Written by Lorna F., Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardener Soil health is the foundation of any garden or lawn. Here are some reasons you should test your soil. You are starting a new garden or seeding/renovating a lawn: You’ve never tested your soil: Different kinds of plants are declining/dying: Your garden or lawn just isn’t […]
Written by Lorna F., Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardener Fall is the time to invest in next year’s garden. Tasks outlined below will help you to ensure success. Plant a fall/cool season vegetable garden. As tender/warm season veg like tomatoes, peppers, and squash wane, plan now to continue the harvest into the fall. Most plants […]
Written by Laura H., Rutgers Master Gardener of Somerset County When a long-lasting layer of snow cover occurs on cool-season turf during mid to late winter, gray snow mold may be noted as the snow melts. Leaf blades appear tan or white, hardened and matted into patches several inches to over a foot in diameter […]
Spotlight on: Carrie Lippincott Written by Mousumi P., Rutgers Master Gardener of Somerset County In honor of Women’s History Month, our spotlight is Carrie Lippincott (1860-1941) “The Pioneer Seedswoman of America” for her early mail order seed company and innovative marketing approaches. Originally from NJ, Lippincott moved to Minnesota in the late 1880’s and worked for her brother-in-law at a Minneapolis seed house […]
Written by Ellen L. Rutgers Master Gardener of Somerset County After two decades of advocacy by scientists, environmental groups, land managers, and industry stakeholders, New Jersey finally enacted the Invasive Species Management Act when Governor Phil Murphy signed it into law on January 20, 2026. The law establishes a comprehensive framework to manage, restrict, and prohibit the sale, import, export and […]
Written by Irene F., Rutgers Master Gardener of Somerset County Fruit Tree Care – How it’s done at Rutger’s Snyder Research Farm. It’s not just pruning, thinning, and harvesting. Caring for the base of your fruit trees is just as important to health and productivity of a fruit tree as pruning and thinning. A well-maintained […]
Presentations are delivered via PowerPoint and range in length from 30 minutes to 1 hour. To schedule a presentation, please complete this form. If you have additional questions, please email Jessica Shick, Program Coordinator, at jshick@SomersetCountyNJ.gov. Current Presentation Offerings Container Gardening – No space for an in-ground garden? Have clay, rocky, or contaminated soil in your yard? […]
Would you like to grow your own native plants at home? In this two-part series, join the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset County to learn about the importance of native plants and how easy it is to grow them from seed then incorporate them in the home landscape. Both sessions will take place at the […]
Written by Mary P., Rutgers Master Gardener of Somerset County Ilex verticillata, commonly known as winterberry, is a deciduous, clumping, multi- stemmed holly native to eastern North America. It is noted for its berries, has an upright-rounded shape and usually grows 6 – 12’ tall and wide. It is adaptable to light and heavy soils but prefers […]
Written by Mary P., Rutgers Master Gardener of Somerset County Conifers are about 300 million years old. They grow in many different climates on all the continents except Antarctica. There are over 600 species of conifers, all woody – mostly trees, but some are shrubs. The most common growth form is a single erect trunk […]
