Cornell Cooperative Extension Community Horticulture

This article is from National Gardening Association Moss in the City Newsletter from the April 2008 edition…

Gardening has taken me to new places and given me new experiences that I never imagined. I began gardening to relieve stress and bring a bit of nature into a harshly artificial environment in the city. Little did I know that first bag of daffodils would be the beginning of a… >>more

From Garden Writers Association:

Rising gas prices combined with increased food costs and a fluctuating economy are the likely causes of a significant new trend developing in the gardening market. As reported in the 2008 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report just released by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF), more consumers plan to purchase garden vegetable and fruit plants as part of their early spring gardening purchases.

In a national survey conducted last month, consumers were asked what types of garden-related spending they expect to do for spring plants. Lawn and grass expenditures take the lead (54%), followed by vegetable or fruit plants (39%), annual flowers (38%), trees and shrubs (35%), and perennial flowers (31%). When asked the same question in 2007, vegetable and fruit plants were fourth on the list of priorities for consumer spending plans. Perennial flowers that held the number two position in consumer spending expectations for 2007 are now in fifth place for 2008.

While only one percentage point separates vegetable and fruit plants (39%) and annual flowers (38%) for second place, vegetables leaped from a thirty-two percent response in 2007 to a thirty-nine percent response in 2008 while annual flowers increased from thirty-four percent to thirty-eight percent for the same period.

Other findings from this newly released national consumer survey include:

• The new dominance of Garden Centers and Local Retail Stores – first observed in 2007 –continued in 2008, with nearly half (46%) of consumers planning to shop at these types of locations for most of their spring garden plants.

• Since 2005, the “Quality over Price” attitude has been strongly evident among consumers. In 2008, about half (48%) of consumers said they value Best Quality as an important plant selection attribute, while about a quarter valued a Trained and Educated Sales Staff and Best Prices (26% and 23%, respectively).

• In the past, Ease of Care and Color – together – dominated several criteria for spring plant selection, but this year Ease of Care jumped significantly in importance (from 46% in 2007 to 58% in 2008) in terms of influencing spring plant selection purchase decisions.

• When it comes to garden-related products, consumers are most inclined to buy products labeled organic or natural Plant Food or Fertilizer (35%), Pest Control Products (32%), Garden Fruit and Vegetable Plants (31%), Potting Soil (31%) and Garden Mulch (27%).

• This spring, more than a third of consumers will use the Internet to research plant or product information (38% vs. 34% in 2007). Nearly a fifth (17%) will use the Internet for garden design inspiration (up from 10% in 2007), while a tenth will use the Internet to purchase gardening supplies and plant materials or seeds (11% and 10%, respectively).

The 2008 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report was conducted February 4-10 and covers consumer expectations and attitudes for activities and purchases planned for March through May. The survey was conducted by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, a national consumer polling organization, and statistically represents the attitudes of over 100 million households with an accuracy of 95% (+/- 3.1 percentage points).So remember our Cornell resources related to growing vegetables including:

Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners

Spring is in the air and many are still fretting over the price of gas as it continues to rise. Here’s a perfect opportunity to let our NYS lawn owners know about one more way to save on gas…

Read the full press release from the Department of Horticulture at this web page.

We encourage reprinting this for your local news outlets.

Plum pox virus, an exotic disease, threatens ornamental and fruit-bearing trees.

Check out this press release from the Department of Horticulture. It does mention to call county CCE office. Your role could be simply to provide the concerned person with the number for USDA-APHIS office in Lockport, N.Y. (716-433-6482) which is listed in the article. You might want to offer as much assistance as helping the concerned citizens determine if the plant that concerns them is one of the at risk plants but you need not feel obligated to do more than provide the USDA-APHIS.

Click here for the article web page.

From 2004 through 2006, the NYS Integrated Pest Management Program of Cornell University partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, BOCES personnel, and others to conduct team-based evaluations of the pest management programs of several school districts in the state. The districts appreciated the feedback that these confidential assessments provided. During 2008, we are able to conduct, free of charge, assessments of two or three more school districts utilizing the IPM Institute’s STAR certification procedures http://www.ipminstitute.org/ipmstar.htm. For more information, please contact Lynn Braband of the NYS IPM Program, (585) 461-1000 ext. 241, e-mail: <LAB45@cornell.edu>.

Everyone knows that skunks, raccoons, and even crows will dig up turf while foraging for white grubs and other invertebrates, but the “why’s and when’s” have not been studied. We wish to initiate a pilot study  to begin assessing the susceptibility of turfgrass to grubbing by animals. Our initial objective will be to refine the parameters and data collection techniques for the lawns, species involved, and broader landscape characteristics of a limited number of sites where grubbing has recently occurred. If you become aware of potential candidate sites in Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Ontario, or Seneca Counties, please contact Lynn Braband, NYS IPM Program of Cornell University, (585) 461-1000 ext 241, LAB45@cornell.edu.

Lynn Braband

NYS Community IPM Program at Cornell University

If you need more of these order them from Liz at 607.255.7282 or patorder@cornell.edu

Opportunities are posted on this department web page:

http://hort.cals.cornell.edu/cals/hort/news-events/index.cfm

Garden Crusader is a national award program that honors individuals who are using gardening to make a difference in their communities.

check out this document to find out how to nominate someone.

Sue Chayer
Garden Crusader Coordinator
Gardener’s Supply/Dutch Gardens
128 Intervale Rd
Burlington, VT 05401

Extension Associate - 08340 (please refer to this job number, 08340, when applying or searching Jobs at Cornell web site: http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/jobs/

Description

The Department of Crop and Soil Sciences seeks an Extension Associate to collaborate with Cornell Waste Management Institute Director and staff to develop and coordinate a new outreach initiative intended to improve the quality of garden produce grown in urban environments. Specifically, the individual will organize and direct soil and crop sampling and test for contaminants in urban community gardens, particularly heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Work with urban outreach coordinators and residents to adopt soil and crop management approaches that limit dietary exposure to these contaminants. Plan outreach activities in New York City, including gardener meetings, workshops, and demonstrations, and develop and maintain a Website related to the extension/outreach activities and outcomes.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree in a discipline related to Agricultural Science, Soil Science or Environmental Science. Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written, are essential. Must be able to work independently, and should be proficient with computer programs needed for effective written, graphical and web-based communication. Applicants should submit a cover letter; curriculum vitae; and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to: Murray McBride, Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, 910 Bradfield Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell University is a bold, innovative and inclusive teaching and research university of academic distinction and public service where staff, faculty, and students alike are challenged to be active citizens of the world.

Cornell University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer.