The snowy weather is getting mixed reviews around the state. Some people are thrilled, others are begging for a little more sunshine and less precipitation. (Spring 2025)
What’s That Smell? CT Dairy Farmers Hard at Work
By Abigayle Ward – Soil Science Graduate Student, UConn Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
As temperatures warm up, perhaps you feel inclined to open windows to let some fresh air into your home or to feel the breeze on your morning commute. But then it hits you: The pungent aroma of freshly-spread manure. The few weeks that the smell persists serve as a reminder of the agricultural roots of Connecticut. Dairy farming began during the American colonial period in the 1600s, and milk remains one of the most important agricultural products in Connecticut. Some dairy farms have been in continuous operation for over 10 generations.
A single cow can produce around 100 pounds – about 18 gallons – of manure per day. Connecticut is home to nearly 19,000 dairy cows, so you do the math – that’s a lot of manure!
Typically, farmers spread manure on their crop fields twice per year: Once in the early spring, and again after corn harvest, usually in late fall. Manure is rich in nutrients, which helps grow the crops farmers use to keep happy cows throughout the year. Manure is also an excellent source of organic matter, which enriches the soil with carbon, provides nutrients to support healthy soil microbiomes, and gives our sandy Connecticut soils structure, which is essential for happy crops and high yields.
Many Connecticut dairy farmers are also on the forefront of research and development. In Coventry, Hytone Farm uses a brand-new anaerobic digester to harness the power of microorganisms to break down thousands of gallons of manure and food waste every day. Biogasses, such as methane, are collected and can be used to generate electricity. The solids, called “digestates”, can be used as fertilizer, animal bedding, or even as building materials. Freund’s Farm in East Canaan has been turning digestates into compostable, nutrient-rich CowPots, which can be buried directly in your garden and will biodegrade over time. Running since 1997, Freund’s is home to one of the first anaerobic digesters in New England. Collins Powder Hill Farm – home of the Collins Creamery – makes and sells compost from leaves and manure. All these practices help these local farms, and many others, increase carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and yes, reduce the smell of manure.
For home gardeners who wish to harness the power of manure, applying a commercially produced manure compost is the safest route. While applying raw manure is safe for crops that will not be consumed by humans, composted manure is recommended for application in gardens where human food is being grown. The composting process heats up the manure to temperatures that kill pathogens, such as E. coli, which could make you sick. Furthermore, composted manure should be odorless – getting your garden many of the benefits without the smell!
While the smell may be a mild inconvenience now, it is a sign that our dairy farmers are hard at work, continuing a tradition older than our country and serving our communities. You can support our state’s dairy farmers by purchasing locally-produced dairy products, adding some composted manure to your garden, and – of course – waving to the tractor drivers!
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.
Spring/Summer 2025 Hours
The UConn Home & Garden Education Center is open 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Friday
Our office is closed for lunch from 12:30 PM -1:30 PM.
For walk-in visits, please visit no later than 3:30PM, so that we can ensure we are giving you the highest quality service that we can provide.
Our sample cooler (immediately outside our office) is always available for drop offs during lunch and outside of regular business hours.
Any anticipated changes to our schedule will be shared on our website in advance.
These hours are effective April 1, 2025 – November 1, 2025
Cold Frames, Easter Lilies, Bloodroot, and Other April News
Easter Lily Selection & Care
With its namesake holiday approaching, the demand for Easter lilies is rapidly increasing!
While inside your home, choose a location which provides bright light but is out of direct sunlight. Ensure that watering is done when the soil surface is dry to the touch.
These are not pet-safe plants! Keep them out of reach from your furry friends.
When danger of frost has passed, Easter lilies can be planted outdoors. Plant your lily in a location with full sun and sufficient drainage.
Selection and Care of the Easter Lily
Native Plant Highlight: Bloodroot
Bloodroot is a native spring ephemeral that is one of the first wildflowers to bloom. Many native bees that are active in early spring benefit from a nice stand of this plant. Its common name refers to the blood-red color of the underground rhizomes.
Potted Plant Paradise
By Dr. Matthew Lisy, UConn Adjunct Faculty
UConn Home & Garden Education Center
Finally, spring is here! It will soon be time to repot all our houseplants as soon as the cold weather completely stops. Many of the plants purchased over the winter, as well as the ones sitting around for years should be repotted. This does not imply that the pot size needs to be increased. Many times, the plant can be left in the same size pot. If it is rootbound, and the plant is known to get large, it’s good to go one pot size up. Increasing the pot size when it is not needed just leads to root rot as the soil will not dry out properly. Alternatively, if the plant is getting big, another option is to divide it into numerous smaller plants, each requiring a smaller pot.
Many people think that if the pot size does not need to increase, then there is no need to repot. This could not be further from the truth. The plant is in a fixed medium. The soilless mix will quickly run out of nutrients, even with regular fertilization. Also, salts tend to build up in the soil, which harms the plant over the long run. This is a natural consequence of plants in pots. Soil can also get compacted too much over time and interfere with proper aeration of the root zone. Tease away the loose soil from the root ball being careful not to break the roots. Add the new soil and watch the plant grow!
This is also a great time to change out the pot. Most of our houseplants come in plastic pots. These are usually not very attractive. Plastic pots are good for plants that like to be kept moist. I prefer a clay pot in most cases. This allows the soil to breathe and makes it harder to over water. What I do not care for or recommend are the automatic watering pots. I have found that these have a tendency to keep the soil too moist, and do not allow for a drying out period between waterings. Stores use them as they require no maintenance from their staff, and the plants cannot wither and die due to lack of water. Long term, these types of pots lead to root rot.
Different plants have different soil needs. Cacti and succulents like it dry and fast draining. Orchids like it airy and chunky. Most houseplants prefer a mix that holds moisture but drains. Try and match the plant to the right soil type. There are great commercial mixes available for purchase, and prices on these have come down some lately. Take some time to research the proper soil type for each plant. Many of the plants take a typical houseplant mix, but some require additional drainage. In this case, add perlite and/or sand. To enable to soil to hold moisture for a longer period of time, add some vermiculite.
In all honesty, almost any soil can work for almost any plant provided that the watering is controlled. Most of the time, houseplants get overwatered which leads to fungal problems. People want to water at some magical interval, like every Friday, for example. In reality, the weather greatly influences how quickly or slowly our plants dry out. Sometimes they need water sooner, and sometimes they do not need water at all. Let the plants determine the watering schedule. If all these suggestions are followed, our plants will be living in a potted paradise, as will we!
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.
Ready! Get Set! Spring Into Action!
By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center
Climbing temperatures and longer days signal springtime! Time to pull out the rakes and wheelbarrow from the shed and get out in the yard. Take a stroll through the lawn areas and gardens and note what tidying up needs to be done. Pick up fallen twigs and rake up areas where leaves accumulated over the winter.
While we did not have a severe winter, there was some necessary snow and ice removal around driveways and walks. Often the lawn next to these areas has gotten ripped up or compacted and is in need of repair. Rake up the damaged sections and add topsoil if needed to level out the area. Then scratch up the surface and put down some grass seed. Usually at this time of year, little irrigation is necessary but be prepared to lightly water if dry, sunny conditions prevail. Another option is to line your driveway with tough groundcovers or pollinator friendly flowers although this can be challenging if drivers routinely miscalculate their parking abilities.
Speaking of lawns, check to see that your lawnmower and weedwhacker are in working order. Wait until closer to the beginning of April when lawns actually start to green up before applying limestone or fertilizer. They can be purchased now, however, so you’re ready to go when grass starts growing and the ground is dry enough to walk on. Crabgrass controls can be put down about the time the forsythia is in full bloom.
Next take a good look at your woody plants – your trees and shrubs. Some of us experienced pretty icy conditions over the winter that caused a fair amount of breakage. Remove any cracked or damage branches. Cut back to a bud, stem or the ground depending on where the damage occurred. Now before the plants leaf out is a great time to prune. After removing dead and damaged stems, cut out any crossing or rubbing ones, those that are too crowded, and then prune for desired height and shape. Keep in mind the plant’s mature size as you prune. Better to select a plant that fits its space than to continue hacking it to the size you desire. This is also a perfect time to prune fruit trees such as apples and pears, and also blueberry bushes.
By now your vegetable garden should be all planned out and seeds purchased, or at least ordered, as well as onion sets or plants, seed potatoes and sweet potato slips. Tomato and pepper seeds can be started in soilless media indoors. I prefer to plant 2 seeds of tomatoes in each cell of a 4 pack and 2 seeds of peppers in each cell of a 6 pack, because the peppers take longer to germinate and grow slower than tomatoes. Seeds are set about a quarter inch deep in the moistened media and kept about 70 degrees F under fluorescent lights. After the seeds germinate and the seedlings grow their first set of true leaves, the weaker of the two plants, if both seeds germinate, is removed.
Cool season vegetable seeds should be collected or purchased for early plantings. These include peas, radishes, lettuce, spring turnips, spinach, chard and many Asian greens. A few warm days might have us chomping at the bit but wait until the soil temperature reaches 45 degrees F. How would you determine soil temperature? Using a soil thermometer, insert it into the soil where you want to plant your seeds about 1 to 2 inches deep and take a reading in the morning and then again around 2 pm. Shade the thermometer if in direct sun. Average the two readings and plant when there are a few days of at least 45 degrees F and the weather forecast is favorable.
Many of us are not cleaning up perennial gardens in the fall so that beneficial insects can overwinter in debris. You can start going in now and cutting down stems and tidying up. Fall bloomers like asters and mums can be divided. Limestone can be added if necessary but wait to fertilize when new growth appears.
The warmer weather puts a smile on our faces and we can share the joy of spring by planting pansies with their abundant blossoms and cheery faces. One can never have enough pansies, or at least, I feel that way. Get out and welcome spring, spruce up your lawn and gardens and be thankful that winter is over!
For questions on these or other garden chores or on other gardening topics, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension Center.
Garden centers prepare for nice weather as spring fever spreads
Have You Tested Your Well Lately?
By Alec Janis M.S. – Connecticut Institute of Water Resources
In 1718, in what is now Franklin, Connecticut, a well was dug as an all-purpose public source of water for the community. In about 1755, the people began to complain about the water’s quality, saying it stained clothes and remained tainted until 1794, when an earthquake shook the town. After the earthquake, it was found that the well had been restored to its original quality. Although this is a more extreme example, the quality of your well water can change at any time, which means that just because it was safe to drink when it was installed, that may not be the case today.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends that all residents test their wells every two to five years. If you’re struggling to remember the last time you tested your well, you’re not alone. We estimate that 96% of Connecticut well owners do not follow these guidelines.
So how does your well work? When it rains, some water is absorbed by the plants in the landscape, but they can’t uptake all that water. After water travels past the plant roots, it continues until it reaches an area where all the spaces in the soil have been saturated. This is known as the water table. Think of the soil like a sponge; as you add water, the water fills all the holes and space inside until it’s completely soaked through. If you have a shallow well, your water is being pulled directly from this water table.
If you have a drilled well, your water comes from much further underground. Below the saturated layer of soil, there’s solid stone called bedrock. Throughout the bedrock, there are small cracks, called fractures, where water moves. You can see an example of this when passing a rocky cliff face along the highway that seems to be randomly covered in ice. The ice you see has formed from water that has made its way through soil on top of the ledge, into the fractures in the stone and eventually drips out of small cracks where it freezes in the cold air. A drilled well is a bored hole in the bedrock, intersecting many fractures. Instead of following the original path, water now pours out of the fractures and pools in the newly formed hole.
Now that we know how water travels, let’s consider everything the water is interacting with on its way down. Consider the animal waste on your lawn from a pet or a passing deer, the fertilizers or pesticides you may use on your lawn, or even the de-icing salts you put on walkways during the winter. Precipitation, in the form of rain or snow, pulls everything underground. However, not all of this will end up directly in your well water. The dirt acts as a filter stopping some contaminants while letting others through. Depending on the chemical make-up, certain compounds will remain in the soil while others will break down and continue to travel through.
When this water reaches the bedrock, it will continue to pick up and lose different chemicals. This process will slowly erode these cracks, causing the paths to change over time. As the stone erodes, metals and minerals will be picked up with the traveling water and occasionally end up in your drilled well.
This is why it is important to routinely test your well water quality every few years. As water erodes fractures in the bedrock, new cracks and pathways form, changing the contaminants that are entering your well. We currently don’t have a simple method to track how groundwater is moving, so testing is the best way to understand what’s happening in your well.
To get your well tested visit a local or lab participate in the UConn Extension well testing program. We are hosting a collection event at the UConn Extension - Middlesex County Extension Center (1066 Saybrook Rd, Haddam, CT 06438) on May 3rd from 10:00am – 1:00pm. These tests test for coliform bacteria, lead, arsenic, uranium, nitrates, sodium, chloride, fluoride, pH, hardness, sulfate, turbidity, iron, and manganese. These tests, normally valued at $350, are being offered for a reduced cost of $200.
We will mail a sample kit to participants who have signed up in advance of the collection event. Sample kits will also be available at the collection event on May 3rd as well as at the Old Saybrook Environmental Fair (Old Saybrook Middle School, 60 Sheffield St, Old Saybrook, CT 06475) on April 26th.
Participants can sign up online at https://s.uconn.edu/haddam-well-testing. The deadline to be mailed a sample kit is April 25th.
If participants cannot make the day above, we offer a walk in service year-round where participants can bring their water sample to the UConn main campus Monday through Thursday from 8 am – 5 pm. For more information on how to sign up, visit https://ctiwr.uconn.edu/walk-in/.
We support UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For home gardening questions, contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations. For more information about the CT Institute of Water Resources and Well testing services, visit https://ctiwr.uconn.edu/
Narcissi and the Reflections of Spring
By Abigayle Ward – Soil Science Graduate Student, UConn Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture
According to an ancient Greek myth, all those who had fallen in love with the young man Narcissus were met with contemptuous rejection. On a hunting trip, Narcissus stopped to drink from a pond and became enamored with his own reflection. Cursed to never experience a requited love of his own, he stared at himself until his death, and his place was taken by a flower.
While it remains disputed whether the character was named after the flower or vice versa, the enduring significance of the narcissus as a harbinger of spring is uncontested. With a native range spanning throughout most of Europe, northern Africa, and parts of Asia, legends describing this culturally significant early-season perennial have been told since antiquity. In China, daffodils are carefully grown to bloom for the Lunar New Year, which began this year on January 29th. Their Mandarin name, shuixianhua, literally translates as “immortal water flower”, attesting to their resilience throughout the early season cold.
The Royal Horticultural Society in the United Kingdom describes 13 different types of narcissi based primarily on morphological appearance and when they bloom. Some have long trumpets, while others have multiple flowers to one stem. Others have small trumpets and many petals, called ‘double daffodils’, while others still have few petals dwarfed by large, bowl-shaped trumpets. Daffodils also come in many interesting color combinations – while most of us are familiar with the classic yellow petals and orange trumpets, they also come with white petals, white trumpets, and some even have shades of salmon pink. As one of the earliest-blooming flowers in your garden, they add a lovely splash of color to an otherwise brown landscape. In beds, they go well with red or pink tulips. By themselves, daffodils make good borders, particularly if different color combinations are intermixed to create visual intrigue.
While it is too late now to plant daffodil bulbs with the guarantee of blooms, they can still be safely planted. If you have some bulbs and want to give them a try, be sure to plant them in a sunny spot with well-drained soil at least 6 to 8 inches below the surface. They may sprout, but not form a flower. Do not fear: Daffodils are quite resilient and will likely flower the next spring. If you want to wait, the ideal time to plant daffodils for blooms in the spring is November.
If you find an already-blooming daffodil at your local garden center, it can be planted in the ground any time after the blooms themselves have faded. Both the bulbs and the foliage are frost-hardy well into sub-zero temperatures, making them well-suited for growing in the unpredictable winter weather of Connecticut.
After the flowers have bloomed, you may wish to cut the flower stems and bring them indoors for some bright colors. If you leave the flowers on the plants, be sure to deadhead them as soon as the flowers begin to wilt. If daffodils are allowed to go to seed, the plant will divert precious nutrients and energy away from the bulb. Once the plant has finished flowering, only the foliage remains. While it is tempting to remove the foliage, the leaves are collecting energy and creating food for the bulb via photosynthesis. If the leaves are removed too early, the daffodil may not flower the following spring. Some gardeners like to tie up the leaves in rubber bands or braid them to keep them out of the way, although it is generally best practice to leave them alone until they turn brown by themselves. Damage to the leaves could introduce pathogens or attract pests, which could impact the ability of the plant to flower next year.
With proper care, daffodil bulbs can multiply, ensuring many blooms come back year after year. As we move forward into the season of renewal for ourselves and our gardens, consider planting some daffodils to add a bit of sunshine to your home landscape.
The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For questions about spring bulbs like daffodils or other 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.
Last Frosts, Cool Season Annuals, Black Knot & Other March News
Garden Planning - Last Freeze & Frost Dates are Coming!
Whether you're starting seeds indoors or just itching to know when you can kick your houseplants back outside - the last frost date of the season is a moving target that all gardeners grapple with!
Luckily, there are a few tools that we can use to help us understand, predict, and prepare for the changes in weather that will mean growing season is here to officially start. The last freeze of the season is not the same as the last frost. However, both of these milestones can help us make plans for succuessful gardening.
Many seed packets recommend planting a certain number of "weeks before/after frost."
When it comes to finally moving your plants outside, even the best prediction tools may not beat your "gardeners intuition." This is especially true in cases where you know the microclimate of your property and gardens. Watch the weather carefully and make decisions based on your commitment to protecting your plants in cases of sudden changes.
When planting early, always be prepared to cover plants to protect them from pop up frosts in the late spring until you're confident the threat has passed.
Avoid moving houseplants outside until the night temperature is consistently 50°F.
Learn more and find your last predicted freeze and frost dates using the links below!
Freeze Date Tool - Spring & Fall Frost/Freeze Dates
When to Expect Your Last Spring Freeze
Farmers Almanac: 2025 Frost Dates
Get Ready to Plant Cool Season Annuals!
With spring on the horizon, you can provide your garden with a much-needed burst of color by planting cool season annuals. These flowers are tolerant of temperatures down to 28°F and can be directly sown into the ground near the end of March.
Popular varieties include pansies, calendulas, and larkspur. Proper care is species specific, but in general techniques such as dead-heading and proper watering can prolong the blooming period. Always check the seed packet for proper planting depth and timing of planting.
Scouting for Diseases: Black Knot
Winter can be a good time to scout for diseases and pests, even when everything is dormant. The lack of leaves allows us to see stem and bark tissue and check for the presence of overwintering structures such as egg masses of insects, dormant fungal bodies or galls on branches.
Black Knot is a fantastic example of a disease that is best observed when there are not any leaves on the trees.
If you spot large black swellings on your plum or cherry trees, this can be attributed to the fungal disease Black knot. Caused by the fungus Apiosporina morbosa (aka Dibotryon morbosum), symptoms first appear as green galls on branches, eventually becoming black by the following spring. Branches will be become engulfed by the galls, cutting off resources and causing death of the upper stem. Control methods include manual pruning and removal of galls, as well as chemical control when necessary.
Upcoming Events and Things to Do
- Get your seeds and seed starting supplies, locally! While many big box stores can be a great resource for affordable seed and seed starting products, local garden centers throughout the state are starting to provide these products and their expertise as well!
- Maple Weekend - March 15th & 16th, Statewide
- Vernal Pool Hike - March 16th, 2025, Burlington, CT
- Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruises - Wednesdays in March, Essex, CT
- Celebrate St. Patrick's Day! Throughout March, Statewide
- Nutmeg State Orchid Society Show & Sale, March 22 & 23, West Hartford, CT
Educational Opportunities & Workshops
- Attend A Local Garden Club meeting, talk, or workshop
- Check out the UConn Master Gardener Course Catalog - Classes are open to all, cover many varied topics and are offered at various times throughout the spring.
- Black Bears in Connecticut - March 6, 2025, via Zoom
- Gardening in Overtime: Getting the Most out of Your Late Season Display with Dan Benarcik, March 20, 2025 - Zoom
