Newspaper Articles

Road Salt and Your Soil

Posted on November 23, 2025November 25, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

When I was a graduate student from Nepal living in New Haven from 2012 to 2014, I kept noticing the same winter aftereffect across town. Along busy streets, the first foot of lawn by the pavement turned yellow and matted, and the road-facing sides of yews and hollies burned while the yard sides looked fine. Coming from a place that does not spread salt each winter, it felt backward. We made the road safer, but the plants and soil paid the price. At UConn’s Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab, we hear versions of this every spring. People send soil from a strip along the road or from a bed near the driveway and say that spot never greens up like the rest.

You have also likely noticed the symptoms. Fine particles form a crust on the soil surface where water evaporates. Turf browns right at the pavement edge. Buds on the roadside of a shrub fail to break. Evergreens brown on the street side when traffic spray carries salty water, while the interior needles stay green. Vegetable beds that sit too close to plow piles can exhibit poor emergence, tip burn, or slow growth, even when the rest of the garden appears fine.

What road salt does to soil

Sodium chloride (rock salt) is the most widely used deicer. Once it dissolves, it separates into sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻). Chloride is highly mobile. It moves with meltwater, so in a wet spring, it can leach through the soil and, where conditions allow, reach groundwater, affecting well water quality.

Sodium changes how soil behaves. In healthy soil, calcium and magnesium sit on exchange sites; repeated sodium inputs displace them, sealing the surface, reducing infiltration, and making the soil feel tighter right where plants already struggle. Sodium also competes with potassium uptake, so salt-burned spots can look nutrient-deficient even when tests show adequate levels.

Alternatives to sodium chloride are often less harsh but cost more. Magnesium chloride and calcium chloride melt at lower temperatures but still add chloride and can injure plants and corrode concrete and metal. Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) is chloride-free and generally gentler, yet it’s pricier and harder to find.

Lab testing and management options

If you inform the lab that the sample is from a salt-affected area (such as a roadside, plow pile, or splash zone), they will interpret the numbers with that history in mind and, if necessary, use the appropriate salinity method for your sample.

Soil pH and texture (and organic matter). Sandy roadside fill flushes salts quickly but is more susceptible to damage due to its low buffering capacity. Heavier soils with more organic matter hold up better but can crust at the surface after repeated salting. For optimal plant health and reduced salt uptake, aim for a pH of approximately 6.5–7.0; your report will include a lime rate if your pH is below this range.
Soluble salts / electrical conductivity (EC). EC shows how salty the root zone was when you sampled. It is most informative right after winter or snowmelt, when salts are near the surface. For mineral soils, labs typically measure EC from a simple soil–water extract.

Dense green shrub with numerous small, bright red berries growing along its branches, situated against a brick and white wall in a landscaped area. — Plants like the Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) may be able to stand up to some salt exposure in the landscape. Some varieties may be more resistant than others. (Photo by H. Zidack)

Start with prevention. Before winter, top-dress the first 1–2 feet along the road with a thin layer of compost to improve structure and exchange capacity. Keep that strip covered, overseed thin turf, or use a salt-tolerant edge, and ask the plow operator to place piles where meltwater drains to the street or to vegetation that isn’t over your well line. Where meltwater goes matters as much as how much salt you use.

After winter, fix what the season left behind. If the roadside sample shows elevated EC, lightly loosen any compacted or crusted soil so that water can infiltrate. Then, leach the area with two or three deep soakings a few days apart to push salts below the main root zone. If a hedge or shrub burns on the roadside year after year, consider moving it back or replacing the front row with more salt-tolerant plants.

For chronic hotspots, shift from one-time flushing to long-term protection: use less deicer, keep piles away from beds and wells, maintain dense groundcover in the first foot along pavement, and in harsh exposures, consider stone mulch plus seasonal compost topdressing to help the soil rebound.

If your well water tastes salty, check the state’s road-salt guidance and contact your town. When the damage is limited to curb strips or driveway beds, soil testing and better winter practices usually solve it.

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

Winterize your Garden Gear Before It’s Too Late!

Posted on November 8, 2025November 25, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Outdoor water spigot with attached green hose and rust around the base on concrete. — Y Connectors like this should be removed and stored inside to keep the plastic from cracking in the winter. Photo by H. Zidack

It’s already November! It doesn’t seem like that long ago when we were giving advice about seeding lawns and watering in new fall plantings. Now that the time has changed, the days feel shorter, and the nights are getting colder, it’s important to remember to take the time to properly store your garden equipment and accessories before locking up the shed for the season.

Freezing temperatures are on the way fast. Drain and roll up any hoses to remove tripping hazards from the landscape. Store them inside a garage or shed to keep them out of the elements and lengthen their lifespan of use in the garden. Make sure that your outdoor water systems are properly winterized. Whether that means flushing your irrigation system, or simply shutting off your outside water, don’t forget this important step to protect your pipes! Once lines are turned off, open external valves to relieve any remaining pressure.

Water can not only wreak havoc on pipes but many garden accessories, too. A glass rain gauge left outside can and will freeze and shatter outdoors. Ceramics like pottery and bird baths are susceptible to cracking, so store them either in the shed or upside down in a sheltered area. Stash your garden gnomes, garden flags and solar pathway lights to protect them from fading and damage. Brittle cold, freezing water, and a careless throw of the snow shovel could spell disaster for garden décor left out in the open.

Inside the shed, take a quick inventory. Leftover seed or bagged mulch could be rodent attractants. Seeds should be stored in areas safe from extreme temperatures to preserve germination rates. Bird seed should be stored in animal proof containers. Chemical products like pesticides and fertilizers may be adversely affected by temperature fluctuations and freezing. They could also make a real mess if a water-based or pressurized solution were to burst. Products leftover from the growing season should be evaluated and moved into a space safe from freezing temperatures. Product labels or manufacturers will have storage and disposal information to help you make the best decision about what to do with your garden chemicals at the end of the season.

Close-up of a rusty metal latch with a padlock on a weathered gray wooden door. — Before you lock up the shed for the winter, remember to winterize! Photo by H. Zidack

Winter will be a great time to thoroughly clean, repair, and sharpen tools. Store them somewhere that is easy to get to later so you can make sure your tools are fresh for the new season! If you have to do the seasonal shed shuffle, this is also a great time to rotate the lawn mower and snow thrower to prepare for the first storms of the season.

Speaking of your gas-powered equipment, check your owner’s manuals for winterizing recommendations and instructions to help maintain the life and quality of your equipment. You may need specific maintenance before long term storage. Contact a professional for any maintenance tasks that you do not feel confident performing on your own.

If you’re running out of space in the shed and garage, consider covering lawn furniture with UV and mildew resistant covers. Take down awning covers and temporary structures. I, myself, have fallen victim to the false sense of security of a mild winter, only to be devastated by the collapse of my garden tent in the first, albeit belated, heavy snow.

While all of this seems like common sense, the mad dash from here to the holidays will have many of us pulled in different directions. Our equipment, tools, and garden infrastructure are some of the biggest investments we put into our gardens. Hopefully this short checklist will help you knock out those last few chores that come with maintaining a four season New England garden.

Chestnuts: A Tasty Thanksgiving Treat

Posted on November 8, 2025November 25, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Seven brown chestnuts resting on two yellow autumn leaves on a wooden surface — Photo by Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

With Thanksgiving approaching, many of us will be sitting down to hearty feasts with family and friends. Time-tested recipes on worn index cards or heavily thumbed cookbooks are combed through/uncovered. Many of us gardeners pick a few new plants for our gardens each year, so why not try a new plant on the dinner table? Chestnuts were reputedly served at the first Thanksgiving and thanks to dedicated breeding programs may be available locally today.

It’s hard to imagine that a little over 125 years ago there were probably 4 billion American chestnuts (Castanea dentata) spread out from southern Maine to northern Georgia. They were an important food source for both indigenous people as well as wildlife. Early European settlers found their rot resistant wood useful for many building purposes.

Unfortunately, a disease (Cryphonectria parasitica), known as chestnut blight, was unintentionally introduced in 1876 on imported Japanese chestnuts (C. crenata). These were sold via mail order throughout the eastern U.S., and our native American chestnuts soon became infected. This fungus spreads by windblown spores. Signs of infection include a reddish-orange ‘rash’ on the affected bark and as it reproduces, an orangey substance oozes from pores in the bark. Cankers form and eventually the plant can no longer internally transport water and nutrients. Chestnut blight kills the parent tree but not the roots so even to this day, you are able to find sprouts growing from chestnut roots. As the sprouts develop, they too will be killed back by the blight so while the tree is kept alive, American chestnuts are considered functionally extinct, but all is not lost.

Fortunately, both researchers and chestnut lovers have been working pretty much for the past 100 years on developing varieties resistant to chestnut blight. Breeding work has been done in many locations but the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station began their program in the early 1900s and it is the only program that has continued uninterrupted to this day. Presently this CAES program is led by Forest Pathologist and Ecologist, Dr. Susanna Kerio.

Various chestnut species including American, Chinese Japanese and European have been crossed, backcrossed, planted, evaluated, culled and selected by researchers and enthusiasts all over the eastern U.S. As one can imagine, it takes more time to evaluate a tree’s characteristics than say, an annual plant like a tomato.

Organizations like The American Chestnut Foundation started in 1982 have been championing the search. According to Deni Ranguelova, the New England Regional Science Coordinator, the goal is to develop blight resistant chestnuts and restore this magnificent tree to its native range. Members of this organization have the opportunity to obtain straight species or hybrid seed to try their hand at growing chestnuts and add observations to the chestnut knowledge base.

Why all this work on chestnuts? Well for one, they are deliciously mild and sweet. They are low in calories and high in fiber. Chestnuts are a good source of potassium and other nutrients. Eat them freshly roasted (just like in the song!), in holiday stuffings, soups, in main dishes and glazed. To cook them, they do need to be scored whether oven roasted, boiled, steamed or microwaved to keep them from bursting. Lots of instructions, recipes and videos can be found online.

Second, plants are productive. In fact, it was estimated that before their demise that a mature American chestnut may be able to produce 6000 nuts! They can serve as a food source to both people and wildlife as researchers and enthusiasts create blight resistant strains to plant in our natural areas or in commercial orchards.

Aside from being a member of The American Chestnut Foundation and obtaining seed, one can order chestnut seedlings from several online nurseries. Keep in mind that chestnuts do best in a sunny area with well-drained soil. Root rots can occur in poorly drained areas. Plants are being bred to be straight and tall for timber, or shorter and wider for nut production. Make sure you have enough space for a mature chestnut tree, or most likely 2 trees as chestnuts need another plant for cross pollination.

Even if a chestnut tree is not in your future, do try some chestnut dishes at your Thanksgiving table. They may start a new tradition.

You Are the Sunshine of My Life

Posted on November 1, 2025November 25, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Small potted plants inside a clear plastic dome under bright pink LED grow lights. — The pink/purple light caused from a combination of red and blue LEDs are great for growing these Cissus discolor cuttings, but it does not help humans to see their true colors (photo by M. Lisy).

This old song seemed like the perfect title for talking about artificial lights for houseplants. Even if there are windows in a room, the amount of light is very low. Fortunately, there are relatively cheap LED options available. Light is made up of the different colors, or wavelengths, of the visible spectrum – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. A plant’s pigments capture light energy and use it to make food. Chlorophyll production peaks in the red and blue spectrums, but accessory pigments help plants capture additional wavelengths of light. As such, there are optimal wavelengths of light that will better support plant growth. This is known as Photosynthetically Active Radiation, or PAR. We measure PAR by using the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density, or PPFD. This measures the amount of photons of light in the correct range hitting a specific area, and is measured in micromoles per square meter per second (µmol/m2/s). A PAR meter is an expensive way to measure how much usable light is available for your plants.

LED specialty lamps that have a good spectral output (PAR) are easily acquired. I would caution the buyer to read the reviews to help judge the quality. Good lights will generally include some description of PAR and/or PPFD. Light quickly diminishes with distance, as it essentially becomes less concentrated. Look in the product information for how close the plant should be to the light for maximum effectiveness. Generally, keep the plant 12-18 inches away from the light source. If it is too close, or the light is too bright, plants can be burned, drop leaves, or become spotted. A cheaper option is to use existing light fixtures and replace the bulbs with either full spectrum or plant grow bulbs. The ideal plant grow bulbs look pink, as they have red and blue LEDs. Full spectrum bulbs tend to have a better mix of wavelengths to make the light appear more natural to us, but still have good PAR. CRI, or Color Rendering Index is a measure of a light’s ability to accurately show colors compared to natural light. The closer to 100, the better the light’s appearance.

We can also judge a bulb by “color temperature” reported with a Kelvin number. For example, a 2700K bulb is commonly referred to as a warm white. This is reminiscent of the light given off by a traditional incandescent bulb, and shows heavier output in the red end of the spectrum. A 6000K bulb would be called a “daylight” bulb, and has a heavier output in the blue end of the spectrum.

Many people confuse quality of light with brightness, which is measured in lumens. Light can be very bright, but of poor quality. Too bright, and it may burn the plants. Also, buying a light that throws out a lot of green light does not do much, even if it has a high output (lumens). Lastly, Watts are used as a measure of energy consumption. While it is true that higher wattage may mean a greater output of light energy, the efficiency of LEDs means that a lot less watts are needed to put out the same number of lumens as compared to an incandescent bulb.

So, then, this begs the question: What light is best for growing plants? To answer, I am going to assume that the plants are going to be displayed in the living area and viewed by people regularly. In this case, I would try and find a 5000K bulb with a CRI close 97 or 98, and a PPFD rating that matched the requirement of my plants for the given distance from the light fixture.

The following is a quick list of what is useful and what is not useful as a metric for plant growth:

PAR - Photosynthetically Active Radiation. It is the ideal measurement for plant growth.

PPFD - Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density. It is a useful metric to judge output at a particular distance from the fixture.

Kelvin - Kelvin refers to “color temperature” – lower number more red (ex. 2700), higher number more blue (ex 6500). It is not detailed enough as a metric for plant growth.

CRI - Color Rendering Index. It is useful for how true-to-life the plants will look.

Lumens - A unit to measure brightness. It is not particularly useful as a metric for plant growth.

Watts - How much energy is used to run the bulb/fixture. It’s not useful as a metric for plant growth, but lower wattage costs less to run equipment.

Warm vs Cool - Warm indicates the red end of the spectrum while cool indicates the blue end of the spectrum. See Kelvin. It is not detailed enough as a metric for plant growth.

Don’t Let Dry Soil Follow Your Plants Into Winter!

Posted on October 25, 2025October 28, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

This year, Connecticut’s notably dry summer conditions have continued into fall. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, all counties are abnormally dry for this time of year, and some are even considered to be in a moderate drought. Thus, many trees, shrubs, and perennials are heading into winter low on moisture. These conditions combined with the dry air, low precipitation, and fluctuating temperatures characteristic of Connecticut winters can lead to plant damage if no supplemental water is provided. Many of your plants will benefit from a deep final soak before the ground freezes.

Fall drought stress often doesn’t show up until spring, or even the following summer.Affected plants may appear perfectly normal and resume growth in the spring, using stored food energy. Plants may be weakened or die in late spring or summer when temperatures rise. Browning evergreens, delayed leaf-out, and sudden dieback are common signs of plants that went into winter too dry.

Moist soil is so important in the fall and winter months because it provides insulation to the roots. It may seem counter-intuitive, but properly hydrated soil does a much better job at protecting roots from freezing temperatures than dry soil. Root damage occurs for this reason when plants do not receive enough late-season moisture.

Woody plants with shallow root systems require the most supplemental water during extended dry periods in the fall and winter. Trees in this category include maples, birches, willows, and dogwoods. This category also includes perennials, and shrubs like hydrangeas, boxwoods, and azaleas. These plants benefit from mulch to further conserve soil moisture and buffer the roots from temperature swings. Apply mulch about 2 to 4 inches away from the trunk all the way to the outermost reach of its branches in a doughnut shape.

Evergreen needles up close — Evergreens need sufficient water in dry falls to help prevent winter injury. Photo by Heather Zidack

Evergreens also benefit from fall and winter watering because they do not go dormant in the winter. Evergreens of any age are still actively respiring during the coldest months of the year and will continuously lose water through their needles. If they go into the winter with dry soil, they are more likely to have a difficult spring recovery. This is especially true for those in open or windy areas.

Only water when daytime temperatures are above 40°F, ideally in the late morning or early afternoon so the water can soak in before possible freezing at night. Feel the soil at a depth of 4 to 6 inches to ensure that supplemental water is necessary. Soil should be consistently moist, but not oversaturated or muddy. Stop supplemental watering after the ground freezes because plants cannot absorb water through frozen soil. To water, use a soaker hose to provide a slow stream of water that can penetrate deeper into the soil with limited runoff. If your hose is already stored away for the winter, and your tree or shrub is small, consider drilling a 1/8-inch hole at the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket and filling that with water for a slow, steady stream. If dry weather continues into the winter and there’s little snow cover, additional watering once or twice a month may be needed until the soil hardens.

A final round of watering now can prevent root injury that won’t be visible until much later. Evergreens, deciduous trees, and other landscape plantings will head into winter stronger with a little extra attention this month. Giving the soil one last watering before it freezes is one of the simplest ways to protect your landscape from winter stress.

Why is My Lilac Blooming in the Fall?

Posted on October 18, 2025October 20, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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

Spring-blooming woody plants like lilacs (especially the old, grafted varieties), ornamental cherries, forsythia, crabapples, azaleas and some magnolias set their flower buds for the following year in early summer shortly after flowering.  Usually, flower buds are triggered to bloom by environmental conditions which normally occur after an extended fall and winter cold period, followed by longer days and warming temperatures in spring. It is not typical for these plants to have a second bloom in the fall, but environmental conditions sometimes trigger premature flowering in the fall. Some plants may have only a few flowers rebloom, while other plants may have more flowers open in the fall.

Some of the reasons for this out of season bloom are extended summer heat and drought conditions where supplemental water is lacking. Severe early defoliation, especially from certain fungal pathogens, can also contribute to reblooming. The past two springs have been very wet and diseases such as anthracnose and Pseudocercospora spp. leaf spot may have caused leaves to brown, shrivel and drop early. This stresses the shrub and contributes to out of sync rebloom if other conditions are right. Good sanitation practices such as cleaning up infected leaves will be helpful in reducing fungal infections the following year.

If a plant is healthy and relatively unstressed, the normal seasonal move to cooler weather triggers dormancy. Plants that are deciduous will drop leaves as daylight length and temperature both decrease. Next year’s leaf and flower buds will also remain in a dormant state. Flowering and leafing out will be triggered by increasing daylight and air temperatures the next spring.

Lilac flowers opening in October — Photo by Pamm Cooper, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

If certain woody plants have been stressed during the growing season, however, the change to cooler weather followed by some warmer weather can trigger some of the flower buds to open prematurely. This false dormancy especially affects flower buds near the tops of old-style lilacs where it is sunnier and warmer. Ornamental cherries may show sporadic flowering all over the tree where there is a southern exposure.

While fall reblooming of ornamental trees and shrubs can lead to a disappointing floral display the following spring, it is not harmful to the plant. After a less showy spring bloom period, flower buds will be produced normally. If stressful conditions caused by environmental conditions, insect pests or fungal pathogens are minimal, then a second bloom in autumn is unlikely to occur. Gardeners and landscapers can only do so much, and while the weather is out of our control, making sure plants are maintained properly to avoid stress during the summer will go a long way in helping them remain as healthy as possible.

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

Posted on October 11, 2025October 16, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check the ingredients panel. Look for words like “biosolids,” “sewage sludge,” “municipal waste,” or “residuals.” If you see those, consider a different product.

Look for an analysis or ingredient list that spells out plant, animal, or mineral sources, such as feather meal, alfalfa meal, composted poultry manure, sulfate of potash, or rock-derived nutrients. These indicate non-biosolid ingredients.

Ask your retailer. If a product contains biosolids, the maker must keep a certificate on file stating the product is compliant. Retailers should know whether a certificate exists for what they sell. If they cannot confirm, do not buy.

Safer sourcing ideas that are easy to find

Start with a soil test. Match products and rates to what your soil actually needs. The UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory provides routine tests with fertilizer and lime recommendations for home lawns and gardens.

Yard-waste compost and leaf mulch made from leaves, grass clippings, and wood chips are reliable ways to add organic matter to the soil.

Use animal-based fertilizers like composted poultry manure or feather meal, plant-based products like alfalfa meal, and mineral fertilizers like sulfate of potash and limestone.

Biosolids are not allowed in certified organic production. “OMRI Listed” inputs follow the USDA National Organic Program, which prohibits sewage sludge. Choosing “OMRI Listed” products can be a practical way to avoid biosolids entirely.

A few quick FAQs

Do I need to throw away the fertilizer I already own? Yes, but only if it contains PFAS or biosolids with PFAS. The new rules apply to the sale and use in the state. Contact your town’s household hazardous waste program for proper disposal guidance.

Will PFAS show up on a routine soil nutrient test? Standard nutrient tests do not include PFAS. If you are concerned about legacy PFAS on a property that received biosolids, specialized testing is required. Your local Extension office can help you locate appropriate resources.

What about compost from my town? Ask what goes into it. Compost made only from leaves, grass, wood, and animal waste is a safer choice for home gardens under the new rules.

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

Got Garlic?

Posted on October 4, 2025October 6, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extend Your Fall Color with More than Mums!

Posted on September 27, 2025September 29, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fall is a Great Time to Lime and Fertilize Lawns

Posted on September 20, 2025September 24, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

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

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

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

A person pushing a spreader — Photo by dmp2024

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

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

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

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

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