THE DIRTThe VNLA Quarterly Newsletter

Volume 40, Issue 1

Spring Issue 2014

Green Works Winter Recap

Long Live the Tree!

More Plant Articles!

Research ReportsEarthworms

2Inside this Issue

presidents letter

Board of Directors 3

New Green Works Members & Summer Meeting

4

Green Works Winter Meeting Recap

5

Green Works Award Winners

6

Green Works Winter Workshops - Recap

7

Long Live the Tree! 8

Kiwis Caress the Imagination

10

Popular Plants in Short Supply

11

Perennials & Annual - Old or New?

12

Bronze Birch Borer and its Hosts

13

Earthworms in the Summer - Gardeners Warning?

15

News from the U 17

Whats Growin On? Hellebores

19

A Very Showy Vermont Native

21

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Research Report

22

Seaberry-Hippophae 23

Native Woody Plants for the Edible Four Season Landscape

25

Industry Calendar 27

Once again as I sit down to write this letter the view from my window does not reflect the date on the calendar. Today is March 20th, the first day of spring, yet there is still a solid twelve inches plus of snow on the ground with a forecast for a wintery mix over the weekend and nighttime temperatures expected to dip below zero early next week. Awwh, March in Vermont, its like a box of chocolates, you never know what youre going to get. There have been several years in the last two decades when I was out in the fields digging plants by this date. Once again we all find ourselves at the mercy of Mother Nature. I have been spending a great deal of time this winter investing in my continuing education. Just after Christmas I cancelled my Dish Network subscription and have immersed myself in books, webinars, workshops, and more, taking full advantage of the many opportunities to broaden my horizons and strengthen my base of knowledge, as well as reclaim some of what I have forgotten. My latest task has been to finish reading a 200 page manual that is the text for a three day workshop that I will be participating in next week to achieve a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification sponsored by the International Society of Arboriculture. I am continually reminded that despite what I think I may know, theres always something new. We work in a dynamic industry that is changing all the time. There are new plant introductions, new products, and new practices and philosophies resulting from the latest science. I find it all a bit overwhelming at times but feel that if I plan to continue to work in this industry, whatever direction I may go, I need to keep up with the times if I am going to be successful.

As a professional association we also need to keep up with the changing times. At our recent Green Works board meeting we spent a fair amount of time discussing just how to do that. We talked about how we might make better use of social media to link our members to one another as well as the general public. We discussed the recently revised and updated VCH manual, now going through a final proofing that we hope to have ready by this summer. We brainstormed ideas for speakers for our winter and summer meetings as well as some possible summer twilight meetings that will expose our members to whats new in the industry and is most likely to appeal to our membership. We also reviewed research proposals and voted to award small grants to research that we believe will directly benefit our industry. Personal and professional growth require a continual commitment if we dont want to find ourselves falling behind. As always, I welcome and encourage your feedback so that we can ensure that Green Works will keep pace with our ever-changing industry. Spring is coming ...... maybe .... but it is going to be a late one and by the time you read this hopefully it has arrived!.

VJ Comai, Green Works/VNLA/President

3PRESIDENTVJ ComaiSouth Forty Nursery184 Tamarack Rd * Charlotte, VT 05445802.425.6222 * vjcomai@gmavt.net

VICE-PRESIDENTEd Burke Rocky Dale Gardens 806 Rocky Dale Road * Bristol, VT 05443 802-453-2782 * ed@rockydalegardens.com

SECRETARY/TREASURERNate CarrChurch Hill Landscapes, Inc.287 Church Hill Road * Charlotte, VT 05445802.425.5222nate@churchhilllandscapes.com

DIRECTORS

Carrie ChalmersQuoyburray Farm239 Lawrence Hill Road * Weston, VT 05161802.375.5930carriechalmers6694@gmail.com

Hannah DeckerFairfax Perennial Farm, Inc.7 Blackberry Hill Road * Fairfax, VT 05454802.849.2775perennialfarm@surfglobal.net

Sarah HollandRivers Bend Design, LLC7386 VT Route 100 BMoretown, VT 05660802.279.4352sarah@riversbenddesign.com

Shannon LeeSisters of Nature135 Phyllis LaneWaterville, VT 05492802-825-1851sistersofnature@yahoo.com

Ron PaquettePaquette Full of Posies Nursery10236 Williston Road * Williston, VT 05495802.434.2794ron@vermontnursery.com

Brian VaughanVaughan Landscaping40 Mt. Pritchard Lane St. George, VT 05495802.482.4228vaughanlandscaping@gmail.com

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY

Kristina MacKulin Green Works-VNLA P.O. Box 92 * N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473 Toll Free: 888.518.6484; 802.425.5117 Fax 802.425.5122 Kristina@greenworksvermont.org www.greenworksvermont.org

COMMITTEES

BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRNate CarrChurch Hill Landscapes, Inc.802.425.5222

EVALUATION & PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIRBrian VaughanVaughan Landscaping802.482.4228

INDUSTRY AWARDS COMMITTEE CHAIREd BurkeRocky Dale Gardens802.453.2782

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIRSarah HollandRivers Bend Design, LLC802.948.2553

MARKETING & EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIREd BurkeRocky Dale Gardens802.453.2782

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIRVJ ComaiSouth Forty Nursery802.425.6222

NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE CHAIRBrian VaughanVaughan Landscaping802.482.4228

PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIR VJ ComaiSouth Forty Nursery802.425.6222

RESEARCH & AWARDS COMMITTEE CHAIRVJ ComaiSouth Forty Nursery802.425.6222

VERMONT CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST COMMITTEE Nate CarrChurch Hill Landscapes, Inc.802-425-5222

board of directors

For information on Advertising in The Dirt

contact

Kristina at the Green Works Office

888.518.6484

Are you and your employees certified?

Now is a great time to order VCH manuals for yourself and/or your employees as the season gets underway. Prove your level of professionalism and commitment to excellence to your clients. Order a VCH manual and take the test this Summer to become a Vermont Certified Horticulturist. Contact Kristina MacKulin for ordering and test information.

Cover Photos courtesy of Ed Burke, Rocky Dale Gardens

4diStefano LandscapingChris diStefanoPO Box 56Jericho, VT 05465802-279-5900chris@distefanolandscaping.comwww.distefanolandscaping.comCategory: LDB, LD, LIMActive Member

Kimberly Manning115 South River StreetSwanton, VT 05488802-881-2003kittyoftheworld@yahoo.comStudent

Mary Beth Wagner390 Farrell Street #325S. Burlington, VT 05403717-743-5543marybethwagner@hotmail.comActive Member

Thanks for joining and welcome!

New Green Works Members - 2014

Participate in Green Works 2014 Industry Awards Program

Scope out your projects and take lots of photos this season!

GREEN WORKS ANNOUNCES THE

SUMMER MEETING!!

Please join us and our hosts, Tobi and Sally von Trapp of

von Trapp Greenhouse, Waistfield VT on August 20, 2014

for our Summer Meeting and Trade Show. Mark

your calendars - this will be a meeting you will not want

to miss! PROMISE!

Planning is underway for the 2015 Vermont Flower Show!!

Date: February 27, 28 and March 1, 2015

Theme: Spring Reflections

Get involved and be a part of our showcase event! Join the Flower Show

Committee by contacting Kristina in the office.

5The Green Works, VNLA winter meeting was held for the third year at the Davis Center at the University of Vermont on February 13th. About 145 people attended the daylong event amidst a snowstorm that was in full swing by later in the afternoon. We had 26 vendors on hand for attendees to visit with over the course of the day. Thank you to all who were able to attend!

The morning began with a keynote address by Jeffrey Scott, MBA, landscape business expert whose presentation Are You Accountable? A Game Plan for Achieving Wildly Successful Results was extremely well-attended. Later in the afternoon Jeffrey facilitated a Profit Builders Workshop, which forty member businesses participated in. Jeffrey also facilitated an owners networking dinner the night before with member businesses. Jeffrey Scott was a landscape company owner whose business grew into a $10 million dollar enterprise. He now devotes his time to helping

other landscape businesses achieve success. Jeffrey facilitates a peer group of landscape business owners known as The Leaders Edge Peer Group. For more information visit: www.gettheleadersedge.com. A big thank you to UVM Extension for helping us secure a USDA RMA grant to fund speaker costs for this meeting.

Green Works annual business meeting was held next. During the business meeting Industry Awards were presented to several of our members for their landscape projects. Please visit our website to view the winning projects, which were also featured in the winter edition of The Dirt.

In addition to these awards, Tobi and Sally von Trapp of von Trapp Greenhouse were awarded Green Works Retailer of the Year; Sarah Salatino of Full Circle Gardens was presented with Green Works Environmental Awareness Award; Jason Koicuba of Cobble Creek Nurseries was awarded the NENA Young Nursery Professional of the Year; and Leo Roberts of Horsford Gardens & Nursery received Green Works prestigious Horticultural Achievement Award. The UVM student merit award was given to John Davis and the VTC student merit award was given to Kim Cayer.

The Board of Directors recognized Claybrook Griffith for his 8 years of work and service as Treasurer and board member as he ended his tenure on the board of directors. Kristina MacKulin, executive secretary was also recognized for her ten years on the job. A slate of candidates for the board of directors was presented and elected for two year terms as follows: VJ Comai, South Forty Nursery, as president, Ed Burke, Rocky Dale Gardens, as vice-president, Nate Carr, Church Hill Landscapes, Inc., as secretary/treasurer, and Shannon Lee, Sisters of Nature, as a director.

After lunch, David Raphael of LandWorks gave a presentation on The 10 Principles of Sustainable Landscape Planning & Design followed by the Industry Award Winners Presentation of Projects. Despite the snow outside, all these sessions were well attended. We concluded the day with a 50th Anniversary Social Gathering.

The annual meeting continues to be a day where horticultural professionals can come together, network, gather new and old ideas, and talk about the season to come.

Green Works Winter Meeting - a Recap

6Green Works Award Winners - 2013-2014Left: Sally and Tobi von Trapp accept the Retailer of the Year Award with VJ Comai, VNLA President. Right: Sarah Salatino accepts the Environmental Awareness Award from VJ Comai.

Left: Jason Koicuba accepts the NENA Young Nursery person of the Year Award from VJ Comai, VNLA President. Right: Ralph Fitz-Gerald accepts the Horticultural Achievement Award on behalf of Leo Roberts from VJ Comai.

Left: The 2013 Industry Award Winners: (left to right) Caroline Dudek, Marie Limoge, Ashley Robinson, Tricia King, Sarah Stradtner, Megan Moffroid, and Kirsten Siebert. Right: VTC Student Merit Award winner Kim Cayer with Kelly Ogrodnik, VTC and VJ Comai, Green Works.

VJ Comai congratulates UVM Student Merit Award winner

John Davis.

Green Works Members Sarah Salatino, David Loysen , VJ Comai, John Padua, Claybrook Griffith and Nate Carr attend the 50th anniversary social at the

conclusion on the winter meeting.

7Winter Tree and Shrub Identification Proves Challenging

On Friday February 7th about a half dozen Green Works members braved the elements to take part in a winter workshop on tree and shrub identification. The workshop was held at the University of Vermont Horticultural Research Farm in South Burlington and was led by Paul Wieczoreck of Champlain Valley Landscaping, John Padua of Cobble Creek Nursery , and V.J. Comai of South Forty Nursery. The group walked the grounds of the research farm identifying plants in the extensive collection of ornamentals as well as native species in the surrounding woodlot. Terminology used in describing buds, bark, bud scars, fruits and overall habit were reviewed providing valuable tips for winter plant ID. Even the experts found themselves scratching their heads as we encountered a number of rare and marginally hardy species amongst the vast collection. The workshop ended with participants identifying a sample through the use of a key, an invaluable tool for winter plant identification.

Plant Disease Issues for 2014 Workshop

On Mach 5, 2014 attendees gathered for a presentation by Tim Schmalz, VT State Pathologist at the Kellogg Hubbard Library in Montpelier to take a look at what is in store for the 2014 growing season. Tim also discussed and updates attendees on upcoming legislation that could affect our industry.

Pruning Workshop Held at Middlebury College

On March 11th about twelve Green Works members met at the Campus of Middlebury College for a winter workshop on pruning. Tim Parsons, arborist and horticulturist for the college, along with V.J. Comai of the South Forty Nursery led the group. The presenters covered basic tree biology and discussed various approaches and practices for pruning to minimize potential structural defects that can lead to tree failure. The group walked the extensive campus looking at recently planted trees as well as some of the Colleges legacy trees as Tim discussed the strategy for pruning particular specimens at various stages of maturity.

Hands-on Landscape Design Workshop

On March 14, the day after a huge snowstorm, four participants gathered to participate in this workshop led by Judith Irven at the Ilsley Library in MIddlebury, VT. The small group afforded a unique learning experience for those who attended.

Green Works Winter Workshops Recap

Winter Tree and Shrub ID Worksop

Pruning Workshop at Middlebury College

8For those of us who labor to create an impression with landscapes, it pays large dividends to plant trees that will carry on our legacy. Garden beds and foundation plantings will ebb and flow with the passing of years, and rarely are the plants we use in these applications still there after a decade or two. When properly sited, large trees can be a much loved part of a landscape for hundreds of years, increasing a property owners pride, and in many cases the value of his or her property as well. This inherent value is passed on from owner to owner and can often have effects that reach beyond the borders of the individual property. The most desirable neighborhoods are often instilled with a sense of permanence from the presence of mature trees. In that light here are a few of my favorite long lived trees.

American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a great example of a legacy tree. Many of us have been enraptured with a particular specimen in Shelburne. This tree is not only long lived but grows very rapidly, giving a mature feel in a relatively short time span. The exfoliating bark is outstanding against a clear blue winter sky.

Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) and Burr Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) are two of the best adapted trees for the poorly drained clay soils so often encountered in the Champlain Valley. With strong

branching and great wildlife value, these majestic members of the oak family can bring a whole host benefits to your landscape for hundreds of years. These are both dominant canopy species in the few remaining pockets of undisturbed Clayplain Forest.

Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), while not native, is still one of my favorites for its grand presence in the landscape. When in full bloom, this tree commands attention, and the bees of all kinds find it irresistible. While standing under a blooming horsechestnut you can hear an omnipresent hum that fills one with an overwhelming sense of

wonder and tranquility. Perhaps one day we will be able to enjoy our native chestnut again!

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is an obvious candidate. When planted in well drained soils, this Vermont classic can become truly magnificent in time. And while favorite color is a matter of opinion, few would argue against the fall display of our state tree.

All of these trees are capable of living well over 200 years, and when you think about it, that is a rather long time. How many perennial beds, while beautiful in their own right, can lay claim to having survived that long? As an industry, we invest a large amount of resources into design, planning, and execution, and anyone with an eye towards the future, knows that the changes we make to a landscape will be

reflected long after we are gone. So next time youre thinking about sustainability in your landscape, think trees.

Long Live the Tree!by David Berg

Aesculus hippocastanum - Horsechestnut

Platanus occidentalis - American Sycamore Shelburne, VT

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10

35 years ago an itinerant kiwi peddler stopped by my nursery to sell me a handful of 3 gallon B&B kiwi vines. He was American, his wife was from Asia, which was fitting, as kiwis originated in the north of Korea and Siberia but now grow comfortably in new England. Since I am a fruit explorer, actively testing and seeing what will grow here in our zone 3 hillside in Elmore, Vermont I was excited and cautious.

I planted them out in an eastern exposure with a little protection from the western winds that come over from Mount Mansfield and the Green Mtn. National Forest. Who would know it but they have thrived! With zero care, they provide shade for a bench seat on sunny days, a safe nesting spot for birds and everybody seems to say: kiwis? I thought they were from new Zealand! When our customers and friends taste them they are transported to a place where they suddenly know that their perceived limitations of what exotic fruit can be grown in Vermont has just been shattered and they are delighted.

Kiwis taste great and are very good for you. I call the ones we can grow northern kiwis to distinguish them from their large egg shaped cousins. Ours are about the size of a green grape, some are oblong and some are more round, but all taste just like the store bought kind but sweeter and juicier. Because you get to pick them when they are succulently ripe (instead of unripe for shipping across the continent). One huge advantage is that they do not have fuzz-you simply bite them in half or pop them in to your mouth. Inside is a glistening cross section of a smaller version of the big California kiwi.

They are equally interesting in how they grow. They are a sturdy vine

that in their native land, will grow in clearings or the edge of a forest, twining up dead or live trees to get to the light. In Vermont, they like to be out of the wind in sun or partial shade but not blaring hot like grapes prefer. We built a 4x4 arbor/pergola that they quickly took over. Rather than pull themselves up and support their growth with tendrils like grapes, they wrap around the support like an old barbershop pole that whose stripes keep twirling upwardsThis alone is a fascinating feature in the landscape.

They do not get fruit or leaf diseases at our place, and we harvest the fruit and bring it to stores or market. We also make jam from them. They are one of the few things we grow that require a male

and female flower on separate plants in order to pollinate and set fruit. You can tell which is which by the little green flower core which stays small in the male, but swells in the female. In the Actinidia kolomitka species, sometimes called Arctic Beauty, the males have green, white and pink leaves. In the the Actinidia arguta species, the males are green like the females, but the fruit is usually a little larger and the vine a little more vigorous. We discovered that one key to success is to plant 2 or 3 gallon size vines, as 2 or 4 inch mail order plants usually do not make it. This is what we grow and sell at our nursery and our customers have great success. They are susceptible to spring frosts and their leaves will get singed back. They are worth covering when small. It does not usually kill them , as a new set of leaves will sprout laterAs an older , mature vine, the frosts will affect the leaves but it doesnt seem to affect fruit production. They recover quickly.

Kiwis Caress the Imagination

by David Fried

continued to page 14

11

The talk around the industry lately has been about shortages - There are a number of factors that are coming into play.

1) Recession Impacts

Depending on the tree species, it takes between 5 and 10 years to grow a typical landscape-sized tree of 2-3" caliper. In 2008 when the market crashed, growers were suddenly selling fewer trees out of their fields, which meant there was less available space to re-plant new trees. This trend continued for the next few years, meaning we are looking at about 3-5 years before 2-3" trees will be readily available again.

2) Hurricane Sandy Impacts

With the near total demolition of a major portion of the Atlantic coastline, the demand for native plant material to re-vegetate and prevent further erosion has skyrocketed. Much of the last couple years crops of plants such as Ilex glabra (Inkberry), Prunus maritima (Beach Plum), Comptonia peregrina (Sweetfern) and Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) to name a few have been earmarked for the rebuilding effort. More plants headed to the Jersey shore means fewer plants headed to our New England landscapes.

3) Invasive Insect Impacts

The two biggest culprits here are Asian Longhorn Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer. While neither has been detected in VT yet, they have caused significant damage at nurseries throughout the US reducing tree inventories.

4) Other Environmental Impact

The environment is constantly changing, often impacting our plant crops. For the past few years we have had extreme fluctuations, particularly in relation to rainfall. It seems we are either in an unseasonable drought or are absolutely saturated. These conditions have allowed for some needle cast blights, which are normally minimal, to be compounded. Evergreens, especially two-needled pines like Austrian Pine and spruces like Norway and Blue have had abundant crop failures thus reducing the availability of some of America's most popular evergreens.

THE SOLUTION IS PLANNING AHEAD AND FLEXIBILITY!

In the past, anyone could just put a plant in a design or

on a list, and worry about finding it later when it comes time to install. These days it will be necessary to plan ahead and check with your supplier of the plant in question to make sure it will be available when you need it.

If the plant on your plan isn't available at the time of installation, a substitution will be required. Make sure your clients are aware that these last minute substitutions will be more necessary in the following years than ever before. We would recommend being as vague as your clients will allow when designing their landscape. Specify "Shade Tree TBD" on your design rather than "Red Sunset Maple 2-2.5 caliper". The best thing to do is to find out what your client doesn't like, and find an available tree in your price range that avoids these dislikes.

There is good news out of all of this- shortages often mean increased demand. The demand for trees and shrubs is on the rise again FINALLY!

Article courtesy of Andrew Mauch, Millican Nurseries, Chicester, NH.

Popular Plants in Short Supplyby Andrew Mauch

12

Whats new for 2014 or any other year for that matter.? A new color of Echinacea or a Daylily thats tough. Perhaps the old is new and true because it always amazes me just how many Rudbeckia fulgida Goldstrum we grow or Old Fashioned Bleeding Hearts.

One of the new plants that is becoming our favorite is Baptisia hybrid Lemon Merinque. It is quite striking but does take a few years growth to establish. To be honest, the first year we grew it we were disappointed but with two-three years growth behind us, this past year it really stood out in fullness, strength and brilliant yellow blooms. It was stunning in the garden.

Another perennial similar to this is Hellebores orientalis Lenten Rose. It is early to bloom, even under the snow sometimes, so some years its hard to sell without color. Once established, Helleborous is a a great spreading plant/ground cover for part shade or a woodland area.

A perennial to consider for its fall appeal is Hibiscus. A couple new ones we grow and like are Proven Winners Hibiscus hybrid Strawberry Cheese Cake and Cranberry Crush, but dont forget the good old Lord Baltimore or Kopper King. The flower size

and color of all these Hibiscus are surprising and makes for great conversation if nothing else.

From perennials to annuals its a similar type of story, we always add a new color of Calibrachoa

Superbells or Callie and they do perform well. The new Superbells Pomegranate Punch however, seems to be promising. Whats exciting for us is the selection of annuals we combine in baskets and planters. And there is something new every year, sometimes by mistake.

The one plant that has been growing in popularity because of its performance as a climber and bloomer, is hard to surpass with little to no maintenance (yes I did say that) - no dead heading, no pinching just water and

feed! Oh what is it? Thunbergia alta Lemon- Peel and Orange Peel. There is a red cultivar but it is not as strong a grower. These cultivars are propagated from vegetative cutting rather than seed and are an example of one plant where the new is better than the old.

Another annual that falls in this category is Cleome Senorita Rosalita and Blanca. If you have not grown these its a must! The ease of continuous bloom is simply the best.

Old or new plants will always bring a surprise and pleasure. Happy planning and planting this season!

Ron Paquette owns and grows at Paquette Full of Posies in Williston, VT.

Perennials & Annuals: Old or New?by Ron Paquette

Baptisia Lemon Meringue

Hibiscus Cherry Cheesecake

13

Bronze Birch Borer (BBB) is a native insect. The role of the insect is to destroy unhealthy trees to maintain the vigor of the population as a whole. If you plant a white-barked birch tree (Betula jacquemontii, Betula pendula, Betula papyrifera, Betula platyphylla) without taking preventative measures and providing proper cultural conditions, your tree WILL DIE! If your client is asking that you plant a white birch for them, here are some requirements to ensure a healthy tree. If your site prevents you from meeting all of the following criteria, then a white birch is not an option.

1) Cool, moist root zone

Birch trees should NEVER be planted in an open lawn situation. They should be planted with shade on the root zone, but full sun on the canopy. They must be under-planted with small shrubs and/or groundcovers to prevent excessive sun on the soil.

A generous 4-6 of mulch must be maintained on the root zone to provide consistent soil moisture and temperature. Make sure the mulch does not touch the trunk of the tree, or the base will begin to rot. Even, consistent soil moisture is critical. A dry birch tree WILL DIE. If irrigation is not an option, then birches are not an option.

2) Chemical prevention

In Vermont, BBB has a two year life cycle. The first year, BBB hatches from eggs laid in crevices where branches meet the trunk. The larvae enter the cambium and begin to feed.

The larvae feed in a zigzag pattern up the trunk known as a gallery. They feed in these galleries for one and a half years. It is not until the second year, that these galleries become swollen enough to become easily visible to the naked eye. You MUST assume that the birch you are purchasing has borers in it, and treat it accordingly. A granular systemic pesticide labeled for use on birch trees must be incorporated into the backfill soil at time of planting. This will take care of any larvae that may be present within the tree. Pesticides may need to be reapplied yearly for the next five years until trees are healthily established.

3) Maintenance and care

If a birch must be pruned, NEVER do so between May 1st and August 1st. This is the period when adults are

hatching and seeking out egg-laying sites. A fresh prune during this time of year is an invitation for adult females. A healthy tree may have BBB, but the larvae WILL NOT survive. A larva feeding in a healthy birch will be crushed by vigorously growing callus tissue long before it can pose any threat to the tree. When trees arent healthy, thus growing slowly, the larva will develop to maturity.

When estimating installation of white birch trees, keep these additional costs in mind. Installation

of white birches should cost your client more than oaks, for example.

If you cannot meet all of the above criteria, but you client still wants a birch tree, please consider planting a River Birch (Betula nigra Heritage) instead. It is much less susceptible to infestations of BBB and can tolerate more adverse conditions than its white-barked relatives.

Article courtesy of Andrew Mauch, Millican Nurseries, Chicester, NH.

Bronze Birch Borer and its Hostsby Andrew Mauch

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14

Some of my customers will ask: arent kiwi vines invasive? Heres what I tell them:

1) In 35 years I have never seen a root or seedling sprout in 18 acres around the vines.

2) They produce a highly nutritious food for humans in a climate where we need all the vitamins we can get, so they are highly valuable to us

3) There is a big difference between invasiveness and vigor! The northern kiwi is vigorous as it needs to be to compete with other plants in the landscape and to stand up to our cold climate

4) It is easy to prune back to keep out of trees if you dont like it to go there.

5) If you ever get tired of your kiwi vine, one cut with loppers will end its short and vigorous life on earth. This sure is different than what you would be facing with Bishops Weed, Japanese Knotweed, Barberry or Norway Maple!

So, if you or your customers are looking for an interesting vine that hasnt been grown around here that much, is disease resistant, makes attractive climbing patterns, and bears healthy edible fruit without doing anything, plant some northern kiwi vines. You can start harvesting some in a few years as soon as a few of them are ripe, as they will continue to ripen indoors or in the fridge . You never know how your local birds or squirrels will like them as they probably havent seen or tasted them yet. One year at harvest time I noticed a bird had made a nest in an arbor in a thick part of the upper kiwi vines. There was a small apple, a small pear and a few kiwis in the nest. It could have been a red squirrel or a chipmunk, but I like to think that the bird just liked sitting on her nest. After her babies were grown, she thought the little smooth rounded northern kiwis were just the thing for an empty nester.

David Fried owns Elmore Roots Fruit Tree and Berry Nursery, in its 35th year. You can reach David at 802 888 3305; fruitpal @elmoreroots.com; or visit www.elmoreroots.com

continued from page 10

Yestermorrow Upcoming EventsMay 24, 2014 - Greenhouse Design - This course will teach the design, construction and effective utilization of greenhouses. A survey of structural principles, material limitations, macro/micro environmental design principles, enclosure options, and existing greenhouse archetypes will be discussed in the classroom and in the field as students tour area greenhouses with opportunities for hands-on building and learning. This course will also consider how a greenhouse enclosure can be integrated into, and influence, the interior spaces of existing buildings. Students will get an overview of the environmental principles and guidelines that designers employ in designing buildings that benefit from the natural energies that are ambient in our world. The course begins with an understanding of how the suns orientation from dawn to dusk contributes to the solar passive heat gain with respect to the location and orientation of a greenhouse, and concludes with the basic understanding of assembling a home built greenhouse.

June 14, 2014 - Root Cellar Design - Root cellars and other means of passive food storage are simple and effective ways to reduce carbon footprints, monthly bills, grid dependency, and increase your food security. In this workshop, participants will learn elements of designing for passive cooling and humidity control, including site selection, design strategies and options, materials pros and cons, thermal mass, ice batteries, raw food considerations, planning crops for food storage, design considerations for different applications, and retrofit opportunities and methodologies. Course - 9am - 5pm.

June 15, 2014 (12 days) - Permaculture Design Certification Course - This 80+ hour Permaculture Design Certification course imparts a positive and empowering vision for social and ecological transformation. We will train you to be a permaculture consultant who can apply the permaculture principles to a diversity of landscapes, scales and issues from rural to urban, and temperate to tropical environments.

Lectures and hands-on work will also explore: bioregional designs, natural history of Eastern woodlands and designs that cooperate with their regeneration, the evolution of agriculture, energy and nutrient cycling, watershed health, natural building, biodynamics, forest gardening, gravity run water systems, developing springs for drinking water, tree paste for fruit trees, sustainable forest management, encouraging maples, apples, shitake and ginseng, and the integration of animals into cultivated ecosystems.

Yestermorrow Design/Build School teaches over 120 hands-on workshops a year in design, construction, woodworking, and architectural craft and offers a variety of courses concentrating in sustainable design.

Their intensive, hands-on courses are taught by top architects, builders, and craftspeople from across the country. For people of all ages and experience levels, from novice to professional. For more information or to register for a course please visit: www.yestermorrow.org.

15

Gardeners delight when they find earthworms in the soil. At least since Darwins classic text on earthworms (Darwin, The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Earthworms, 1882) we know that these soil organisms are tillers of the land. Earthworms loosen up the soil by turning it and burrowing through it which helps plants extend their roots and allows water to penetrate into the soil more easily. They also increase nutrient availability by speeding up decomposition of any organic amendments. But the idyll is not what it seems in many a backyard garden and maybe even in your own production facility.

In New England most earthworms are exotic species imported inadvertently by the early European settlers and later by the global trade between continents. They have transformed many of our woodland forest floors. What is a lush green, diverse understory with many ephemerals today may become a drab vista of brown mixed up soil within a year or two. When certain earthworms leave your customers yards for the forest you get what ecologists call an ecosystem cascade: One thing leads to another to another to another. In earthworm invasions, the forest floors spongy organic top soil disappears. With that disappears the forests seed bank and germination medium. The understory thins. When deer come to browse, they find little to eat and what there is may be saplings of sugar maple and other commercially important trees. So, what is a self-respecting deer to do? Feed on the saplings, naturally, inhibiting the regeneration of the forest. Then there is the ground nesting bird, whip-poor-wills and oven birds. In their new reality, the forest no longer offers ground camouflage for their nests You get the drift.

But back to your mulched and/or raised beds and those beds whose soil you have patiently nurtured with lots of organic matter amendments. This year have a closer look at those beds and your containers. Have you seen this organism (Figure 2) in your mulch, near your compost heap, places where there is lots of organic matter? Its called Crazy Snake Worm or Jumper Worm. This is actually a group of species of the genus Amynthas in a family called Megascolecidae. In Vermont, the only species detected to date is Amynthas agrestis. A. agrestis hails from Japan and Korea. It is likely transported with plant stock and also with mulching materials. Some nurseries have them. It has been linked anecdotally to the demise of hostas, lady slippers and woodland gardens (Figure 1). In Connecticut some gardeners claim that their lawns have been damaged by the extensive casting layer that these worms produce. Here in Vermont some gardeners claim that they lost their ephemeral beds to this species. Likely these claims will remain in the realm of anecdotes because scientific research on this pest is difficult to fund. Unlike

insect pests, earthworms have street, sorry, garden cred. Always have, always will.

Unlike the European earthworms, the Crazy Snake Worm is active in the summer. When its European cousins in the family Lumbricidae take their summer snooze, the Crazy

Snake Worm devours pretty much all of the leaf litter from the previous autumn, grows and matures, and probably has two generations per summer. The last of them die at the end of November after a couple of ground frosts. You guessed, they are annual worms and their populations persist through the winter in cold-hardy cocoons. The first hatchlings appear in April shortly after snow melt when the soil warms to about 50o F. At their peak in July and August there will be as many as 15 20 per square foot or more impressively, 150,000 per acre. As a guideline, the more you improve your garden by feeding it mulch and organic matter, the more of them you can expect to find. Ditto for irrigation. They like moist conditions especially in the summer heat. What is good for the garden is good for the Crazy Snake Worm. But the Crazy Snake Worm may not be good for the garden.

How can you recognize this earthworm? First of all, dont even bother looking until May or June. That is when they begin to distinguish themselves from the other earthworms. You will find them in your mulch and hardly ever deeper than 2 3 inches into the soil. Before the end of June you can recognize them by their behavior. By then they will be 2 - 4 inches long. They move like snakes, they are darker grey on top and lighter on their bellies. If you want to see them move, check out the short video at http://digital.vpr.net/post/dark-side-earthworms. They may iridescence prettily when you hold them up against the light. They may wriggle really fast and may jump out of your hand. Once they are reproductively mature, usually by the beginning of July,

continued on page 24

Earthworms in the Summer - Gardeners Warning?By Josef Gorres, UVM

Figure 1: Crazy Snake Worm in its casting covering the roots of a Lady Slipper plant.

16

As with the last issue of the News, it has been a quiet three months on campus, which is good. As reported in that last issue, UVM is working on a new Incentive Based Budgeting model, which is still in the works with no news yet on how this will be implemented or impact various colleges and departments. Also as reported last time, our big department news is twofoldthe celebrating of 50 years as a department, and our department review.

Our last 10-year review was in 1999, so we were overdue for this big deal in the life of a department on campus. The third week of March, a review team of three from other institutions visited campus, reviewed our lengthy department review report, met with all the department and administration, with a final review report to be prepared. As part of our review report we prepared for them was a brief history of our department, which I thought might be of interest both to alums, and to others in keeping with our Semicentennial or Golden Jubilee year (for those into crosswords or Jeopardy, our Quinquagenary).

Plant and Soil Science, A Brief History - Product of Merging Three Departments:

The foundation for the present Department of Plant and Soil Science (PSS) was laid when Horticulture and Agronomy merged in 1964. Plant and Soil Science was then housed in the newly commissioned, then state-of-the-art, Hills Building. These two departments were independent previously. Their experimental fields were located on land now occupied by the Sheraton Conference Center and University Heights. However, in 1952, UVM purchased farm land which became the Horticultural Research Center, the prime research lands for the new department.

The original department contained soil scientist Richmond Bartlett, agronomists Glen Wood, Kenneth Varney, Theodore Flanagan and Winston Way; horticulturists Samuel Wiggans, Richard Hopp and C. Lyman Calahan. Sadly, Chair of Horticulture Alvin Midgley died in 1963. His successor as Horticulture Chair, Sam Wiggans, was named the first chair of the newly merged department. Bertie Boyce served as foreman of the Horticulture Research Center from 1958 to 1966 and managed the greenhouse in the winter; he joined the faculty ranks in 1964 as assistant professor of horticulture. A successful relationship between PSS and the Extension Service began with Norman Pellett joining the department in 1967 as extension ornamental horticulturist.

Finally, the Department of Entomology was the third department to join Plant and Soil Science. Entomologists George MacCollom, Bruce Parker and Gordon Nielsen joined the PSS department in 1969-1970 with the understanding that the administration of the unit remained with MacCollom as chair. MacCollom acquired funding to build the current Entomology Building at the Bioresearch Center on Spear Street in the 1970s, which remains the home for Bruce Parker and his research group today. Joseph Costante came to UVM as extension fruit specialist in 1976, replacing Lyman Calahan. During this founding period, the department offered a B.S., but also M.S. and Ph.D. graduate degrees in Plant and Soil Science. (A continuation of our history will continue in the next News.)

Educational Opportunities

As you are reading this, the Spring semester will be winding down (end of April, early this year) or will be done, with Summer session beginning the end of May. There are two educational opportunities to mention, both at the Hort Farm in South Burlington, in addition to my usual online course through Continuing Education on Perennial Garden Design (pss.uvm.edu/ppp/perdesign/pgdindex.html). If you know any interested in taking this self-paced course over the summer, please have them contact me (leonard.perry@uvm.edu).

There is no longer a student-run CSA club and fields at the Hort Farm, ending after last year. The Catamount Farm (www.uvm.edu/~summer/catamount-farm/) is the new educational initiative, consisting of a Sustainable Farm Practicum, and choice of courses in Composting Ecology and Management, Soil Fertility and Climate Change, Sustainable Orchard and Vineyard Management, and Sustainable Food Systems Marketing. These result in college credit, compared to a Certificate in Sustainable Farming from the Farming Training Program. The latter emphasizes experiential (i.e. hands-on) learning to an even greater extent, is taken by aspiring farmers often coming from other fields of study and parts of the country, is taught mainly by local farmers over 6-months, and has been a highly successful program of Continuing Education with a wait list. Taught at the Hort Farm, among other locations, you can find out more and book tours of this program online (learn.uvm.edu/sustainability/farmer-training/).

news from the Uby Dr. Leonard Perry - UVM

News from the UDr. Leonard Perry

PAGE 12 THE DIRT VOLUME 35, ISSUE 2

Summer is a great time at universities if you like it quiet

with no meetings, and ability to park even with the much

reduced spaces due to construction! I'm spending much

time outside with perennials, building stock for next year's

freezing studies, working on field trials (currently 190

different plants), and accumulating coralbells (Heuchera)

for both field and freezing studies funded this past year by

the NH Plant Growers Endowment. I"m currently up to

about 60 cultivars of coralbells, including very new

introductions and new villosa hybrids which some growers

question their hardiness (as they are from France), hence

this study. I'll keep you posted here and on my website

(perrysperennials.info) of this and other research your

association has helped fund. Data is collected, I'm just

waiting for some rainy days to get it written up.

We once again planted about 100 varieties of annuals at the

All-America Selections Display Garden at Burlington's

Waterfront Park the first week of June, thanks again to

help and collaboration with Burlington Parks and

Recreation. This is the garden that we won a national AAS

award for this past year. As in previous years, I'll be

posting the plant listing and ratings at the end of the

summer on my website. Here also you can find lists and

results from the past several years. This year my assistant

Sarah Kingsley Richards and I think we have some great

combinations put together, with a focus on about 20

different petunias (near the boathouse), several new coleus

and several new sweet potato vines. One of my favorites

and perhaps most unusual is the new Pretty Much Picasso

petunia, violet purple with a lime green rim. Another

outstanding new and unusual selection is the mealycup

sage Salvia Sallyfun Blue Emotion, tall, blue florets with

white eyes.

This year's AAS garden features about 50% plants from

Pleasant View Gardens (Proven Winners and Selections

and trials), about 40% from DS Cole Growers, and about

10% from seed (All-America Selections and others). I hope

you get to see these gardens if in Burlington (at the foot of

College St. by the ECHO center and boathouse), not only for

the plants, but as the beds are planned to be different next

year. Due to planned construction and road reconfiguration

beginning after Labor Day this year, the main two front

beds will disappear forever, with a new front bed planned

closer to the boathouse in the grassy area.

On campus, the good news is that thanks to federal

stimulus money, the state greatly reduced cuts to UVM and

Extension. Coupled with support from the college, no

on-campus Extension faculty member (to my

knowledge) was cut this coming fiscal year. However once

this money runs out in a couple years, we may be back to

round two of big budget cuts.

So if opportunities arise in your future to support Extension

with your legislators or even UVM administration, it can

surely help. Our new plant science building (Jeffords Hall)

is now enclosed, with connection underway to the UVM

greenhouse. We are still scheduled to move in next

summer. In our department, our fairly recent faculty

member Sarah Lovell will be returning home to take a

similar position in landscape architecture at the University

of Illinois, so her design courses will be taught by yet un-

known person this next year, with a new search hopefully

in our future. Main research at the Hort Farm now

includes two projects of Dr. Lorraine Berkett-- a USDA

funded large project (recently refunded and highly rated) on

organic apple production (the reason many of the crabap-

ples were cut down in order to reduce scab and other

diseases) with full details online

(http://www.uvm.edu/~organica/), and the third year of

trials on hardy grape varieties (http://pss.uvm.edu/grape/).

Submitted by Leonard Perry

instrumental in the development of the Learning Landscape

Project at URI. In 2008, he was recognized for his many

contributions to the green industry and received the

prestigious honor of being one of the first to be inducted into

the RINLA Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the

Rhode Island Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Donations in Ken's memory may be made to The Kenneth

Lagerquist - RINLA Horticultural Scholarship, URI

Foundation Acct ED99, 79 Upper College Road, Kingston,

RI, 02881.

Scott Pfister, former VT State Pathologist and Green

Works supporter has left his position in June at the

Vermont Forest Protection Department. Scott has taken a

position with USDA-APHIS in Washington, DC and will be

coordinating the USDAs programs for the Asian longhorned

beetle, emerald ash borer, and firewood pest mitigation. We

will miss him and wish him and his family well.

(Continued from page 9)

continued on page 17

17

Research

In our floriculture research, Annie White will be collecting a second and more complete data set on her work at two farms with pollinators on native and non-native cultivars of perennials. She recently got a grant from the New Hampshire Horticulture Endowment to help fund her travel and supplies for this study. Plans are to wrap up her results and thesis this coming fall (in addition to her teaching the Landscape Design course for Stephanie Hurley who will be taking a leave).

In my own work, Ill be continuing trials of new annuals at the Burlington Waterfront Park, and new perennials at other locations. The latter will include over 100 cultivars of Echinacea, as the trials of Heuchera wind down after 5 years with this genus. Ill also continue my site as part of the National Ornamental Grass Trials program, with about 20 sites nationwide. You can view results from all the sites, including mine, and photos on our blog (grasstrials.com). Its interesting to see how well our two genera grow in more ideal conditions, but on the other hand reassurance that our weather could have been worse as at one site.

This last year was less than ideal at my site for many perennials, Panicum (switchgrass) included. Those that did survive the previous winter (see the link on grasstrials.com posting), all of some cultivars, none or one of many, had to deal with a much cooler and wet first part of the summer, never really putting on much growth, and few in flower. There were only 12 days at or above 90 , about half that of previous years. Almost one third of the summer reached 50 or below at night (about normal). Full climate data for this site can be found online (pss.uvm.edu/ppp/climate4a.html).

Bottom line those Panicum with all surviving included Dust Devil, Northwind, Prairie Sky, and Rotstrahlbusch. Of these, those with floral impact of 3 (highest rating) were Dust Devil and Rotstrahlbusch. Both Warrior and Dallas Blues had no surviving plants after the first winter.

Schizachyrium fared much better with all 4 plants surviving except Carousel (3). Best floral impact was Blaze (5 out of 5 being best), with good impact (4) for Blue Heaven and The Blues. There was minimal floral impact from Carousel and Prairie Blues. The latter also had the poorest winter survival regrowth. Plants of this genus were much less variable within each cultivar than those of Panicum.

Thanks to physical therapy, my ankle recovery this past winter and spring from the December accident and surgery has gone well, and I should be getting about again this summer. I hope to see you at some meeting or event (check out my listing at pss.uvm.edu/ppp/events.html, and let me know if any others appropriate to list), or at the summer meeting.

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18

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19

There is something lurking under the March snow pack in your neighborhood. It is fully formed, budded and ready to burst forth through the melting snow of early spring. Its the Hellebore, common name Lenten Rose, displaying wildly colorful blooms through an otherwise period of austerity.

Hellebores are part of the Ranunculacea plant family which is also the family of peonies, dicentra and buttercups, among others. There are many species of Hellebores with most native to western and southern Europe as well as Asia. Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger, while hardy to our area, isnt widely cultivated as an outdoor perennial as it flowers around winter solstice. While Helleborus orientalis is the main species from which most of the current hybridized species arise, the recent rich color variations, floral doubling, upright facing and large size blooms have been bred from several other Hellebore varieties such as H. niger and H. argutifolius, giving rise to the newer scientific name Helleborus x hybridus. In all varieties, the colorful petals arent really petals at all, but sepals, the outside layer of floral parts. The petals have evolved into cup shaped nectaries to attract and sustain hungry spring emerging beneficial insects (and perhaps others) as well as to encourage pollinators. It is the sepal colors that plant breeders have enhanced.

In recent years breeders such as Chris Hansen, formerly of Terra Nova Nurseries and now of Great Garden Plants, have created new collections such as the Winter Thrillers Series. This includes a wide range of highly vigorous, large sized, intensely colored blossoms in every shade except the blue range. For lovers of Goth gardens there is even a black flower, Midnight Ruffles, a double. While such heavy blooms can result in down-facing blooms, hybridizing has given rise to tougher, thicker, leafless stems with outward or even upward facing flowers. These flowers last 3 months and the foliage which is dark green, glossy and palmate leaved provide a perfect foliage companion to the late season shade garden.

If ever there was a perennial that could be defined as a nearly worry free plant, it would be the Hellebore. Not surprisingly, it was deemed 2005 Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association. It grows in climate zones 4-9, in clumps of 12 18 inches high by equally as wide.

Individual plants are long lived to 20 years. Needing attention to careful watering the first year of planting, it prefers to be ignored growing on. Even deer and rabbits ignore Hellebores, as well as pretty much all pests and diseases. For problem areas of dry shade, Hellebores are

perfect. They are drought tolerant, and prefer the dappled shade of a woodland setting for optimal flower color making Hellebores perfect for naturalizing under deciduous trees. Easy does it when it comes to soil amending after the first year. Allow dead leaves and other organic litter to remain around the plant as the crown and roots are sensitive to disturbance. Hellebores are average paced growers and will not overtake gardens. They are easily propagated by division.

The only downside to Hellebores is that they are poisonous. In 585 B.C., the Greeks overtook the city of Kirrha by putting Hellebore in the citys water supply causing grave diarrhea in its residents, leaving them unable to defend their city.

Hellebores are trending in gardening today. Full Circle Gardens has embraced Hellebores popularity by offering five of the newer varieties: Fluffy Ruffles, Peppermint Ruffles and Sunshine Ruffles, all doubles, and Green Gambler and Red Racer, singles. As I write this looking out on the snow and microfoam covered perennial stacks, what lies beneath as I anticipate what is to emerge are Hellebores.

Sarah Salatino is the owner and grower at Full Circle Gardens, Essex, VT and supplies wholesale perennials. Sarah recently took our Green Works 50th anniversary T-shirt for a sweet ride in Wyoming!

Whats Growin On? Helleboresby Sarah Salatino, VCH

Helleborus Fluffy Ruffles

20

P.O. Box 92 N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473

21

One of my favorite native plants that I grow at Lincoln Hill Nursery here in the Green Mt. foothills of Hinesburg is the Roseshell Azalea or Mountain Pink, Rhododendron prinophyllum. This deciduous shrub is native to the Appalachian mountain region of eastern North America from northern Alabama to southern Quebec - our Vermont populations represent close to the northern most occurrences of the species. Statewide distribution of the species appears to be limited to Vermont's southern five counties according to the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service plant database map. Seymour's Flora of Vermont, published in 1969 concurs, stating the distribution as Addison County and Windsor County southward. In the wild the plant is rarely noticed but I have encountered it in the fall near Lake Dunmore in Salisbury Vt. where it grows in open woods on the hillside overlooking the north end of Lake Dunmore. The population is scattered about in numbers in the low hundreds and I imagine it would be well worth seeing when in full bloom. I have heard of a population in Bear Swamp in Wolcott, Vermont, but there appears to be some question as to the continued existence of these plants.

Planted specimens of Rhododendron prinophyllum are sometimes encountered in some of Vermont's cemeteries. A few notable older specimens that I have seen are in cemeteries in Lincoln, Bristol, and Johnson, VT. The older, common name of Memorial Pink may be explained by the plants often being in bloom around Memorial day and may also explain its use in Vermont cemeteries as a way to memorialize the dead.

Despite its restriction to the southern part of the state, the Roseshell Azalea is very cold hardy and able to bloom well after experiencing winter low temperatures of -35 making it adaptable to most Vermont gardens. Here at the nursery in Hinesburg, which is at an elevation of 1000 ft., I have never seen winter injury even when low temperatures damaged flower buds on landscape stalwarts such as Rhododendron 'P.J.M.'

As a garden plant, Rhododendron prinophyllum needs most of the cultural conditions that its generic name would imply . Rhododendrons all need an acidic, well drained soil with some organic matter, and that does not dry out. Mulch 2-3 deeply with an acidic material such as shredded bark mulch, leaves or pine needles. Available moisture is critical when establishing plants and should be watched and attended to for several years

until the plants are well established, after which time the plants will need little care - including supplemental watering. I have 30 year old plants in my garden that require no care - and haven't for most of that time - and are very happy growing in partially sunny to full sun sites.

Here the the soil is native woodland soil and deciduous leaf litter is left to accumulate mimicking natural woodland conditions. Such conditions are found throughout the Green Mountains making our native Azalea extremely adaptable as a landscape plant within the State.

Where we do encounter problems are in places such as the Champlain Valley with its more alkaline , poorly drained clay based soils. Even here, however, soils can

be modified to a depth of about 8 -12 to mimic woodland soils with the addition of well broken down bark mulch, sawdust or well moistened peat moss. This being the warmest and driest part of the state, watering is the critical factor once soils have been modified. The problem with watering, however, can be the water quality and this is particularly true with well water in the Champlain Valley. If your clients are constantly watering Azaleas with hard or high ph water, it will certainly result in a declining and eventually dead plant. Site plants where water demands will be less to reduce the need for constant watering and use mulch!

When considering shrub choices for landscape installations or offerings in garden centers, this native Azalea is hard to beat. In full bloom, the plants create a billowy light to medium pink affect while emitting a strong pleasant clove like scent. 6-8 in height and 4 -6 wide, it works well as a background plant in a shrub border , in a woodland garden or as a specimen plant in a location where one can appreciate its wonderful fragrance. There are few pests or diseases problems and in the fall the1-1.5 long leaves have a pleasing yellowish to rusty red color adding another season to the plants ornamental value. Bumblebees and other insect pollinators visit the flowers on warm spring days and as a bonus to the magnificent floral display and evocative fragrance, our returning Ruby-throated Hummingbird has been known to stop by for a sip of energizing sweet nectar stashed at the base of the inch long corolla tube the whole picture providing a multiple sensory delight on a sunny May day !

Paul owns Champlain Valley Landscaping and Lincoln Hill Nursery in Hinesburg, VT offering landscape design and construction, horticultural consultation and hardy Vermont grown nursery stock.

A Very Show Vermont Nativeby Paul Wieczoreck

22

Insect-killing Fungi: An Eco-Friendly Solution to the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug; The Continued Threat to Vermonts Landscape Industry

A report of our Progress to the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association January 17, 2014Bruce L. Parker, Margaret Skinner, Svetlana Gouli & Vladimir Gouli The University of Vermont Entomology Research Laboratory 661 Spear Street, Burlington, VT 05405-0105 Tel: 802-656-5440, Fax: 802-656-5441 Email: bparker@uvm.edu. This reseach is being partially funded by Green Works.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys (BMSB) (Fig. 1), continues to cause widespread damage throughout many states in New England, the South and Midwest. While they continue to cause major damage in more southern locations, in northern New England their distribution and population levels have not changed significantly over the past year. It is not clear if it has actually become established in Vermont or is only an occasional pest that enters accidentally. Populations are a bit higher in New Hampshire, but they have not caused economic loss there. Given its rapid spread across other Eastern states, Vermonters can expect the incidence to rise in future years, but when that will be is impossible to predict. The goal of this project was to assess the potential of commercially available insect-killing fungi as a management tool in anticipation of the time when populations reach damaging levels.

Insect-killing fungi represent a viable option for managing BMSB. They specifically attack and kill insects, NOT plants or mammals. Our research has shown that the Beauveria bassiana isolate (GHA) found in the

commercial product BotaniGard has a high level of virulence against BMSB (V. Gouli et al. 2012). When GHA (B. bassiana) was sprayed on BMSB adults, 100% mortality was obtained within 9 days. This work showed the potential of insect-killing fungi for use against BMSB, but it is essential to know the effect of this fungus on the nymphal stage. Funding from the VNLA allowed us to assess this aspect.

Research Objective: Assess efficacy of several commercial fungal formulations against the nymphal (immature) stage of the BMSB.

Methods. BMSB nymphs were obtained from field-collected adults, reared in the laboratory on green beans and allowed to lay eggs. Lab tests were conducted on the 2nd stage nymphs. In 2012 five treatments were tested, and in 2013 seven treatments tested (Table 1). The treatments were applied to the insects with a hand atomizer and allowed to dry. They were transferred to plastic containers and held at 25C. Nymphs were inspected every 3 days after treatment for 12 days to determine the number of live and dead BMSB. The trial was repeated 3 times for each treatment and the results were averaged among the repetitions.

Results.

The outcomes of experiments conducted in both years are reported herein to allow for comparison among treatments. In 2012 we tested one concentration (7 x 107 conidia/ml) of two formulations (wettable powder (WP) and liquid emulsifiable suspension (ES). A clear effect was observed among the stinkbug nymphs treated with the fungal preparations. Mortality was faster and greater among those treated with the BotaniGard ES than the

continued to page 26

23

Seaberry is a hardy, fast growing deciduous shrub that belongs to the family Elaeagnaceae. This ornamental plant produces a fruit that is considered among the most vitamin-rich of all known berries. Historically it has been used for soil erosion control, wildlife habitat enhancement and shelterbelt plantings. Seaberry has an efficient relationship with a bacterium called acti-nomycetes making it an excellent land reclamation species. This relationship converts atmospheric nitrogen to a form that can be used for nutrition. As a result, improved root growth enhances the entire soil ecosystem: there is more organic matter, more oxygen, and more soil organisms, which means more soil biodiversity.

Seaberry can be grown for a variety of purposes. Orchardists in Europe and Canada grow the shrub for its bark, leaves, fruit and seeds. Depending on which part of the plant is harvested the resulting by-products can be used for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tea, animal feed, juice and pulps. Locally, in Huntington, the Vermont Seaberry Company is growing and processing the nectar for resale.

Grown easily in hardiness zones 3 through 8 and found in a wide range of soil types, Seaberry prefers well drained, sandy loam soils with plenty of organic matter. Not fond of shade, grow in an exposed or sheltered position in full fun. As a dioecious plant with male and female flowers on separate shrubs plant 1 male to 5 females for fruit production. Pest management is minimal but known pests include green aphids and Japanese beetles.

This amazing nitrogen fixing shrub is both ornamental and nutraceutical and well suited for residential and agricultural installations. Landscapers and

land developers would be wise to consider this multifunctional shrub for future plantings.

Vermont Edible Landscape, LLC is a land planning business focused on the development of agro-ecosystems. We work with our clients to design, install and establish ecologically regenerative landscapes. We approach land management through an agrarian lens utilizing a variety of diverse biological disciplines.Our services include: Site Evaluation, Planning and Development.

Seaberry Hippophae by Meghan Giroux

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some will be up to 6 inches long, feel very muscular when you hold them, and have developed a characteristic ring (or clitellum) around their neck (Figure 2). This feature is obvious as it forms a clear contrast with the Snake Worms body. All earthworms have this reproductive feature but in Snake Worms it wraps all the way around the body. In European earthworms it only goes part of the way around. Its function is the formation of a gelatinous sheath that generates the cocoon material. Sometimes they shed their tail to escape from predators just like a salamander does.

You can tell the areas in your gardens that are affected by the extensive casting layer that can be 1 to 3 inches deep or by the fact that the mulch does not last quite as long. You can see this layer in the Snake Worm pictures above. They dont stick together at all and may not be great habitat for roots. You cant miss them. When I walk the woodlands of Vermont on earthworm surveys I look for the castings to find these earthworms. I am particularly interested in where the Snake Worms are because they are the latest earthworm forest invaders in Vermont and they seem to have an even more devastating effect on the forest than most of the European earthworms. In Wisconsin legislators have put it onto the prohibited species list for concern that they degrade forest health.

So what can you do about them? Here is the bit of gloom that you have been waiting for when you began reading. There are no pesticides that are currently approved for managing earthworms. There are suggestions from golf courses that certain organic fertilizers that also contain tea tree saponins, such as Early Bird, have been effective controlling some species

but this may not extend to Snake Worm species. Potentially heating the soil by covering it with black

plastic may drive them out or kill them. But if you have contaminated neighbors or woodlands then they will be back. If you have them already I dont know what to suggest. Live with them until somebody finds a cure. Maybe stop mulching with plant materials for a while, select plants that do not succumb to whatever the Snake Worm does.

If you dont have them yet, you should check any stock you are buying in for this pest species. They may even come in containers. You may get them from a friend who wants to please you with that very special plant that

would make your ephemeral display stand out even more. You may want to be self-sufficient when it comes to mulching materials. It is not

known how contaminated the mulch supply is. It seems that some municipal leave supplies may be contaminated. This kind of control sounds difficult. However, it is more difficult, if not impossible, to manage them once you have them.

Act 148, while an outstanding act for the recycling of an important resource, may bring more of these worms into circulation. The suburban home owner is raking up leaves and puts them in a leaf bag. The waste management company picks up the bag and the leaves are either composted or given to interested parties. Either way, if just some of these leaf bags contain the earthworm, it is likely to be spread by the redistribution of the organic resource. It seems that Burlington and the Upper Valley region around Norwich and Hanover have quite a prevalence of this earthworm. It is not clear whether thermophilic composting decontaminates the waste stream. Probably not as these earthworms are fast movers and can escape the heat to the outer layers of the pile.

You can send your observations to jgorres@uvm.edu. I would love to hear from you and commiserate if you have these earthworms in your collections.

continued from page 15

Figure 2: The off-white clitellum is clearly off-set from the grey body.

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Focus on native landscape plantings to provide critical habitat for birds, bees and other creatures has been increasing in recent years, and so has interest in edible landscaping. Breeders have improved many of our native plants that are uniquely adapted to our climate and growing conditions, so theyre more likely to thrivea win/win/win for landscapers, clients and the natural world. Heres a trio of woody, Northeast-native plants that help hit that triple bottom line.

Truly a four-season ornamental, Serviceberry Autumn Brilliance (Amelanchier x grandiflora) has outstanding early spring bloom, edible berries in midsummer, orange-red fall foliage and smooth silvery bark. We sell more Autumn Brilliance than any other serviceberry, says Brian Mitchell, commercial supervisor at Gardeners Supply in Williston, VT, and with good reason. Autumn Brilliance grows moderately fast, either as a small, rounded 20-25 tree or large multi-stemmed shrub. Its an ideal focal point for smaller landscapes, mass plantings and seasonal screening. Commonly found on rocky hillsides, serviceberry is naturally adapted to difficult sites, but appreciates regular moisture.

Aronia berries are all the rage with nutrition-minded foodies due to their high levels of antioxidants and other medicinal properties. Aronia melanocarpa Viking has larger black berries and more brilliant red fall color than the species. The drought-tolerant multi-stemmed shrub has leathery, glossy foliage and grows 3-6 high and

wide. Pollinators love the profuse clusters of small white flowers in mid-spring. Its an ideal deciduous hedge plant for tough sites in a wide range of soil and moisture conditions. The persistent black berries are astringent before theyre fully ripe, but they sweeten as they reach peak ripeness. Theres a short window when the berries are good to eat right off the bush, Brian says. I have to remind nursery staff not to eat all of them so that the plants are more appealing for sale.

Blueberries are another favorite snack of the nursery staff. Native to the acidic soils of New England, blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are greatly underutilized as landscape and habitat plants. Bumblebees value the pollen and nectar from their flowers and birds will gladly help with the berry harvest. Red winter twigs and flaming fall foliage that rivals burning bush (Euonymus alatus) are among its outstanding landscape features. When retail customers come looking for that now-banned shrub, our staff recommends Blueberry as an improved replacement. Blueberries come in low-bush, high-bush and half-high cultivars, so theres a choice for any situation. Low bush Brunswick makes a good 6-18 high ground cover, Northsky at 12-24 is a good edging and border plant and, at 4-6 tall, Bluecrop makes a good focal point or hedge.

This article is courtesy of Ann Whitman, Gardeners Supply Company.

Native Woody Plants for the Edible - Four Season Landscape

by Ann Whitman

Conversion of Diploid Hemerocallis (Daylily) Seeds to Tetraploid Seedlings Using Select Chemical Methods

The objective of this project is to produce fully converted daylily seedlings that can be used to expand the genetic diversity and breeding potential in tetraploid breeding lines. It is also to find an alternative to traditional meristem conversions that will yield a high rate of conversion and to find a safer alternative to colchicine that will allow more people to convert daylilies more easily.

To produce high volumes of seed for conversion, cultivars H. Rose F. Kennedy, H. Emerald Starburst and H. Dream Sequence were selected because they exhibit large green throats or patterns, both of which are recent and very popular traits among daylily hybridizers. After a 4-week stratification for rehydration, seeds were pre-germinated by removing the portion of the seed coat that covers the embryo, and storing in the dark on moist blotter paper at 73F (seeds were tested after both 1 and 4 days of development). Seeds were then soaked in one of three chemical solutions: 1g Colchicine and 1.5mL

DMSO per 500mL solution (0.2% colchicine); 0.025g Trifluralin and 1.5mL DMSO per 500mL solution (0.005% Trifluralin); 0.025g Oryzalin and 1.5mL DMSO per 500mL solution (0.005% Oryzalin). Both full strength (listed) and strength concentrations were used, however, the DMSO concentration was maintained, as it is the cell penetrant. The colchicine concentration used was based on that used for traditional meristem conversions in daylilies, however, without a standard for Oryzalin and Trifluralin, those concentrations were based on those used successfully in other species. Once seeds were soaked for 5 hours (time for complete chemical penetration through the seed) they were removed and rinsed with deionized water and planted in a soilless medium for further growth and evaluation.

Seedlings are currently under evaluation. After a promising start, with treated seedlings showing thickened growth, a majority of these seedlings have died from what appears to be rot. The remaining seedlings continue to be evaluated.

Dr. Mark Starrett, UVM - Research Report

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BotaniGard WP formulation (Fig. 2). Significant mortality was observed in the BotaniGard ES formulation within 3 days of application, whereas mortality in the BotaniGard WP formulation showed a slower response rate. By Day 12, mortality was significantly higher in both of the two fungal treatments than the controls. Unlike last year, mortality among the untreated and control insects was not a problem for this series of tests. We developed a different chamber in which to hold the insects after treatment which reduced natural mortality among the untreated insects. We also found that feeding them on green beans was more effective than apples.

In 2013 considering the high percentage of mortality

obtained with the 7 x 107 concentrations, two lower concentrations of these two BotaniGard formulations were tested. Growers would save money if they could use a lower concentration to obtain acceptable control. Mortality in the untreated control, water and carrier treatments remained low throughout the test evaluation period, which allowed for a strong assessment of the efficacy of the different treatments (Fig. 3). At the lower rate, the wettable powder formulation (WP) showed slightly higher efficacy than the emulsifiable suspension (ES). As could be expected, the higher concentration provided better efficacy than the lower one for both formulations. By day 12, mortality for the higher concentration was at or near 100% for both formulations compared to 68-88% for the lower concentrations. This

suggests that the concentration of the formulation is a more important factor than the formulation type, based on these laboratory trials. The next step in the testing process would be to evaluate efficacy under field conditions. Because BMSB populations remain very low, it is impossible at this time to proceed with this type of

experiments in Vermont. However, these trials clearly demonstrate the potential of insect-killing fungi, and specifically Beauveria bassiana for the biological control of BMS. This should give landscapers and growers some consolation as they prepare for the invasion of this next exotic pest.

Outreach activities associated with this project.1. 2.100 90 80 70 60Poster at the Champlain Valley Exposition, August 24 September 2, 2013 Ongoing interactions with the public to identify suspect specimens. Several people who contacted us had picked up information from the Champlain

Valley Exposition.

What has this project achieved with support by the VNLA?

Research was done to assess the effectiveness of commercial fungal-based products to manage a pest likely to plague Vermont growers in the future. Initial results are promising.

Outreach activities were continued to spread the word about the insect and the potential for biological control.

continued from page 22

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June 21, 2014Colonial Revival Landscape SymposiumShelburne Museum - 10am-4pm802.985.3346

July 24, 2014Down to Earth Summer Conference & Trade ShowMichael Dirr - Keynote SpeakerSavage FarmsDeerfield, MA www.mnla.org

July 30-31, 2014Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (PANTS 14)Pennsylvania Convention CenterPhiladelphia, PAwww.pantsshow.com

July 27-August 1, 2014Perennial Plant Association SymposiumHilton Netherland Plaza HotelCincinnati, Ohiowww.perennialplant.org

August 20, 2014Green Works/VNLA Summer Meeting & Trade Showvon Trapp GreenhouseWaitsfield, VTwww.greenworksvermont.org

September, 2015 - TBAMontreal Botanical Garden Bus Tourwww.greenworksvermont.org

February 4-5, 2015New England GrowsBoston convention & Exhibition Centerwww.NewEnglandGrows.org

February 27, 28 and March 1, 20152015 Vermont Flower ShowChamplain Valley Expowww.greenworksvermont.org802.425-5117

Industry Calendar

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PO Box 92North Ferrisburgh, VT 05473

visit us at www.greenworksvermont.org

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