Fig Balsamic Jam

Makes 12 to 14 pint jars
6 Pounds Fresh Figs – remove stem and cut into quarters
4 ½ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Balsamic Vinegar

Use a large pot. Add all of the above ingredients to the large pot. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Place on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil. Once really bubbling lower the heat to medium. The sugar will begin to thicken and the figs will soften. Once the figs are soft, about 45 minutes to one hour. Simple test by pressing the spoon against a fig to the side of the pot. If soft and the liquid is thick, then it is probably ready.

Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Using an emulsion blender, puree the jam. If you like it with chunks, then process less. Jam can be refrigerated at this stage and used within 2-4 weeks. You could also freeze or can your product.

To can: Add jam to each sterilized pint jar leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe around each rim to remove any of the jam that spilled. Put the lid and rim on each jar and tighten, but not too tight. Add each jar to the boiling water of the large pot with tongs and use a canning rack. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Using tongs remove each jar and place onto a towel on the counter. This will prevent the jar from cracking if it hits a cold hard surface. Let cool.

You may hear the lids popping. The popping means the jar is sealed. After 24 hours, check each jar to ensure you can’t press and hear a popping sound. If you do, it means it did not seal. If a lid did not seal, replace the flat lid and re-process to obtain a tight seal or refrigerate and use within 2-4 weeks.


Recipe adapted from http://www.authenticsuburbangourmet.blogspot.com/.

Should You Winterize Your Lawn?

By now, lawn winterizing products are easy to find in the lawn and garden centers. This may give you the impression that the use of winterizing fertilizers is a desirable practice but that isn’t necessarily true in our area.


Both warm and cool season turfgrasses grow in North Carolina and most winterizing fertilizers do not differentiate between the two. While cool season grasses, like fescue, grow during cool temperatures and benefit from fall fertilization; warm-season grasses such as centipede, St. Augustine, bermudagrass and zoysiagrass are entering dormancy during the late fall. These warm-season grasses can be injured by fertilizers containing nitrogen if they are applied in the fall. (Nitrogen is the first number on a bag of fertilizer.)


When applied too late and too heavily to warm-season turfgrass, nitrogen fertilizer will promote shoot growth at the same time the plant's metabolism is slowing. This results in a depletion of carbohydrates and stress on the plant. The new, tender shoots are also less tolerant of cold temperatures and more susceptible to fungal diseases such as large patch. The additional nitrogen will however be available to cool-season weeds and that is the last thing you need. So late season fertilization with nitrogen is not desirable in warm season turfs. However, potassium may be a beneficial nutrient for your lawn. (Potassium is the last number on a bag of fertilizer.)


Potassium plays the key role in winterizing because it has been shown to enhance cold tolerance of turfgrasses. If a soil test indicates that your soil is low in potassium, it can be applied at a rate of 1 pound of potash per 1000 square feet of lawn. Materials available include muriate of potash (0-0-60; use 1.6 pounds per 1000 square feet), or potassium sulfate (0-0-50; use 2 pounds per 1000 square feet). Just remember that if you have been fertilizing throughout the summer with fertilizers containing 8 to 15% potassium, such as 16-4-8 or 15-0-15, it's unlikely a fall application would be helpful.




So the only winterizing fertilizer you need on your lawn is one that contains potassium; and you only need that if your soil is low in potassium. Save the nitrogen for after green-up next spring.

Plant Now for Fall and Winter Harvest

Just because it’s fall doesn’t mean the vegetable gardening season is over. You still have time to plant crops that will keep you harvesting produce through the winter and on it to spring.

In the coastal plain, many cool season crops can be planted in September. Brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi can be planted through the middle of September. Keep an eye out for caterpillars on these crops. You can protect your plants with row covers or control caterpillars with products containing Bt or spinosad, if needed.

Root crops are another great fall option. Plant beets, radishes and turnips through the middle of September while parsnips and rutabagas can be planted through the end of September. These vegetables will hold well under cool conditions and can be harvested as needed.

Plant leafy greens like lettuce, arugula and mustard for a quick harvest. You can harvest baby greens when the leaves are 4-5 inches high. Trim the leaves off with a pair of kitchen shears while leaving the growing point intact. These plants will resprout several times for multiple harvests.

Cool season herbs like dill, parsley and cilantro can be direct sown or set out as transplants in September and will stay green well past the first crop. Harvest as needed for fresh use. Consider planting garlic and onions in October. These crops will be ready to harvest next spring. Choose short-day varieties of onion like Grano or Texas Supersweet.

Sample your soil now to determine fertilizer needs for next growing season. In our area, gardeners should test the soil every 2-3 years. Make sure your soil samples are submitted to NCDA&CS prior to Thanksgiving to avoid peak season soil sample fees.

Dividing Perennials

Mid-September through October is a great time to divide perennials in our area. Dividing perennials promotes plant growth while allowing you to easily create more plants. Vigorously growing perennials like chrysanthemums and asters may need to be divided every season or two, while slower growing plants may never need division.

Many perennial plants benefit from regular division but don’t divide on a time schedule, let the plant’s growth habit dictate whether you need to divide it. Perennials need to be divided when: flowering is reduced or flowers get smaller, the center growth dies out but there is growth around the edges, bottom foliage is sparse, the plant loses vigor, the plant flops over or requires staking or it has simply gotten too large for its space in the garden. Of course, even if your plant is growing and blooming well, you may choose to divide it to create more plants for your garden or to share with friends. 

Perennials should not be divided while they are in flower. Flowering demands a lot of energy from the plant and you do not want to stress a plant by dividing it at the same time. The general rule of thumb is to divide spring-flowering plants in the fall and fall-flowering plants in the spring. Good options for fall division are spring blooming bulbs like daffodil and amaryllis, daylilies, hosta, lamb’s ear, echinaceae, and black-eyed Susan. Wait until spring to divide your cannas, chrysanthemums and ornamental grasses.

For details about dividing perennial plants, check out this excellent reference:


· http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/flowers/hgic1150.html

Emerald Ash Borer Moves Towards Southeastern NC

Emerald Ash Borer. Photo: David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis, or EAB) is a metallic-green beetle that bores into ash trees (Fraxinus species), ultimately killing them. This beetle is not native to the United States. It is originally from Asia and was first detected in the US near Detroit, Michigan in 2002. Since then, it has spread to Quebec, Ontario and twenty-five states in the US.


Emerald ash borer was first detected in NC in 2013 in Granville County, and later in Person, Vance and Warren counties. In 2015, EAB was found in eight new NC counties – Wayne, Franklin, Wake, Durham, Graham, Johnston, Orange and Wilson. The detections in Johnston, Wilson and Wayne counties brings EAB one step closer to Onslow so we need to be aware and stay on the lookout for this insect.

Quarantine area for emerald ash borer in North Carolina

Counties under Quarantine for EAB
Durham	Johnston	Wake
Franklin	Orange	Warren
Graham	Person	Wayne
Granville	Vance	Wilson

EAB lay their eggs on the bark of ash trees. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bore through the bark and feed in the vascular tissue of the tree. This feeding causes serpentine tunneling marks, known as feeding galleries, which are found under the bark of infested trees. This damage disrupts the movement of nutrients and water within the tree, eventually killing the tree. Outward symptoms of EAB in ash trees include a general decline in the appearance of the tree, such as thinning from the top down and loss of leaves. Clumps of shoots, also known as epicormic sprouts, may emerge from the trunk of the tree and increased woodpecker activity may be noticed.

Emerald ash borers overwinter as larvae within the tree. Adult beetles begin to emerge from May to June and can be found in the summer months. The adult beetle is ¼ to ½-inch long and is slender and metallic green. When the adults emerge from a tree, they leave behind a D-shaped exit hole. (Please note that EAB are not the only beetles that leave a D-shaped exit hole in trees. Species of native buprestid beetles leave a similar shape hole when they emerge from host trees.)

	Serpentine galleries under bark William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, Bugwood.org
	D-shaped exit hole David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

Adult EAB can fly at least ½ a mile from the tree where they emerge, but are more commonly spread when humans move infested materials such as nursery stock, logs, and firewood into uninfested areas. For this reason, all counties with detected EAB are under a quarantine that restricts the movement of ash nurserystock, ash plant material (trees, limbs, branches, lumber, bark chips) or hardwood firewood of any species. Businesses affected by this quarantine can apply for a compliance agreement with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS).

The NCDA&CS and NC Forest Service are working with the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to conduct an ongoing survey for EAB throughout the state. They are using a combination of purple prism traps and green funnel traps which are placed in ash trees in the spring and monitored throughout the beetle’s flight season for EAB then removed in the fall.

An interesting biosurveillence strategy is also underway. Biosurveillence is the use of living organisms to detect other living organisms – think of bomb-sniffing dogs being used to find hidden explosives. In this case, researchers are using native groundnesting wasps that naturally feed on wood boring beetles. These wasps, specifically the species Cerceris fumipennis, hunt native beetles and will hunt EAB if they are available. The wasps then bring their prey back to their burrow to bury it. By observing these colonies and collecting some of the prey the wasps bring back, scientists are able to monitor for EAB. This is currently one of the most promising strategies to monitor for EAB. Citizens can support this effort, WaspWatcher, by identifying and monitoring Cerceris fumipennis colonies on their property.

   Cerceris fumipennis female with prey. Photo courtesy of WaspWatcher Program

Homeowners and landowners are encouraged to report any symptomatic activity in ash trees to the NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division hotline at 1-800-206-9333 or newpest@ncagr.gov. The pest can affect any of the four types of ash trees grown in the state. Researchers in Ohio have found EAB also infests white fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus). This small native tree is widespread in North Carolina and another potential host. So far, there is no evidence that EAB will infest Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus).

For additional information about EAB:
http://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/Plant/entomology/EABProgram.htm

Details of the quarantine and compliance agreements can be found here:
http://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/Plant/entomology/EABFAQ.htm

For information about Cerceris fumipennis and the WaspWatcher Bioserveillence Program:
http://www.cerceris.info/

Protecting Your Plants From Deer

White tailed deer are one of the most recognizable wild animals in North Carolina.  Whether it’s a mature buck with spreading antlers or a graceful doe and her spotted fawn, deer are a beautiful addition to the landscape.  Unfortunately they can also be a significant pest for gardeners.  Deer can wreak havoc on a flower bed or small tree in a matter of a night or two.  In suburban areas where hunting is not allowed, deer pressure can make gardening frustrating if not down right impossible.  Luckily, there are some steps that we gardeners can take to minimize the amount of damage deer do. 

Deer can jump over tall fences and slip through small spaces so excluding them from the garden can be challenging.  A combination of plant selection, zoning and repellents can help you garden successfully despite the deer. 

Before planting, determine what plants are favorites for deer.  Deer prefer to eat some plants over others.  In general, deer prefer not to eat plants with thorny or prickly leaves or stems.  So spiny plants like Japanese barberries and yucca are less palatable to deer than more tender plants like pear trees and daylilies.  This rule does not extend to roses though – roses are a tasty treat for deer. 

Deer do not prefer plants with strong scents and pungent tastes such as rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme.  Herb gardens can be quite attractive, useful in the kitchen and deer resistant.  Many of the ornamental salvias are pretty and deer resistant as well.   

Plants with hairy leaves are not preferred by deer.  This makes the fuzzy, gray-green leaves of lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantine) and dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) a perfect addition to the flower border. 

Another deer resistant choices is palm trees.  Make sure you choose a palm that is hardy in our area.  Windmill, jelly and cabbage palms form options while dwarf palmetto, needle palm, saw palmetto and Mediterranean fan palm are shrub forming palms that will grow in our area.  

Since deer feed primarily by browsing – nipping the twigs and buds off of shrubs and bushed – ornamental grasses are typically unaffected by deer.  There are lots of different types of ornamental grasses available.  Two of my personal favorites are pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) and selections of panic grass (Panicum virgatum).  Ornamental grasses make a nice contrast to shrubs and can be planted singly or in a mass as a ground cover. 

Ferns are another deer resistant choice.  Deer rarely browse fern foliage so ferns are a good addition to shaded, moist locations in deer country.  Consider Autumn fern, Christmas fern or Florida shield fern for evergreen choices.  Japanese painted fern and the native cinnamon fern are beautiful deciduous options. 

While no plant is deer proof, planting deer resistant plants can help encourage deer to move on to other, more inviting meals. 

Deer pressure varies depending on the season and location.  Feeding is usually heaviest in the spring, when new growth is starting and deer are hungry from a long, cold winter.  It can be beneficial, although time consuming, to protect particularly vulnerable plants with a deer repellent during this time.  Look for a formulation containing albumin or egg whites and reapply after rain events. 

In areas with large deer populations and little food, even relatively deer resistant plants may be eaten.   

If you want to grow a plant that is a favorite treat for deer – such as daylilies, hosta or roses – plant them closer to the house where they are easier to protect and where deer pressure is usually lower.

For more information on protecting your garden from deer, including detailed lists of which plants are more or less likely to be damaged by deer, check out this publication: http://carteret.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Deer-Resistant-Plants2.pdf.  
This information can help you can reduce the amount of deer damage in your garden next spring.   

Beautiful Container Gardens

Nothing adds color and beauty to your patio or porch like a beautiful container garden.  Don’t be intimidated by the containers you see at the garden center, you can put your own combination together with your personal spin and often for a whole lot less money! 

First, select your container.   You are limited only by your imagination.  Choose a container that appeals to you, just make sure it has adequate drainage.  If you love a container that doesn’t have drainage holes, use a power drill to add one or more holes to the bottom.

Once you have your container, fill it with a high quality potting mix.  If the potting mix contains a slow release fertilizer, you are ready to go.  If it does not, mix a slow release fertilizer in before planting.  Slow release formulations provide nutrients over an extended period of time.  Read the bag or container label and be prepared to provide additional fertilizer later in the season once the slow release is expended. 

Now it is time to add your plants.  The number of plants that you need depends on the size of your container.  If you start with plants in four inch cups, a good rule of thumb is that 3-4 plants will fill a 10 or 12-inch planter while 4-6 plants will fill a 14 to 16-inch planter.  These planters will not look full all at once, but will start to fill out after 2-3 weeks of growth.  These numbers are a great place to start but can be adjusted up or down based on the plant being grown.  Vigorous sprawling plants like petunias will not require as many plants to fill a pot while slow-growing, upright plants like pansies can be planted more closely to make the pot appear more lush.  If you start with smaller plants (say 6-count cell packs) you can add a couple of additional plants for each container. 

You can fill your container with just one type of plant – say a bowl full of petunias or calibrachoa – or you choose a variety of plants for the container.  This is probably the easiest place to start.  Sometimes I chose the same variety, often I will plant one big container of pink petunias.  Other times, I will mix several varieties of the same plant – three or more coleus can make a stunning combination in the same container.   

If you want to mix plants, a classic technique is to choose a “thriller”, a “filler” and a “spiller”.  The thriller is an upright plant with dramatic structure and foliage for the center or back of the container.  Fun thriller choices include spikes, cordyline, dwarf cannas, dragonwing begonias, ornamental peppers or sun coleus.  Ornamental grasses like red fountain grass are another great accent plant.  A filler is a more mounding plant that will fill in the center of the container.  Fillers could include smaller coleus, mounding petunias, or geraniums.  The spiller then cascades down the side of the pot, look for trailing forms of verbena, bacopa or calibrachoa.  

Choose plants for their blooms but also for the texture or color of their foliage.  When mixing plants together, look for a variety of growth habits, leaf and flower forms.  So some may be large and leathery, others small and wispy, maybe another with silvery-blue foliage.  This adds interest and variety to the container.  If you are just getting started, use plants with the same color blooms – say all pink or shades of yellow – or one color plus white.  These monochromatic color schemes are easy to achieve.  As you become more confident, play with analogous colors like yellow, orange and red.  The boldest color combinations rely on complimentary colors like orange and blue or yellow and violet.  These combinations will really pop, adding lots of energy to the arrangement.  You can add a neutral like white or a pale creamy yellow to almost any pot.      

I like to combine plants on my cart when I’m at the garden center.  I’ll put different plants next to each other and play with the combination of flowers, form and foliage until I find a combination that appeals to me.  This works well, just make sure your chosen plants have the same growing preferences – sun versus shade and moist versus dry soil conditions.  Otherwise, they will not be happy growing in the same pot together.    

Here are some classic container garden combinations.  When you visit the garden center, you will notice that many planters are a combination of petunias, calibrachoa (“million bells”) and verbena.  This combination works well with a combination of large, medium and small flowers.  Play with bloom colors and consider adding a sun coleus, salvia or ornamental grass for height in the center of the container.  If you want something a little bit different, trade out the verbena for bacopa, a trailing variety of lantana, euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ or sweet potato vine.  These planters do well in a full sun location.  For a shady spot, consider begonia, New Guinea impatiens and torenia (wishbone flower).  Sweet potato vine and coleus perform in shaded locations as well.     

Sun	Sun	Sun	Shade	Shade
Petunias	Coleus	Salvia	Begonia	Begonia
Calibrachoa	Calibrachoa or petunia	Calibrachoa	Coleus	New Guinea Impatiens
Verbena or bacopa	Sweet potato vine	Lantana or verbena	Torenia (wishbone flower)	Sweet potato vine

Once you have selected your plants, arrange them in the container together.  Tease apart any overgrown root balls and work potting mix gently between the plants.  Make sure that there is at least an inch of room between the surface of the potting mix and the top rim of the pot when you are done.  You need this room for watering.  If the surface of the potting mix is too high, water will just run off the top of the pot rather than infiltrating in to the potting mix. 

Water gently to settle the potting mix around your plants and then sit back and enjoy.  In two or three weeks, your container will fill in and look just as lush and gorgeous as any from the garden center.  With a little bit of pinching and deadheading, you can have a beautiful container garden all summer long.