSLA

We Need Your Input!

The UConn Home and Garden Education Center is asking for your input to help guide future programs and services. Please take a few minutes to complete our needs assessment survey and share what topics, resources, and support would be most helpful to you.

Your feedback will help shape upcoming educational offerings and strengthen our ability to serve Connecticut gardeners.

Thank you for your feedback!

If you have any questions about this survey, please email us at ladybug@uconn.edu

Take the Survey!

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

40 Things to Do in Connecticut this May

Mother's Day and Memorial Day are this month!

World Migratory Bird Day Walk - May 9th, Vernon CT

Elizabeth Park History & Grounds Tour - May 13th, Hartford CT

The Sky's the Limit Walking Challenge for 2026 has started!

Crevice Gardening: Even more than it’s cracked up to be – CT Horticultural Society - May 15th, Middletown CT

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

Gardening for Butterflies with Pamm Cooper
May 7, 2026 - 6:00 PM
Plainville Library
56 East Main St, Plainville, CT 06062

Good Bug/Bad Bug/Benign Bug with Pamm Cooper
May 11, 2026 - 1:00PM
Hosted by the Redding Garden Club
Redding Community Center
37 Lonetown Rd, Redding CT 06896

May Gardening Tips

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

Plant dahlias, gladioli, cannas and other summer flowering bulbs

Lift, divide and replant late summer and fall-blooming perennials such as asters, mums, and sedum

Disinfect all pots and containers before refilling them for the season

Check to see if your houseplants are root bound. Water them thoroughly and carefully remove them from their pots. If the roots have compacted around the outside of the root ball, it is time to repot.

Have frost protection fabric or cloches, such as you can buy at garden stores, ready for unexpected late spring frosts

Do not use a pre-emergent weed control if you are trying to germinate seeds in the same area.

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.

Hummingbirds and orioles return to northern states by mid-May. Clean and refill feeders to attract these colorful birds to your backyard or fill hanging baskets with flowers that will attract them such as petunias, salvia, and fuchsia

Disinfect bird baths with a 10 to 1 solution of water and bleach. Rinse well.

Add water lilies to your pond when the water temperature reaches 70° F.

More May Gardening Tips

What Stays the Same

We will continue to provide the professional and research-based support you’re used to, just in a convenient, central location. Our science-based testing protocols and result-driven recommendations reinforce our commitment to serving growers, landscapers, and the public with their plant and soil health issues.

What Gets Better

Combining current programs all under one roof provides an opportunity for more collaboration, outreach, and educational opportunities for our stakeholders.

One easy-to-find location for soil, plant, and turf sample submissions
Future expansion of diagnostic services available for plant and soil health analysis
Collaboration between programs and increased opportunities for public outreach events

Watch for More Information Soon
s.uconn.edu/plant-soil

Invasives, Insect Eggs, Starting your Garden & Other April Gardening News

Posted on April 1, 2026April 1, 2026 by Zidack, Heather

The UConn Home Garden Education Office & some of it's collaborators will be moving into the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center on the week of April 27th. During the move, we will be closed to the public with limited phone/email availability to allow for a smooth transition. Our office be closed April 27th through May 1st and will reopen May 4th to help with your gardening needs, just in time for the growing season!

Closures may also impact the Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab and the UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab. Please check with them directly for more information regarding office closures during the move.

Catch Invasives in April

In April, many invasive plants are among the first to leaf out, making them easier to spot before other vegetation fills in.

Watch for green patches of lesser celandine carpeting moist lawns, stream banks, and woodland edges. The early leaves of Japanese honeysuckle vines can be found climbing shrubs and fences. Invasive shrubs including Japanese barberry and multiflora rose leaf out early and are seen on woodland edges and interior woods. This is an ideal time to scout your property, flag infestations, and plan management before these species flower and set seed later in the season.

The First Signs of Spring: Spotting Invasive Plants

Finally, be on the lookout for Spotted Lanternfly egg masses. This insect is invasive and destructive to grapevines, hops, stone fruit trees, and hardwood trees. It lays its eggs on any hard surface, such as trees, stones, fences, firewood, or vehicles. Egg masses will appear as columns of brownish seed-like deposits, about an inch long. When you locate egg masses, first smash them, and then scrape them off the surface into a plastic zip bag filled with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol. Then, zip the bag shut and throw it away. Finally, report the location of egg masses to the CT Agricultural Experiment Station.

When Do I Get to Start Gardening?

When we have a few days of warm, sunny weather, gardeners get excited to get out and get to work!

Experienced gardeners tend to observe patterns and find natural milestones of when to start doing certain tasks. As an example, when the forsythia bloom, we often simultaneously see more activity in the garden and in the soil. This can act as a cue for certain management strategies in the garden.

If you dive into the phenology of our plants and insects, you will find that temperature consistency in various environments or conditions (soil, and air during the day or at night) fall pretty close in step with these observations, adding some scientific support to these methods.

However, New England Springs can throw us a curveball from time to time, and unpredictable conditions can throw our schedules significantly. Not too long ago, a late spring frost damaged many plants already in the ground!

To take it a step further, looking at Growing Degree Days can help you determine when specific species of plants or insects may be emerging. Use this indicator to help you identify when to implement preventative measures for tricky garden pests or to help you determine if it's time to clean out your winter pollinator habitat with greater confidence.

For a strong garden strategy, use a combination of tools including growing degree day calculators, soil temperature monitors, and your own observations of phenology to help you determine when the best time for any activity garden is for your specific location.

Close-up of sweet fern twigs with emerging curled leaves and fuzzy brown catkins, set against a woodland background of dry grasses and leafless trees under a blue sky. — Sweet Fern starting to leaf out in March. Pamm Cooper, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Sweet fern, Comptonia peregrina, is a native shrub commonly found in acidic, dry, sandy soils. It is usually found in full sun but also can tolerate partial shade.

Look for it on slopes, roadsides, and disturbed sites such as power line rights-of-ways. Its fernlike leaves are aromatic when crushed. It flowers as early as March as it begins to leaf out. It is superb as a soil stabilizer on sandy slopes and where sandy soils support little else. It can form colonies over time via strong rhizomes.

Learn More About Sweet Fern

The CT Native Plant Availability List: Updated and even MORE user-friendly!

CT Native Perennial, Tree & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Wait Now, Thrive Later: Soil Compaction

This month, we’re bringing you a word on preventing soil compaction with spring patience. As temperatures rise heading into April, it’s exciting to start thinking about spring garden preparations. After a long winter and snowmelt, our soils are holding plenty of moisture, so giving them a little extra time can make a big difference. Working in soil that’s too wet, whether it be by walking on it or using equipment, can lead to soil compaction, sometimes referred to as the “silent thief” of plant growth. Compacted soil reduces the space roots need to grow, making it harder for plants to access water and nutrients.

The good news? It’s easy to check if your soil is ready. Just grab a handful of your soil and squeeze it and if it crumbles apart, you’re good to go! If it sticks together in a clump, it’s best to wait a little longer. A bit of patience now helps to create healthier soil, stronger roots, and a more successful garden all season long. Your plants will thank you!

By Josenia Lopez, Plant Science Undergraduate Student

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

34 Things to do in Connecticut This April

Celebrate Earth Day (Apr. 22) & Arbor Day (Apr. 24) with celebrations around the state!

Tree Rings & Earth Things - April 16th, Hampton CT

Gardens of the Gilded Age - April 29th, Hartford CT

Local Farmers Markets, CSAs and farm stands start opening in April

Naturally Natchaug Clean Water Festival - May 2nd, Mansfield CT

George Leigh Minor Plant & Soil Health Center Open House - May 16th, Storrs CT

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

Slime Molds & Lichens with Pamm Cooper
April 13, 2026 - 1:00 PM
Hosted by the Avon Garden Club
The Church of St. Ann, 289 Arch Rd., Avon, CT

April Gardening Tips

Pull back mulch from perennials to allow the soil to warm up but be prepared to temporarily cover them if heavy frosts are predicted.

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. Flowers can be damaged in frosts, but plants will survive.

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

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.

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.

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

Do not use a pre-emergent weed control if you are trying to germinate seeds in the same area.

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

Place peony supports.

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

Divide overcrowded summer or fall blooming perennials.

More April Gardening Tips

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

Combining current programs all under one roof provides an opportunity for more collaboration, outreach, and educational opportunities for our stakeholders.

One easy-to-find location for soil, plant, and turf sample submissions
Future expansion of diagnostic services available for plant and soil health analysis
Collaboration between programs and increased opportunities for public outreach events

Watch for More Information Soon
s.uconn.edu/plant-soil

Snow Cover, Lighting Needs, Snow Fleas, and More March News

Posted on March 3, 2026March 5, 2026 by Zidack, Heather

Outdoor metal tables and chairs covered in deep snow, with large mounds of snow piled on top and around them in a winter landscape. — Photo by Sean Flynn/UConn Photo

It's been a temperamental winter! With extreme cold and lots of snow, many have asked us what to expect for their garden plants and even pest populations.

Snow acts as nature's insulation during the winter. A heavy layer of snow will help keep temperatures at and below the soil level stable when compared to air temperatures like the blustery cold we've experienced this winter. Plant root zones are quite content with both a consistent temperature, and lots of available water about to saturate their root systems with the snow melting and forecasted rain.

The bigger risk to plants is freezing and thawing. Snow weighing down branches can also lead to physical damage in the form of broken branches. As the snow thaws and refreezes, ice crystals surrounding evergreen needles can cause damage as well. In the more mild winters we've observed in previous years, freeze and thaw cycles lead to frost heaving, which leaves plant roots susceptible to winter damage.

Piles of snow mixed with de-icing salts can cause trouble if on or near ornamental plants. Be sure to flush these areas with clean water in the spring to help reduce salinity in the soil.

Lighting Needs for Starting Seeds Indoors

Seed tray with soil-filled compartments and tiny green seedlings emerging. Clear plastic lid with condensation droplets, indicating a humid environment. — Photo by Heather Zidack, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Most windowsills in Connecticut are not bright enough or warm enough in late winter for starting seeds indoors.

For sturdy seedlings, you’ll want to choose bright, full‑spectrum lights. Use LED or fluorescent fixtures rather than incandescent bulbs and keep them six to eight inches above the seedlings. Raise the lights as seedlings grow to prevent burning the leaves or leggy growth. Aim for 14 to 16 hours of light per day and use a timer, so seedlings get consistent lighting each day.

The start of spring signals houseplants to resume active growth. To maintain healthy houseplants during this stage of their life, ensure proper humidity conditions in the growing environment are met.

Spring air is often dry, depleting plants of moisture necessary to maintain their vigor. To promote humidity, place plants atop a tray of water with pebbles, mist occasionally, or set up a humidifier nearby. Do not mist leaves, however, since this can create a favorable environment for disease.

Spring into action: easy tips for thriving houseplants

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Top Soil Tragedy: The Invasive Jumping Worm

The invasive jumping worm, resembling the European earthworm, is typically identified by the thick white band encircling the body (clitellum), their “jumping” and erratic movements, and are typically surrounded by coffeeground-like castings.

This pest is becoming a prominent issue in Connecticut, rapidly devouring organic matter and altering soil properties. Unlike the European earthworms, jumping worms produce castings that are hardened via mucus into clumps, and turn the top layer of soil rapidly into a heavily granular texture. These large castings negatively influence the surrounding environment and plants, making it harder for plant roots to securely anchor into the ground, take up water, nutrient absorption, and can cause rapid decline within an
area.

As of now, there is no standard method of eradicating or controlling the jumping worm population, however, there are some steps you can take to stay proactive and protect against the wicked worm, such as inspecting any root balls before planting, and using soil produced from a reputable source.

By Zaira O’Leary, Soil Science Master’s Student, UConn PSLA

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

36 Things to do in Connecticut this March

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

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

Ecological Landscaping & Green Infrastructure Workshop Series

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

How to be an IPM Detective with Heather Zidack
March 5, 2026 - 1:00 PM
Hosted by the Wethersfield Garden Club
Solomon Welles House, Wethersfield, CT
Event Link - Please RSVP to wethersfieldgardenclubest1926@gmail.com

Good Bug/Bad Bug with Pamm Cooper
March 10, 2026 - 12:15 PM
Hosted by Leete's Island Garden Club
Nathaniel Greene Community Center
Guilford, CT

Gardening with Native Plants with Pamm Cooper
March 16, 2026 - 6:30 PM
Hosted by the Lutz Children's Museum
Manchester, CT

Connecticut Butterflies with Pamm Cooper
March 23, 2026
Hosted by East Hartford Garden Club
617 Hill St. East Hartford, CT

March Gardening Tips

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

Using sterile growing mix for starting seeds reduces problems with damping-off fungi. Avoid overwatering, which encourages root rots.

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

Prune out and destroy dark, swollen black knot galls on twigs of cherry and plum before budbreak. On trees, shrubs, fruiting bushes and vines, prune off and destroy cankered twigs and any branches showing dieback. Prune shortly before budbreak, or wait until just after leaves have expanded.

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.

Check all house plants closely for insect infestations. Quarantine gift plants until you determine that they are not harboring any pests. Inspect under leaves and stems for white, cottony mealybugs, and look under leaves and on stems for scale insects.

Carefully remove winter mulches from planting beds as snow melts and temperatures warm but leave it nearby so that tender plants may be recovered if there is a frost.

After the snow melts, flush areas that have been exposed to de-icing salts around the roots with fresh water.

Keep any birdseed and pet food that is stored in the garage in tightly covered containers to prevent rodents and wildlife from getting into it.

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

Save plastic milk jugs or 2-liter containers to use as individual hot caps or cloches. They will fit nicely over small garden plants, creating a free miniature greenhouse.

More March Gardening Tips

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

Combining current programs all under one roof provides an opportunity for more collaboration, outreach, and educational opportunities for our stakeholders.

One easy-to-find location for soil, plant, and turf sample submissions
Future expansion of diagnostic services available for plant and soil health analysis
Collaboration between programs and increased opportunities for public outreach events

Watch for More Information Soon
s.uconn.edu/plant-soil

Tree ID, The Winter Garden, Birding, and other February News

Posted on February 3, 2026February 3, 2026 by Zidack, Heather

Snow-covered landscape with a large tree in the foreground, a wooden bench by a frozen pond, and bright sunlight shining through the tree’s branches against a clear blue sky. — Photo by Sean Flynn/UConn Photo

Believe it or not, winter is a great time to flex your tree identification skills. During the growing season, we have leaf shapes and arrangements to help us, but in the winter we have to look closer at the tree itself for answers.

Instead of leaves, closely examine bark, twigs and buds in the winter for clues. Assess the branching pattern, overall size and environmental location for other hints.

Like a proper gumshoe, check the ground for dropped leaves - keeping in mind that dropped leaves may be from the tree in question, or neighboring trees. These are best used for confirmation in addition to other characteristics.

There are plenty of resources and field guides out there to help you hone your skills. If you don't have a guide on hand, get good pictures so you can check them against a field guide when you are home. You can always send pictures to us for additional help!

Winter birding gets very interesting as many species are here only until early spring, and you need to get out soon to see them. The shoreline is a great place to find sanderlings, ruddy ducks, Brandt geese, dunlins and other winter visitors, but inland has its own thrills for winter birders.

Horned larks are just one- look for these where snow melts near fields and pastures where seed is abundant. We have these birds now at UConn's Horsebean Hill along the roads between pastures. They sometimes can be found at Meigs's Point, Hammonasset State Park, around the parking lot and grassy areas.

Clusters of small, round, grayish wax-coated berries growing tightly along the woody branches of a shrub, surrounded by green foliage — Photo by Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org

Native to North America, bayberry (Myrica L.) is a deciduous shrub prevalent across eastern regions of the U.S. Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is the most prominent variety in coastal areas of the northeast. Thus, it prefers moist, acidic soil with full sun and is tolerant of shoreline conditions like salt spray and high winds. Northern bayberry also withstands periods of drought. Shrubs grow in clusters, often along slopes or banks, acting as a means of control against erosion.

Its dense, gray-green foliage has a narrow shape and a glossy appearance. Resin glands on leaf undersides produce a pleasant aroma when crushed. Northern bayberries are often dioecious—male and female flowers are on separate plants. Male and female flowers are both arranged in catkins. Male flowers are shades of dull yellow and green, while female flowers do not exhibit significant coloring—also lacking both sepals and petals. In the summer, female plants alone produce small, waxy fruit, provided that they are wind pollinated. Drupes can appear gray, white, or dull blue. Wildlife, mostly birds, utilizes them as a source of food. Bayberry fruit remains on shrubs until the following spring, sustaining the shrub with interest in appearance throughout all seasons.

Learn About Northern Bayberry

The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Biochar: Turning Waste into Soil Opportunity

This month, we’re bringing you a word on biochar—a carbon-rich material made by heating biomass (like wood chips, manure solids, or crop residues) under low-oxygen conditions. Think of it as “charcoal for soils,” designed not to burn, but to stay stable and interact with soil processes over the long term.

Why is biochar getting so much attention? First, it can help build soil carbon because a portion of biochar is resistant to decomposition, allowing carbon to remain in soil longer than many fresh organic inputs. Depending on the biochar type and the soil it’s applied to, biochar may also improve water holding, aggregate stability, and nutrient retention by increasing surface area and creating more sites that hold onto nutrients. In acidic soils, some biochar can even act as a mild liming material, nudging pH upward—though the effect varies a lot by feedstock and production temperature.

A quick note: biochar isn’t “one-size-fits-all.” Some biochar can contain salts or trace contaminants, and fresh biochar may temporarily tie up nutrients if it isn’t “charged” first. A practical tip is to pre-condition biochar by mixing it with compost, manure, or a nutrient solution before application, then incorporate it ahead of planting so it has time to equilibrate with the soil.

Biochar can be a powerful tool—especially when matched thoughtfully to soil needs and management goals.

By Zheng Yiling, Soil Science Graduate Student UConn PSLA

February Gardening Tips

This is the time to start small-seeded flowers such as begonias and petunias.

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!

If you are overwintering plants into your garage or cellar, check the soil to see if it needs water. If the soil is frozen, it may be in too cold of a spot.

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.

Check all house plants closely for insect infestations. Quarantine gift plants until you determine that they are not harboring any pests. Inspect under leaves and stems for white, cottony mealybugs, and look under leaves and on stems for scale insects.

Now is the time to order bare-root fruit trees. Consider placing an order from one of the CT Conservation Districts Spring Plant sales.

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

Inspect hemlocks for woolly adelgid. Plan to apply a dormant horticultural oil treatment in April if the cottony egg masses are found at the base of needles.

Paint the handles of garden tools red or orange. This will preserve the wood and make the tools easier to locate when you lay them down in the garden or on the lawn.

Whether you're shoveling snow, hauling firewood, out for a winter hike or playing in the snow make sure you're taking the proper safety precautions while out in the elements this winter!

More February Gardening Tips

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

Combining current programs all under one roof provides an opportunity for more collaboration, outreach, and educational opportunities for our stakeholders.

One easy-to-find location for soil, plant, and turf sample submissions
Future expansion of diagnostic services available for plant and soil health analysis
Collaboration between programs and increased opportunities for public outreach events

Watch for More Information Soon
s.uconn.edu/plant-soil

Fungus Gnats, Invasive Plants, Wildlife, and other January News

Posted on January 1, 2026January 5, 2026 by Zidack, Heather

Someone once said "There are two types of people in this world. People who have fungus gnats, and liars!"

It's a common issue that almost everyone has had to manage at one point or another with their houseplants. These tiny pests feed on fungus that grows on decaying root tissue in the soil, often caused by overwatering. While they may occasionally eat plant material, more often they're an indicator of a larger issue.

Scout often for an infestation, and try to let the soil dry out between waterings when possible to help keep them at bay. Chemical solutions out there are frequently short term solutions for infestations. They should be used in severe cases alongside cultural management practices for best results.

Scout for Invasives this Winter!

Dry grasses with feathery tops sway against a backdrop of leafless trees and a clear blue sky. — Photo by Lauren Kurtz, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Invasive Phragmites asutralis (Common Reed) is especially easy to spot during the winter months while most other wetland plants collapse and become nondescript brownish patches on the landscape.

Invasive phragmites remains, standing tall in dense stands with rigid stems and large, persistent seed heads. This rhizomatous grass grows 5 to 10 feet tall, which makes it easy to spot along the frozen edges of wetlands and waterbodies. The winter visibility makes this an ideal time for landowners and managers to map infestations or plan future control efforts.

A tree with a twisted trunk and bulging knot-like structure, being strangled by invasive vines, surrounded by leafless trees and sparse vegetation. — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Another common observation at this time of the year is choking and girdling damage caused by invasive vines like Asiatic or Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). By bringing pruners with you as you scout, you can immediately respond to any damage you see from these vines on your property.

For Connecticut Bird Enthusiasts

UConn has worked in partnership with many organizations and agencies across the state to develop an online Bird Atlas. This project has been in the works since 2018 and is continuing to develop.

The atlas contains information on birds found in Connecticut and has a block map showing where they are found. They are currently working on species accounts which have specific information on individual birds such as the whistling ducks shown in the image.

CT Bird Atlas

False Turkeytail Fungus

Also called the golden curtain crust, Stereum ostrea is a plant pathogen and a wood decay fungus. Ostera means “oyster” and aptly describes its shell- like fruiting body which is made up of concentric circles of many colors.

It resembles the Trametes versicolor which is called the turkey tail fungus. Look for all turkey tail fungi on dead wood throughout the winter months on branches, logs, stumps of trees, especially of oaks, maples and elms. These are beneficial, aiding in the decomposition of dead wood and in recycling nutrients.

About False Turkey Tail

Bringing a pop of red to late fall and winter landscapes, winterberries (Ilex verticillata) bear brightly colored fruit which grows in clusters along its branches. This deciduous holly is native to eastern North America. Winterberries are often grown around ponds or swampy areas, as they are well-suited for moist, acidic soil environments.

As their common name implies, this type of holly is famed for its ability to produce vibrant red fruit which brightens otherwise dreary winter landscapes. To achieve this result, proper cross-pollination of plants must occur during blooming seasons. Winterberries are dioecious – meaning they have separate male and female plants. Female plants are capable of producing berries only after being fertilized by a nearby male plant. Generally, male plants can pollinate 20 female plants when they are within a 40-foot distance of each other.

Certain cultivars of female and male plants are paired with one another according to the compatibility of their blooming times.

Learn About Winterberry

Berry Good Pick for Winter Interest

The Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree, & Shrub Availability List

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

The Soil Life Under the Snow

As we inch towards shorter days, colder nights, and snow covered grounds, almost everyone is bundling up in heavy coats and winter boots, but what about life within the soil? You might think that soil life abruptly stops after the first snowflake, but that is often not the case.

Moles live in tunnels underground throughout the year, however, they do not hibernate and instead dig deeper to expand their tunnels in order to find food and protect themselves from the cold. Worms burrow deep into the ground, wind into a ball, cover themselves in a protective
slime coating, and enter a dormant state called (a)estivation. Microbes, a small but mighty community in soil, are still active during winter, and some bacteria even produce a chemical similar to antifreeze! Soil contains extremely diverse and essential communities, and just because the ground is freezing doesn’t mean they do!

By Zaira O’Leary, Soil Science Master’s Student, UConn PSLA

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

35 Things to do in Connecticut this January

Celebrate the New Year with a First Day Event, Hike, or Walk, January 1, Statewide

Get out of the cold and see butterflies up close! The Connecticut Science Center's Butterfly Encounter is open! Explore their all season butterfly habitat housing over 40 species of butterflies! If you're looking to take a day trip, Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatoryis in South Deerfield MA. This conservatory hatches and maintains its butterfly population year round as well.

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

2026 UConn Extension Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Conference - January 8, Storrs CT

Basic Garden Maintenance: A Year-Long, Month by Month Plan - January 19, Vernon CT, 7-9pm
Join the Vernon Garden Club for a presentation and discussion detailing how to properly care for your perennial gardens all year long!
This free event is open to all, including non-members and non-residents of Vernon. No pre-registration required.

First Congregational Church of Vernon
695 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066
Questions? VernonCTGardenClub@gmail.com

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

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

Walk on the Wild Side with Pamm Cooper
January 7, 2026 - 6:00 PM
Hosted by the Whiton Branch Library
100 North Main Street
Manchester, CT 06042

January Gardening Tips

Check for frost heaving on perennials during thaws and press back into place. Cover the crowns with extra mulch as necessary.

Start seeds of pansies, dusty miller, browallia, begonias, snapdragons, and delphiniums indoors under lights.

Do not wait until late in the winter to order seeds as many of the seed companies most popular varieties sell out early.

To determine how many seeds to order, map out your garden on graph paper, allowing adequate space between rows and ample room for vining crops such as pumpkins and winter squash.

At month's end, start seeds of onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower indoors under lights.

Check all house plants closely for insect infestations. Quarantine gift plants until you determine that they are not harboring any pests. Inspect under leaves and stems for white, cottony mealybugs, and look under leaves and on stems for scale insects.

Don't walk on frozen grass, especially if there is no snow cover. Without the protection of snow, grass blades are easily broken causing die-back in your lawn.

Avoid using salt to melt ice on driveways and sidewalks which may end up on the lawn, when possible use sand or kitty litter. This will help prevent salt damage to plant roots.

Prune away storm-damaged branches promptly to prevent tearing of the bark. When pruning large limbs, always undercut first. This means to cut from the bottom up, one-third of the way through the limb, then finish by cutting from the top. The undercut keeps the limb from splitting and breaking off, which could damage the trunk and become an entryway for insects and diseases. Do not cut flush to the trunk as the collar or enlarged base of a branch produces hormones that help heal wounds.

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.

Whether you're shoveling snow, hauling firewood, out for a winter hike or playing in the snow make sure you're taking the proper safety precautions while out in the elements this winter!

More January Gardening Tips

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

Combining current programs all under one roof provides an opportunity for more collaboration, outreach, and educational opportunities for our stakeholders.

One easy-to-find location for soil, plant, and turf sample submissions
Future expansion of diagnostic services available for plant and soil health analysis
Collaboration between programs and increased opportunities for public outreach events

Watch for More Information Soon
s.uconn.edu/plant-soil

Holiday Plants, Forcing Bulbs, Hawks & Other December News

Posted on December 2, 2025December 3, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Force Bulbs Now for Late-Winter Cheer

Pink tulips in full bloom arranged in a red glass vase, placed on a wooden floor in sunlight near a wall and door. — Photo by Holly McNamara, Uconn Plant Diagnostic Lab

December is your last chance to encourage spring bulbs to bloom during the late winter gloom of February and March. Paper Whites, Daffodils, Amaryllis, Iris, Tulips, Hyacinth, and Crocus can produce enticing fragrances and colors during these otherwise bleak winter conditions.

Forcing is the process of “tricking” bulbs into sprouting and blooming under artificially imposed conditions. There are often cultivars available for purchase that are specifically bred for forcing. Bulbs can be planted in commercial potting soil. Make sure there are at least 2” of soil beneath the bulbs to allow for root growth, in a pot with adequate drainage holes. With this technique, bulbs may be planted very close together for an aesthetically pleasing product. A 6” diameter pot can hold 3 large bulbs (hyacinth), 5-6 medium bulbs (tulips or daffodils), or up to 15 small bulbs (crocus).

With the exception of paperwhites, most spring blooming bulbs must be subjected to a minimum of twelve weeks of cold temperatures, anywhere from 35-50°F, to prepare them for growth. This can be achieved by placing the pot in an unheated garage, crawl space, or refrigerator. After this cold period, the pot can be moved to a cool, sunny location, preferably between 50-60°F as the shoots and leaves begin to emerge. After one week, it can be moved to a warmer location out of direct sunlight. At this point in the process, the bulbs should bloom in three to four weeks.

Word from the WiSE

Women in Soil Ecology, UConn Student Chapter

Happy World Soil Day!

This month, UConn’s Women in Soil Ecology bring you a word on celebrating World Soil Day.
World Soil Day is December 5th, 2025 and the theme of this year’s celebration is Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities, emphasizing the need to consider the state of soil health in urban landscapes.

When we think of soil health, we often think about the soil in our home gardens or large-scale agricultural fields. Soil health practices are just as important in urban environments, but much of the soil is sealed away with cement and other impermeable surfaces. Healthy urban soil absorbs rainfall, reduces flooding, and supports effective stormwater management. It helps regulate temperature and can lessen the urban heat island effect. It also stores carbon, can help to improve air quality, and supports biodiversity by providing a habitat for urban wildlife.

Beyond the environmental benefits, it also can enhance human well-being. It can improve mental and physical health by generating more opportunities for outdoor recreation and strengthening connection with nature. By recognizing and sharing the value of healthy urban soils with others, we can help to rethink urban spaces and promote more resilient and healthier cities.

By Nora Doonan – Soil Science PhD Student, UConn PSLA

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

38 Things to do in Connecticut this December

Find holiday gifts at local craft fairs!

Take a holiday train ride at the Essex Steam Train, the CT Trolley Museum or the Railroad Museum of New England

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

126th Annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count - Statewide, Multiple Dates

2026 UConn Extension Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers' Conference - January 8th, 2026, Storrs CT

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

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

Good Bug/Bad Bug with Pamm Cooper
December 13, 2025 - 2:00 PM
Hosted by the Mary Cheney Public Library
586 Main Street
Manchester, CT 06040

December Gardening Tips

Holiday plants, including amaryllis, mistletoe, and yew are toxic and should be kept away from children and pets. Contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately if you suspect a problem.

Be sure to keep poinsettia away from heat sources, drafts, and cold air. Keep soil consistently moist, but not soggy. Poinsettia that dry out droop dramatically and drop their flowers. Try something a bit more unusual like a cyclamen or kalanchoe for holiday plants.

Decorative foil around the roots of holiday plants can hold water and drown them. Either remove it when you water, or poke drainage holes in the foil and use a saucer

Consider protecting vulnerable plants from heavy snow sliding from the roof (see image)

Build a physical barrier of mesh galvanized steel hardware cloth (1/4 to 1/2 inch) around the base of vulnerable trees to prevent voles from feeding

Harvest any leeks and root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips that are still in the garden

Check produce that you have in storage. Sort out any that show signs of disease and dispose of them

Do not use fertilizer to melt ice. This creates nitrogen runoff issues that could damage local bodies of water

Tap the evergreen branches gently to remove snow and ice to prevent the branches from breaking

Store your opened bags of fertilizer in a sealed plastic bag or plastic waterproof container with a snugly fitting lid in a dry location to avoid caking

If you have a real Christmas tree, recycle it after the holidays are through. Cut off branches and use as insulation over perennials. In spring, chip or shred branches to create mulch or add to the compost pile

More December Gardening Tips

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

Combining current programs all under one roof provides an opportunity for more collaboration, outreach, and educational opportunities for our stakeholders.

One easy-to-find location for soil, plant, and turf sample submissions
Future expansion of diagnostic services available for plant and soil health analysis
Collaboration between programs and increased opportunities for public outreach events

Watch for More Information Soon
s.uconn.edu/plant-soil

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

Phone:	(877) 486-6271
E-mail:	ladybug@uconn.edu
Address:	1380 Storrs Road, Unit 4115 Storrs, CT 06269-4115
More:	Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm

“The month of May is the gateway to summer"

Moving Update

When Can I Put My Plants Outside?

Houseplants

Vegetables

Hanging Baskets & Annuals

Perennials & Shrubs

Interesting Insects: Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies

Spring is For Lilacs

Native Plant Highlight: Tulip Tree

The CT Native Plant Availability List: Updated and even MORE user-friendly!

Word from the WiSE

Soil Mates: Finding Your Perfect Topsoil Match

Weather Outlook

Knowledge to Grow On

Read our Ladybug Blogs Written Weekly

Find Us in the Media

We Need Your Input!

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

May Gardening Tips

We're Moving in May 2026

What Stays the Same

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“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose, I would always greet it in a garden."

Big Changes for the HGEO! We're Moving This Month!

Save the Date: Saturday, May 16th 2026

Catch Invasives in April

Interesting Insects: Scout for Egg Masses

When Do I Get to Start Gardening?

Native Plant Highlight: Sweet Fern

The CT Native Plant Availability List: Updated and even MORE user-friendly!

Word from the WiSE

Wait Now, Thrive Later: Soil Compaction

Weather Outlook

Knowledge to Grow On

Read our Ladybug Blogs Written Weekly

Find Us in the Media

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

April Gardening Tips

We're Moving in April 2026

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

“March is a month of considerable frustration - it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away."

We've Had a Lot of Snow - What Does it Mean for our Gardens?

Lighting Needs for Starting Seeds Indoors

Interesting Insects: Snow Fleas

Increasing Humidity for Houseplants

Word from the WiSE

Top Soil Tragedy: The Invasive Jumping Worm

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

Join Us at Upcoming Talks

The CT Flower & Garden Show 2026

March Gardening Tips

We're Moving in April 2026

What Stays the Same

What Gets Better

“Every February, when the days grow long enough, the sun brings hope for new beginnings."

Identifying Trees in Winter

Gardening for Winter Interest

Winter Birding: Horned Larks

Native Plant: Bayberry

Word from the WiSE

Biochar: Turning Waste into Soil Opportunity

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

The CT Flower & Garden Show 2026

February Gardening Tips

We're Moving in April 2026

What Stays the Same