Landscape mulch usually consists of hardwood shreds or bark chips, providing cover to hold moisture and add a finished look. Wood in mulch also provides a food source for fungi that are natural decomposers, breaking down plant material and utilizing organic matter. Without fungi, dead leaves, twigs and branches would clutter forests and landscapes. 

Ash rust, caused by the rust fungus Puccinia sparganioides, is a disease which infects white and green ash in Delaware. Black ash is also reported as a host where it occurs. Leaves, petioles and green twigs are infected. Ash rust, like many rust diseases, needs two different hosts to complete its complicated life cycle. The alternate host for ash rust is marsh and cord grass (Spartina spp.and Distichlis spicata) which is found in coastal areas.

• Eruca sativa, Arugula
• Brassicaceae family (mustards)
• Sunlight: full sun. Light shade may help slow bolting.
• Soil conditions: rich, well-drained soil.

Adult lace bugs are typically 1/10th of an inch long and cream-colored. They have lacy wings dotted with black and brown patches or bands. The eggs are 0.02 in long and usually laid on the midrib or leaf margins of young leaves; they are covered with a dark brown adhesive material that forms a hard protective covering.

Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) of hardwood trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, is caused by the bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa. The small, xylem limited bacterium is carried from plant to plant by small insects such as leaf hoppers, sharpshooters, and spittlebugs. 

Bagworms feed on a variety of deciduous and evergreen plants including arborvitae, juniper, spruce, pine, maples, sycamores and numerous others. Evergreen trees and shrubs cannot recover from complete defoliation; whereas deciduous trees usually develop new leaves following defoliation.

DOWNY MILDEW ON BASIL is caused by an Oomycete pathogen that only goes to basil, but can be devastating. Symptoms include leaf yellowing, followed by dark lesions, and leaves of this popular herb become unusable. Spores are produced on the undersides of leaves, but can be confused with other fungi, dust and potting material. 

BEANS: General information- Phaseolus vulgaris, Beans, Fabaceae family, full sun, well-drained, fertile soil.

BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES: General information- Solanum lycopersicum, Tomato Solanaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Tomatoes come in both determinate (bush) varieties and indeterminate (climbing) varieties.

BEETS: General information- Beta vulgaris, Amaranthaceae family, full sun, fertile, evenly moist soil, free of rocks. Beets need cool temperatures to germinate and grow.

The fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata (Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum) causes severe defoliation and death of container grown boxwoods, and dieback in in-ground plantings. Most boxwood species are susceptible, including American and English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), little leaf boxwood (B. microphylla) and hybrids such as B. sinica.

BROCCOLI: General information- Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, Brassicaceae family, full sun. Can tolerate light shade but will slow maturity. Requires well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. Needs plentiful, consistent moisture.

BRUSSEL SPROUTS: General information- Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera, Brassicaceae family, full sun, consistently moist, fertile soil. Can be harvested as stalks or as sprouts.

Like a house built on sand, your beautiful sod can be destroyed in hours by improper care at the outset. Its roots have been severed in the harvesting process and this makes it totally dependent on your tender, loving care for at least the first three weeks of its new life.

BASIL: General information- Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae family, full sun, well-drained soil, high in organic matter. Grows well in a container. Annual

CABBAGE: General information- Brassica oleracea var. capitata, Brassicaceae family, full sun. Can tolerate light shade but will slow maturity. Light shade can be beneficial in warm weather. Prefers well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter.

The University of Delaware Soil Testing Lab uses the Adams-Evans buffer pH test to determine lime requirement for a field based on soil test analysis of an 8-inch composite soil sample. In this quick reference guide, we will walk through the steps for determining the lime recommendation using the Adams-Evans buffer pH. 

Popular for red flower-like bracts, poinsettias are great additions to holiday decor!  There are new cultivars that are compact, or have unique colors such as pink, yellow and orange (Thanksgiving poinsettias?).

CARROTS: General information- Daucus carota var. sativus, Umbelliferae family, full sun. Will tolerate very light shade. Good quality roots require plentiful moisture, well-drained soil that is deep, loose, free of stones and high in organic matter.

CAULIFLOWER: General information- Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, Cauliflower, Brassicaceae family, full sun. Light shade. Can tolerate light shade but will slow maturity. Requires well-drained soil. Prefers fertile soil high in organic matter. Needs plentiful, consistent moisture.

During construction or landscaping, you may need to make decisions about existing plants on your property—should they stay or should they go? Sustainable sites promote preservation of healthy, mature specimens that offer benefits such as erosion control and wildlife habitat and do not pose a threat to human safety or the natural environment.

CHERRY TOMATOES: General information- Solanum lycopersicum, TomatoSolanaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Tomatoes come in both determinate (bush) varieties and indeterminate (climbing) varieties.

CHIVES: General information- Allium schoenoprasum, Amaryllidaeae family, sun and part shade, well-drained soil, rich in organic matter. Grows well in a container. Perennial.

Many homeowners no longer perform the work themselves when it comes to applying fertilizer and pesticides to their lawns and landscape beds. Lawn and/or landscape companies willing to supply that service are numerous. 

CILANTRO: General information- Coriandrum sativum, Apiaceae family, full to part sun, loamy, well-drained soil. Cilantro (leaves) Coriander (seeds). Grows well in a container. Annual.

Collards: General information- Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Brassicaceae family, full sun. Prefers full sun in spring but can benefit from light shade during hot weather. Requires well-drained soil. Prefers well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter.

Soil texture refers to the size of soil particles, with clayey soils having the smallest particles, sandy the largest, and silty, medium. Loamy soils posses a relatively even concentration of the three particle sizes.

How much time do you have to plant, weed and harvest in your garden? A small garden is best for beginners. Go bigger as your skills and time increase. Do you have a sunny spot? Most vegetables require 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. Vegetables prefer loose, well drained soil; rich in organic matter (compost).

Invasive plants quickly overwhelm and displace existing native plants by reducing the availability of light, water, nutrients and space. They have few, if any, natural controls to keep them in check. Ecologists now rank invasion by exotic plants, animals, and pathogens second only to habitat loss as a major threat to local biodiversity.

CUCUMBER: General information- Cucumis sativus, Cucurbitaceae family, full sun, well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter.. Vining and bush varieties. Bush varieties grow well in a container.

Canada geese (Canadian Geese) are highly recognizable waterfowl which can be identified by their black head, tail, and necks with a white chin and black bill.  Their wings are a dark grey, and breast are a lighter grey or brown.  Males are slightly larger than females and they range in size from two to three feet in height and weigh between seven and fourteen pounds.

Fruits, acidified tomatoes, pickled products, and fruit spreads may be processed safely in a boiling-water bath.

In the interest of food safety, vegetables must be processed in a pressure canner. Pressure for processing ranges between 5 pounds pressure to 15 pounds pressure, depending on the type of canner and food being processed. Processing time varies according to specific vegetable and size container.

It is less expensive economically and environmentally to maintain landscape plants during a drought with minimal watering than to allow landscape plants to die and lose the benefits they provide. 

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for optimum plant growth. However, continued application of manures and fertilizers to soils has led to an accumulation of P in many Delaware soils to levels well above those needed for optimum crop growth. 

This season, many people are shopping for a perfect cut tree or live tree to decorate their homes. Our local Christmas tree growers face many challenges to growing a perfect tree, an expensive and time-consuming process. A Christmas tree takes 8 to 10 years to grow to a good size, and there are many hurdles along the way.

 Fertilizers contain one or more essential plant nutrients and can be applied to landscapes to improve plant growth and quality or to correct a nutrient deficiency. There are many fertilizers available to consumers at local lawn and garden centers. 

Soil pH is a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. On the pH scale a value of 7 is neutral, pH values less than 7 are acidic, and pH values greater than 7 are alkaline. Homeowners and gardeners are interested in soil pH because soil pH directly affects the growth and quality of many landscape plants.

Gardening in Delaware can be challenging. While the state of Delaware is small, it is comprised of two different growing environments—the piedmont and coastal plane. The piedmont covers about 5% of the land area of Delaware and exists on only the northern most corner of the state.

The goal of the Delaware Livable Lawns initiative is simple - reduce fertilizer and pesticide runoff from lawns. Did you know that the EPA considers stormwater runoff from yards, streets, parking lots and other areas to be one of the most significant sources of contamination in our country’s waters?

Many traditional home landscapes feature vast areas of under-utilized space, such as large turf grass lawns. Sustainable sites feature spaces for human enjoyment, considering opportunities to design outdoor rooms that suit specific needs as well as promote the health of the environment.

Diagnosing horticultural plant problems is similar to being a detective. The investigator must collect and evaluate all clues, keep good notes, establish the facts, and synthesize them into a conclusion. Take adequate representative samples and keep collected samples in good condition. Have an open mind and don't assume that the current problem is the same as another similar one.

DILL: General information- Anethum graveolens, Dill, Apiaceae family, full sun. Grows best in loamy, well drained soil but can grow in poor soil. Grows well in a container. Annual

Turfgrass diseases are diagnosed by identifying symptoms and signs of infection. Symptoms are the response of the plant that results from an infection by a plant disease causing organism or stress. 

Dollar spot is an economically important disease of both cool-season and warm-season turfgrass. Due to the persistent nature of this disease, more money is spent on managing dollar spot than any other turfgrass diseases. Dollar spot reduces the aesthetic and playing quality of turfgrass.

Downy mildew of impatiens is a serious disease in the United States, caused by the fungus-like Oomycete, Plasmopara obducens. Originally found in Europe, impatiens downy mildew was detected in greenhouses in California in the U.S. in 2004.  Downy mildew was first confirmed in Delaware on Impatiens walleriana in Kent County in August 2012.

Downy mildew of lima bean, caused by the oomycete, Phytophthora phaseoli, is a common disease in Delaware production areas. Proper identification and management of the disease is critical for protecting lima bean yields. This publication will review how to correctly identify the disease, describe its lifecycle, and outline management options for growers.

Salts are compounds formed when positively charged cations such as sodium (Na⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺) and potassium (K⁺) combine with negatively charged anions like chloride (Cl⁻), carbonate (CO₃²⁻), boron (B(OH)4-), and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻).

• Scientific Name: Solanum melongena
  • Family: Solanaceae
• Warm season
• Planting Window: 
  • Start seeds under lights indoors in mid-March for transplanting

The end-of-season corn stalk nitrate test is a simple, inexpensive tool that can be used to assess the nitrogen (N) status of a corn crop at the end of the growing season. Studies in Delaware, and other states, have shown that corn producers can use this test to improve their N management programs on a site-specific basis (Binford et al., 1990; Sims et al., 1995). 

For many years the poultry industry has discouraged planting tall crops, shrubs or trees around poultry houses for fear the vegetation would restrict summer-time ventilation in naturally-ventilated poultry houses.

Many crop management decisions require farmers or their agronomist, crop consultant, or nutrient consultant to make an estimation of the expected yield from a given field. Farmers recognize that yields for the same crop are variable from field-to-field and that a given crop cannot be expected to produce a consistent yield across the entire state. 

Proper fertilization will enhance plant growth without polluting the environment. However, misuse of fertilizer can harm the environment and injure landscape plants by causing fertilizer burn to leaves and/or roots.

During spring and throughout the summer, gardeners are busy harvesting from crops that were planted in their gardens. Our garden soils provide an abundance of harvested peas, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, yellow squash, zucchini, basil, zinnias and many other vegetables and flowers. 

A green roof is a specially-engineered rooftop that supports plant life. Green roofs have been utilized in Europe for 30 years and are quickly gaining popularity in the United States.

Plants that spread over time to cover the ground are referred to as groundcovers. Usually this term denotes low-growing plants, but groundcovers can also refer to taller, spreading shrubs or trees that grow together to create a dense cover of vegetation.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES: General information- Solanum lycopersicum, Tomato Solanaceae family, Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Tomatoes come in both determinate (bush) varieties and indeterminate (climbing) varieties.

While it is tempting to plant fruit trees and not apply chemical control measures, it is often impractical, and the resulting fruit crop may be disappointing or not result in any harvestable fruit.

All living plants return some of this water back into the atmosphere through transpiration. Some groundwater also returns to the surface by flowing down grade to fill a pond, supply a stream or just bubble as a spring. Certain soils allow groundwater to infiltrate deeper into the soil and fill aquifers and deep wells. 

Soil tests such as those conducted by the University of Delaware Soil Testing Laboratory will help you to develop and maintain more productive soil by providing more information about the fertility status of your soil. This helps you to select the proper lining and fertilization program so that you can obtain optimal growth of lawn, garden and ornamental plants.

Interaction with gardens and natural spaces offers a variety of mental, physical and social benefits for humans, ranging from stress reduction, quicker healing, and mitigation of Attention Deficit Disorder in children to decreasing crime and air pollution. 

Harvesting water involves capturing rainwater, grey-water, and wastewater on your property and recycling it on site, either for irrigation or to recharge groundwater supplies. Implementing this water conservation strategy provides a myriad of environmental benefits.

Healthy plant growth and reproduction requires 17 nutrients. Of these, carbon (C), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) are derived mainly from the atmosphere and water. Soil minerals and/or soil organic matter are the main source of the remaining essential nutrients. 

Control of foodborne pathogens at the farm is a growing concern that is being addressed in the industry. Several methods have shown varying effectiveness in reducing pathogens on the farm, one of which is in-house windrow composting.

Insecticide efficacy rankings based on consensus of Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern entomologists.

Galls are caused by the feeding or egg-laying of insects and mites. Upon feeding or egg-laying, hormones from the arthropod are released, which tell the plant to grow a protective mass, which is the “gall”. This mass then either grows around the feeding damage or surrounds the egg. Once surrounded the arthropod has the food and protection needed to mature.

KALE: General information- Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Brassicaceae family, full sun to part shade. Prefers full sun in spring and fall, but can benefit from light shade during hot weather. Prefers well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. Needs plentiful, consistent moisture.

KOHLRABI: General information- Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes(Kohlrabi) Brassicaceae Family, full sun. Tolerates light shade. Prefers well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter.

LAVENDER: General information- Lavandula angustifolia, Lamiaceae family, full sun, low fertility, well-drained soil. Grows well in a container. Perennial

When designing a landscape, consider alternatives to turf. Use attractive, low-maintenance ground covers, tree and shrub plantings and water-permeable paving. A major benefit of turf is that it will take traffic. Take advantage of that and install turf where it will be used as a play area.

• Scientific Name: Lactuca sativa
• Family: Asteraceae
• Cool season
• Planting Window:
  • Spring: mid-March to late April

Foliar leaf spot diseases and blights of tomato plants are common problems for tomato growers in Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic States. Pathogens survive in plant debris or weed hosts, and are favored by humid weather and moderate temperatures.

LEEKS: General information- Allium ampeloprasum, Allium family, full sun, well drained soil, high in organic matter. Best grown as a transplant. Blanch with soil to increase white shanks.

LETTUCE: General information- Lactuca saliva, Asteraceae family, full sun but can tolerate some shade, especially in the summer, moist, well-drained soil. Butterhead, Crisphead, Romaine, Looseleaf varieties.

Dedicated footwear or disposable boots for each poultry house is best for biosecurity. Disposable boots can be purchased online or at local farm supply stores.

LIMA BEANS: General information- Phaseolus lunatus, Lima Bean, Fabaceae family, full sun. Soil conditions: loose, evenly moist, well drained soil. Bush and pole varieties.

The use of litter treatments has become an important tool in the management of built-up litter. Because litter treatments cover a broad range of products and functions, thefollowing discussion is limited to those whose primary function is controlling ammoniavolatilization from poultry litter.

Commercial poultry operations are required to handle poultry litter in a way that minimizes environmental impact, while also complying with State and Federal regulations. The use of permanent manure storage structures is supported by years of scientific data. 

The benefits of a healthy, attractive lawn are many and diverse. Lawns prevent erosion, provide cooling, re­duce dust and mud, remove pollut­ants from the environment, absorb CO2 and produce 02 Lawns provide a safe, comfortable surface for many athletic and social activities. Ar­eas of lawn, whether large or small, help bring green to the urban envi­ronment.

This brochure provides plant suggestions that can help gardeners create diverse landscape plantings with native and non-invasive exotic plants. 

What is a suburban livable ecosystem? It’s a landscape that takes advantage of natural processes while providing tangible benefits to its owner. 

Farm-related factors that contribute to poor litter conditions may include; wet or poor bedding quality, inadequate litter depth, poor site drainage, house condensation problems, improper management of the drinkers, cooling and ventilation systems, and not maintaining uniform bird density in houses. 

Cover crops play an important role in protecting the soil and water when main crops like corn or soybean are not actively growing. The National Conservation Service promoted the use of cover crops during the Dust Bowl crisis of the 1930s, to protect soils from erosion.

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14; a pH value of 7 is considered neutral, while pH values less than 7 are acidic, and pH values greater than 7 are alkaline. The pH values of soil usually range from pH 4.0 to pH 8.0; higher or lower pH values are very rare and are normally found only in severely disturbed soils or in soils that have been amended with some type of acidic or alkaline material.

MELON: General information- Cucumis melo, Melon, Cucurbitaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: fertile, well-drained soil.Can be grown on a trellis.

MINT: General information- Mentha sp., Mint, Lamiaceae family, Sunlight: full sun to part shade. Soil conditions: rich, moist, well-drained soil. Grows well in a container. Perennial, wide spreading, can become invasive.

Mulberry Weed or hairy crabweed (Fatoua villosa) (Thunberg) Nakai is an invasive exotic Asian species from the Mulberry family (Moraceae).  First reported in Louisiana in 1964 by J.W. 

When creating maps of field crops, one goal is to estimate plant health or responses to management. To achieve consistent imagery, drone flights must account for lighting conditions. While discussions often focus on avoiding variable cloud cover by flying on clear or overcast days, the sun’s angle also plays a critical role. 

The Delmarva Peninsula stands out as a prominent hub for broiler production, accounting for more than 596 million broilers in 2022 (Delaware Chicken Association, 2023). In 2022, Delaware raised approximately 234 million broilers, with a production value of 1.53 billion U.S. dollars (USDA NASS, 2023).

Native plants are indigenous to a particular region and provide an essential foundation to support wildlife habitats for native insects and birds. Well-adapted to the local habitat, native plants grow using less water and fewer pesticide applications growing with minimum maintenance. 

Understanding how N reacts in the landscape can help us maximize plant growth and crop yields, while minimizing harmful losses of N to the environment. This document helps agricultural producers understand how N interacts in the environment through the N cycle to guide maintenance and sustainability of agricultural crop production.

Unlike other nutrients, such as potassium or phosphorus, the nitrogen (N) requirement of corn cannot normally be met by N found in the soil. Consequently, most of the N needed by corn is supplied by applications of commercial fertilizers or manures unless crop rotations include legumes (e.g., alfalfa, clover, hairy vetch, soybeans), where N available from legume residues can often provide a significant percentage of corn’s N requirement.

Soybean is second most widely produced crop in DE, ranking just behind corn for grain. In 2017, approximately 160,000 acres of soybeans were produced in Delaware with an average yield of 51 bu/ac.

The amount of nitrogen (N) removed by the harvested portion of the crop is needed to develop nutrient balances. However, N removal by crops can vary considerably from field-to-field and year-to-year. 

July and August in the vegetable garden typically bring bountiful harvests of colorful vegetables. These are also the months when insect pests can really make their presence known, with plant and fruit damage becoming increasingly noticeable. 

July and August in the vegetable garden typically bring bountiful harvests of colorful vegetables. These are also the months when insect pests can really make their presence known, with plant and fruit damage becoming increasingly noticeable. 

July and August in the vegetable garden typically bring bountiful harvests of colorful vegetables. These are also the months when insect pests can really make their presence known, with plant and fruit damage becoming increasingly noticeable. 

July and August in the vegetable garden typically bring bountiful harvests of colorful vegetables. These are also the months when insect pests can really make their presence known, with plant and fruit damage becoming increasingly noticeable. 

Nutrient recommendations are based upon soil test calibration studies that relate the probability of a profitable plant response to nutrient addition to the plant nutrient concentration in the soil as measured by a soil test.

Both oakleaf and smooth hydrangeas evolved in and along the woodland landscape. They prefer moisture-retentive, slightly acidic soil high in organic matter. They perform well in full sun. Both species offer full-size and dwarf sizes.

Oak wilt is a serious, fatal disease of oak trees, caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum, formerly Ceratocystis fagacearum. It was first detected in Wisconsin in 1944 and has spread eastward in the U.S.

Onion: 

• Scientific Name: Allium cepa
  • Family: Alliaceae, Amaryllidaceae
• Cool season
• Planting Window: mid-March to mid-April
• pH = 5.5-7.0

ONIONS: General information- Allium cepa, Onion, Amaryllidaceae family, Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: Well-drained, fertile soil. Can be planted from seeds, sets, and transplants. Onion bulbing is triggered by day length. Short Day varieties form bulbs when day length reaches 10 hours.

OREGANO: General information- Origanum vulgare, Oregano, Lamiaceae family, Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Can thrive in areas with tough growing conditions. Grows well in a container. Perennial

PARSLEY: General information- Petroselinum crispum, Parsley, Apiaceae family, Sunlight: Full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained soil, high in organic matter. Grows well in a container. Biennial

PASTE TOMATOES: General information- Solanum lycopersicum, Tomato, Solanaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Tomatoes come in both determinate (bush) varieties and indeterminate (climbing) varieties.

PEAS: General information- Pisum sativum (Peas) Fabaceae Family (Legume) Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: fertile, well drained soil. Can tolerate light frost. Bush and vining varieties.

PEPPERS: General information- Capsicum annuum, Pepper, Solanaceae family, Sunlight: Full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained fertile soil. Bell (pictured here), sweet, and hot varieties.

Permeable surfaces (also known as porous or pervious surfaces) allow water to percolate into the soil to filter out pollutants and recharge the water table. Impermeable/impervious surfaces are solid surfaces that don’t allow water to penetrate, forcing it to run off.

Crops often receive beneficial nutrients such as phosphorus (P) from manure and/or commercial fertilizer applications. However, the Delaware Nutrient Management Law limits the amount of P that can be applied to many agricultural soils in Delaware. 

Long-term use of fertilizer and manure nutrients on the Delmarva Peninsula has led to an enrichment of agricultural soils with phosphorus (P). Consequently, many soils in Delaware are now considered high or excessive in soil test P (Fig. 1). In some situations, high P soils contribute to eutrophication of surface waters; therefore, P management strategies that maintain both agricultural profitability and environmental quality are necessary. 

In Delaware, applications of phosphorus to “high P” soils (soil test P ≥ 150 FIV, as defined by the Delaware Nutrient Management Commission) cannot exceed a three-year crop removal rate unless alternative P management strategies (i.e. N-based management during one or more years of a crop rotation) are permitted based on results of a P Site Index.

A well-planned vegetable garden provides an economical and continuous supply of fresh, nutritious vegetables throughout the season. An urban gardener with a fairly small plot can expect to raise a substantial amount of fresh vegetables from a good garden.

Be sure to research the planting site’s soil chemistry, soil type, and drainage. Choose a tree or shrub compatible with your site and select an appropriate time of year to plant.

Plant selection is one of the most important factors in designing a successful drought-tolerant landscape. Along with concern about plant size, texture, color and so on, we must be concerned about how a plant will perform from an ecological and horticultural standpoint.

This series of brochures were developed to educate Delawareans about the problem of invasive plants in the landscape.  

Porcelain berry, Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata, is an aggressive weed in the Vitacea (grape) family of the eastern United States. This plant is a deciduous, woody, climbing vine or erect shrub native to Northeast Asia—China, Korea and Japan.

POTATOES: General information- Solanum tuberosum, Potato, Solanaceae family, Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: prefers well-drained, light, deep, loose soil, high in organic matter.

A crucial role of sustainable sites is to reduce erosion, the physical wear of soil and surface rocks by water and wind. Eroded soil, called sediment, is the number one pollutant of our waterways.

Background - We’ve prepared the seed bed both by tilling and by no-till using herbicides (glyphosate and gramoxone) to kill the weeds. Where we have nonsaline soil, weeds are a problem since we do not have herbicide-ready seashore mallow. 

Pruning is an important maintenance practice. Although necessary, pruning can be kept to a minimum by the wise use and proper placement of plant materials in the landscape. Evergreen plants can be divided into two broad categories: (1) Narrowleaf (needled) evergreens such as pines, junipers, yews, and (2) Broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons, hollies, boxwood.

Good pruning is necessary to preserve the general attractiveness of your landscape and to keep your ornamental plants healthy. Although forest trees grow quite well with only nature’s pruning, landscape trees require a higher level of care to maintain their safety and aesthetics.

PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE is an herbaceous perennial plant characterized by a four-sided stem and long terminal spikes, each of which are surrounded by dense clusters of pink to magenta flowers. Each flower has 5 to 7 narrow, wrinkled petals. 

Plant-A-Row for the Hungry (PAR) is a people-helping-people program.

What Pollinators Do For Us

• Pollinators are critical to our food production system

• More than 100 U.S.-grown crops rely on pollinators

• The Honey Bee is our primary pollinator

Sweet corn is one of the few crops for which insect pests drive most of the pest management program. A number of caterpillar pests attack sweet corn, infesting ears and rendering the ear and the whole planting unmarketable. In addition, caterpillars will also attack whorl stage sweet corn, and other insect pests can occasionally cause economic damage by themselves to the ears. This document focuses on the primary sweet corn pest, the corn earworm. 

RADISH: General information- Raphanus sativus (Radish) Brassicaceae family, Sunlight: full sun to part shade. Soil Conditions: requires well-drained soil. Needs consistent moisture. Grows well in container.

Radishes: 

• cientific Name: Raphanus sativus
  • Family: Brassica
• Cool season
• Planting Window:
  • Spring: mid-March to mid-April
  • Fall: mid-August to mid-September

Northeastern Regional Publication No. 493
3rd Edition- Agricultural Experiment Stations of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia. Prepared by: The Northeast Coordinating Committee for Soil Testing (NECC-1312)

What organic material is full of nutrients, essential for the natural processes of soil rejuvenation, and arrives absolutely free of cost to millions of homeowners every autumn? You guessed it— the colorful liberated leaves of deciduous trees. Recycling leaves offers a great alternative to the environmental and economic expense of removing this resource from your property.

ROSE ROSETTE DISEASE (RRD) is specific to Rosa species and is caused by the rose rosette virus, which is carried by a very small eriophyid mite, or graft transmitted. The virus disease is a threat to all cultivated roses, even rose cultivars with some disease resistance to black spot, such as the Knockout Series.

ROSEMARY: General information- Salvia rosmarinus, Rosemary, Lamiaceae family. Sunlight: full sun.Soil conditions: loose, well-drained soil. Grows well in a container. Perennial

Rain gardens, sometimes called bio-retention areas, are shallow depressions in the landscape that capture stormwater and allow it to gradually percolate into the soil. Planted with moisture-loving plants that help filter out pollutants, rain gardens provide an attractive way to reduce the impact of stormwater on the environment.

A raised bed permits plant roots to develop in soil held above water-logged, potentially contaminated, or compacted sites.  You can easily incorporate compost and other organic material to ensure good drainage.

Roseslug sawflies are wasps with an immature stage that feeds on the underside of rose leaves. The immature insect looks like a caterpillar but is difficult to see because it is greenish-yellow in color.  We have three species in the mid-Atlantic, and they are the bristly rose sawfly, the roseslug sawfly, and the curled rose sawfly, which is covered in bristles.

SAGE: General information- Salvia offiinalis, Sage, Lamiaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: sandy, loamy, well-drained soil. Grows well in a container. Perennial

Soils have a natural characteristic called the cation exchange capacity (CEC) that allows them to hold (and exchange) cations (e.g., Ca+2 or Na+). 

This chart includes information about products and steps you can take to ensure you have a safe and clean greenhouse.

Select material showing the symptoms you see. Send several samples showing different stages of disease development. Take samples showing transition areas between healthy and diseased. Dead plants, leaves or branches are generally of little use.

SLICER TOMATOES: General information- Solanum lycopersicum, Tomato Solanaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Tomatoes come in both determinate (bush) varieties and indeterminate (climbing) varieties.

Minimizing nonpoint source pollution of surface waters by P from agricultural cropland requires management practices that control both the supply and transport of soil P. The basic objective of environmentally sound P management is to maintain soil P fertility levels in a range that is optimum, but not excessive, for crop growth while reducing the loss of particulate and soluble P by processes such as erosion, runoff, or drainage. 

Salts are natural components of soil, surface, and groundwater. They are ionic mineral compounds, which means they bonded by electrostatic attractions between cations (+ charge) and anions (- charge). Some salts, like table salt (NaCl), are highly soluble in water, while others, like the mineral CaCO3 (lime), are less soluble.

Identifying and understanding the dynamics of the meadow site is crucial for success. Sites should have at least 6 hours of sun each day. Meadows can be found in a variety of soil types and are often adapted to varying levels of soil moisture, but the plants found in these conditions will differ. Select native or adapted plant species that fit the sunlight and soil moisture conditions of the site. 

Summer Squash: General information- Cucurbita pepo, Summer Squash, Cucurbitaceae family, Sunlight: full sun. Soil Conditions: requires well-drained soil, high fertility. Grows well in container.

A sustainable site incorporates renewable, local, and low-energy input landscape materials and avoids materials, products, and practices that are harmful to the environment.

SWEET POTATOES: General information- pomoea batatas, Sweet Potato, Convolvulaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well-drained, loose soil. Grown from slips.

SWISS CHARD: General Information- Swiss Chard: Beta vulgaris var. cicla (Chenopodiaceae) Sunlight: full Sun to part shade. Soil conditions: requires well-drained soil. Prefers deep, loose, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Harvest outer leaves, avoiding center crown, for continued production.

While plants require soluble salts as nutrients, excessive amounts—referred to as soil salinity—can negatively impact their growth. On the Delmarva Peninsula, salinity primarily originates from saline and brackish waters of adjacent water bodies, such as the Chesapeake Bay, leading to saltwater intrusion (SWI).

All across the world, sea levels are expected to rise in response to climate change. However, for the state of Delaware, sea level rise is especially concerning due to the state’s flat topography, low mean elevation, and heavy reliance on large scale investments in coastal activities, like tourism and infrastructure development.

Sustainable sites support biodiversity, defined as the variety of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or the entire earth. In your backyard, you can provide a diversity of vegetation that serves as food and habitat to attract and support a variety of local wildlife.

Cost-effective, practical, and environmentally sound best management practices (BMPs) for poultry litter management are needed to reduce nutrient losses to the environment during storage, handling, and land application of poultry litter. These practices help Delaware meet water quality standards and keep poultry growers competitive in national and international markets.

Commercial poultry operations are required to implement mortality management practices to comply with State and Federal regulations. New operations are unable to apply for financial assistance to offset the costs of establishing permanent mortality management structures (e.g., composting units, mortality freezers) until they are actively raising chickens. 

Do tomatoes love basil but hate brussels sprouts? Traditional companion planting, which involves planting different types of plants together or in close proximity, makes many such statements, often based on little more than folklore.

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential nutrients for all living organisms.  Soil, fertilizer, and manure are all sources of N and P to growing crops.  Atmospheric deposition (the air we breathe is mostly N gas) and irrigation water are also N sources.  If not managed efficiently, much of the N and P applied to and present in agricultural systems can be lost to the environment.

Thousand cankers disease (TCD) of walnut has been detected in Maryland and Pennsylvania, so a detection is possible in Delaware this season. The disease caused by a fungus and carried by the very small walnut twig beetle may be fatal to mature walnut trees in our area.

THYME: General information- Thymus vulgaris, Thyme, Lamiaceae family Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: light, well-drained soil. Grows well in a container. Perennial

Skin should appear deep, bright red (except heirloom tomatoes have different colors), without blemishes or bruises or discoloration. Feel: dense, firm, but not too hard; and without any soft spots. Smell: should have a strong, sweet, earthy odor by the stem.

Tomatoes: 

• Scientific Name: Lycopersicon lycopersicum
  • Family: Solanaceae
• Warm season
• Planting Window:
  • Start seeds indoors, under lights in mid-March 8 weeks prior to transplanting around mid-May

Trees are important to people. Research shows that access to nature plays a significant role in life satisfaction. The most preferred scenes are ones in which nature is dominant, where there is a smooth ground texture and where trees help define the depth of the scene.

Color, drought tolerance, disease and insect resistance  are just a few of the many factors to consider when selecting turfgrass. Decide which features are important to you, then speak with a turf specialist to select the best options for your unique situation.

In Delaware, turfgrass diseases are caused by pathogenic fungi and microbes that infect the leaves, stems, and roots of turf type grass plants. With infection, grasses may show symptoms such as leaf spots, mildew or mold, or patchy dead areas.

Frequent and often costly maintenance is needed to keep turf grass looking its best. During peak growing months, a single lawn may require mowing more than once a week. During periods of drought, irrigation may be required to keep a lawn from going dormant. Yearly fertilizer is usually recommended for encouraging lush growth.

Turfgrasses are divided into two categories based on their climate adaptation.  Cool-season grasses grow best in the spring and fall, with optimum growth when the temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  Warm-season grasses grow best in the summer, with optimum growth at 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit. 

TURNIPS: General information- Brassica rapa, Turnip, Brasssicaceae family (Mustards) Sunlight: full sun. Can tolerate some shade. Soil Conditions: loose, fertile soil with good drainage. Roots and leaves can be eaten.

The twospotted spider mite (TSSM) is a plant-feeding mite that is an extremely widespread pest affecting nearly all crop plants (over 1000 plant species). TSSM is very small in size and requires magnification to see clearly. 

Nutrients from point and nonpoint sources negatively affect water quality in Delaware. The nutrients of greatest concern are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Efforts to reduce nutrient enrichment of ground and surface waters are a high priority for state and federal agencies and of considerable importance to all nutrient users and nutrient generators in the state.

The Delaware Nutrient Management Law was passed in 1999 in response to continued water quality issues in Delaware. The purpose of the Delaware Nutrient Management Law is to: Establish a certification program that encourages the implementation of best management practices in the generation, handling and land application of nutrients.

In order to understand climate change, one must first familiarize themselves with Earth’s climate system, which is comprised of the five following components...

Plan and put your garden on paper first and record any planting changes. If this is not the first time gardening in this spot, use last year’s garden plan as a guide to place this year’s crops.

Press a small amount of soil in your palm, if it crumbles and breaks into small clumps, it has the right moisture. Till the garden soil with a rotary tiller (for larger sites) or shovel or pitchfork (for smaller sites); be sure to break up the shovel slices and large clumps.

Delaware is a very well monitored state.  Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) maintains approximately 145 stream sampling stations where grab samples are collected at least every other month and several additional sites collect data more frequently.

WATERMELON: General information- Citrullus lanatus, Watermelon, Cucurbitaceae family. Sunlight: full sun. Soil conditions: well drained, fertile soil. Heat loving, vining plant.

The 1972 Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) contains a series of requirements for state environmental agencies to protect and restore the quality and health of U.S. waters with the goal of achieving fishable and swimmable status.  This fact sheet describes those CWA requirements and how they are implemented in Delaware.

Your lawn may grow more than the beautiful grass you intended.  It may also grow weeds, which prevent your lawn from looking its best. In addition to reducing the aesthetics of your lawn, weeds compete with the desired turfgrass for water, nutrients, and light.  If you don’t control weeds, your lawn will deteriorate over time.

WINTER SQUASH: General information - Cucurbita maxima, Winter Squash, Cucurbitaceae Family, Sunlight: full sun. Soil Conditions: requires well-drained soil, high fertility.

Leave grass clippings on the lawn -If you mow frequently enough (one of the best ways to improve lawn health is to mow frequently), the clippings will just sift into the lawn. They also provide a great source of nitrogen as they decompose, reducing the fertilizer requirement for your lawn by one-third.