NJ DEP issues Open Burn Permit from April 6 through April 12, 2025

To Agriculture and Agribusiness Representatives:

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is issuing this notice concerning open burning due to colder spring overnight temperatures presently forecasted for areas of New Jersey from April 6 (Sun), through April 12 (Sat), 2025, which could adversely affect fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops in bloom or near bloom around the state. The DEP intends to exercise its authority and discretion under the Air Pollution Control Code, N.J.A.C. 7:27, et seq., and other applicable authorities to permit the following procedure for open burning or the use of smudge pots to assist farmers in protecting their crops in low temperatures. These cold events could adversely affect some of the fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops. 

Note: The NJDEP and New Jersey Forest Fire Service caution all farmers and agriculture businesses with respect to the use of open burning in high wind velocity conditions. Please take note that farmers are encouraged to utilize smudge pots is warming as necessary during higher wind conditions. Use of open burning when wind velocity is greater than 5mph is strictly prohibited, may contribute to wildfire risk, and can carry significant penalties.

For the Burn Permit Application form, please see: https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/fire/docs/ag-permit.pdf

The DEP intends to exercise its authority and discretion under the Air Pollution Control Code, N.J.A.C. 7:27, et seq., and other applicable authorities to permit the following procedure for open burning or the use of smudge pots to assist farmers in protecting their crops in low temperatures. Procedures for Open Burning and the Use of Smudge Pots Pertaining to New Jersey Fruit, Vegetables, and Floriculture

  • Facilities that believe they will conduct open burning or use smudge pots must provide notice to the DEP 24-hour Communications Center at 1-877- WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337) prior to the use of either technique. • Facilities should notify DEP if they believe they may need to use either technique. • Where DEP cannot be notified in advance, a facility must notify DEP the following morning no later than 9:00 a.m. • The following information must be provided to DEP upon each notification:
  1. Name of the individual deciding to conduct the open burning or use of smudge pots.
  2. Name of the farm or facility
  3. Actual street address of the facility on which either technique will be used.
  4. Contact person and telephone number at the facility.
  5. Predicted temperature (in F) at facility anticipated when the technique will be used.
  6. Predicted wind speed at facility anticipated when the technique will be used.
  7. Predicted hours of open burning or use of smudge pots
  8. Predicted material to be used for open burning or use of smudge pots.
  • Upon completion of the open burning or the use of smudge pots, the facility must provide the following information within 2 business days to the DEP 24-hour Communication Center at 1877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337):
  1. The DEP Communications Center incident number
  2. Ambient orchard(s) temperature (in F) at the time the technique was used.
  3. Actual wind speed at the orchard(s) location at the time the technique was used.
  4. A statement that all restrictions in the open burning or use of smudge pots were followed. The restrictions are noted below.

RESTRICTIONS

  • NO OPEN BURNING WILL BE PERMITTED UNLESS: 1. The temperature within the orchard area is at or below the critical temperature for the bud stage. The attached report lists the critical temperatures for New Jersey crops. -AND 2. The wind velocity is less than 5 miles per hour.
  • Authorized open burning material may consist only of either the following materials: clean scrap lumber (untreated), felled trees, prunings, hedgerows or firewood.
  • ABSOLUTELY NO refuse, trade waste, tires, garbage, or other solid waste may be added to the authorized open burning material. Introduction of any unauthorized material into an authorized open burn is a violation of environmental laws and may carry significant penalties.
  • Smudge pots are only permitted when the temperature within the orchard area is at or below the critical temperature for the bud stage (wind velocity restriction does not apply).
  • Smudge pots must be fueled only with either kerosene or No. 2 fuel oil.
  • Failure to abide by these provisions and restrictions may result in enforcement action.

 

 

Register for the NEW – 2025 Ornamental IPM Program PLUS Boxwood Blight, Pest emergence, Updates

Ornamental IPM 2025 v1 flyer

Please consider signing up for the NEW 2025 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program.

The focus of this program is to provide timely updates on pest, disease, and weeds impacting commercial ornamental producers. The webinars will focus on the most important pests for a 2 week interval, will be recorded, and will be shared shortly thereafter with Spanish overdub (spoken word). The trap packages are in an effort to find grower led solutions for monitoring economically important pests throughout the multiple regions of New Jersey. Please consider joining this program for its inaugural year.

Registration includes:

  • Site visit to your ornamental nursery/farm from Rutgers agents
  • Delivered printed IPM resources (Guides, factsheets, bulletins)
  • Free pheromone & sticky trap kit + guidance on setup/monitoring
  • Access to live bi-weekly webinars (Zoom)
  • (First session NEXT TUESDAY 4/8 @ 12PM)
  • Every Second and Fourth, Tuesday, April through September
  • Webinars will be recorded – posted later with Spanish overdub

This program is free, however registration is required.

click here to Register

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 3/4/2025
Region Location CODE 31-March 1-April 2-April 3-April 4-April 5-April
Southern Upper Deerfield NJ50 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Low Minor Risk Very Low 
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 Minor Risk Very Low  Very Low  Low Minor Risk Very Low 
Northern Wantage NJ79 Low Very Low  Very Low  Low Risk Very Low 
M T W TH F S
 Please check YOUR LOCAL risk (click here)

Please download and print the Rutgers Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide  or  Conifer and Christmas Tree Pest Scouting Guide and refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days (GDD)” for additional information.  (See pest scouting guides for complete list of references) 

Please SHARE what you SEE!! If you see a pest, disease, otherwise interesting or troublesome issue please report it to the Working Group by following the QR Code on the front of the Pest Scouting Guides or by filling out this reporting form.

Keep reading for more resources!

 

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Preparing Orchards Against the Frost – Low Tech Strategies

Frost is common in the northeastern US. However, frost events during bloom, specifically in orchard crops, can be economically devastating. Often, the cause is a few hours below the injury threshold temperature for the developing buds, as cooler nights result in the rapid loss of thermal energy. Several passive or low-tech strategies can help maintain a slightly higher orchard floor temperature and potentially prevent substantial crop loss.

Site selection is the most effective frost protection method. When planning a new orchard, selecting a site with proper cold air drainage is the most valuable decision a grower can make and enjoy the rewards for many years. Cold air drainage is essential, so avoid buying a site or planting trees on the site that accumulate cold air. Also, identify areas where the cold air moves in and out. When possible, plant early blooming varieties in the least frost-prone areas and plant delayed and or extended bloom varieties in frost-prone areas.

Table 1. Relative temperature differences are influenced by orchard floor conditions (Courtesy, Robert Crassweller, PSU).

Do not invite the frost with excess vegetation and ground cover. The management of weeds along the row and sod between the rows will influence orchard temperatures. The bare ground will absorb more heat during the day and release more heat at night than soil covered in vegetation (Table 1). During the day, 45-50% of solar radiation gets reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere, and the earth absorbs the remaining 50-55%. Vegetation reduces this heat transfer to the soil because it reflects light before it can reach the soil surface. Removing tall weeds and windbreaks along the edges of orchards will also help improve airflow and limit the accumulation of cold air pockets in some areas of the orchard. This can be particularly important during spring bloom when just a few more degrees can make the difference between killing the flowers or not!

Extremely low grass cutting: Maintaining sod between the rows at a minimum height by frequently mowing will help with frost protection. Similarly, keeping the rows weed-free by using postemergence herbicides to kill emerged weeds and removing weed residues from the previous season will maximize the warming of the soil by solar energy during the day. Maintaining weed-free rows should also be considered by applying residual herbicides in the fall. Depending on herbicides applied in the fall, this will prevent or reduce weed emergence in early spring and give you more flexibility for applying your residual and postemergence herbicides in spring. 

The cold air drain machine has a fan that pulls cold air from the surrounding ground and pushes it into the sky. This is effective in a lower section of the orchard or the end of the vineyard where the cold air drains due to a slight slope. Placing the machine in the middle of the orchard may prove ineffective as the pulled cold air could settle back into the orchard unless there is a low inversion layer to mix with warmer air. Using the cold air drain machine can enhance the effectiveness of low grass cutting. The machine costs around $15,000, and its operating cost is much less than other active frost protection methods.

Wet soil slows the release of thermal energy on frost night. However, the soil profile must be thoroughly wet. This can be achieved by irrigating the soil to field capacity (maximum water holding capacity of that soil). Also, the temperature must be warmer during the preceding days to pack sufficient heat into the soil. Sandy soils store less energy than loamy soils because there is more air space between soil particles than loamy soils. Heavier soils may require more than 8–10 hours of irrigation to reach field capacity.

Delayed pruning delays bud development, which helps avoid damage from early spring frosts. Years of observation in commercial orchards in the northeast indicate that more buds survive after a frost event, specifically in peaches, if the pruning is delayed. Often, large farm operations begin pruning early in the dormant season due to labor availability and time constraints. In such cases, avoid pruning upper branches until the risk of a late freeze has passed. Also, avoid hard blossom thinning on peaches on lower branches or blossom thinning altogether. Instead, focus only on fruit thinning, which can serve as insurance against crop loss. Remember that any available crop will likely command a good price in frost years.

Combining the above methods can have a cumulative effect on overall frost protection in the orchard. Keeping trees healthy with proper nutrient and pest management is also important. Healthy trees may still lose a crop but are more likely to survive the next season than poor vigor and diseased trees. The success of Frost Protection will also depend on understanding each method’s working principles and the combination of environmental factors necessitating its use. The bulletin https://njaes.rutgers.edu/e363/ explains what to monitor before a frost event and active frost protection methods such as irrigation, heat application, and air mixing.

White Pine Weevil Adults Become Active During the Early Weeks of Spring

Many arborists & landscapers often find it difficult to prevent white pine weevil pests (Pissodes strobi), because they are typically applying fertilizer & dormant oil treatments during the control window. In NJ, the control window against feeding white pine weevil adults occurs in March & April. Adults overwinter in the duff beneath trees. The WPW adults will often crawl or sometimes fly to the top terminal leaders of pine, spruce, or Douglas-fir trees. Eastern white pine & Norway spruce species are the most severely attacked & the death of the terminal leaders of these trees will often occur.

Often by July, an infested terminal will brown & die as the weevil larvae have destroyed the vascular tissues. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)

Treatment timing is critical with this pest, and controlling the adult female before egg laying is necessary. Apply preventative sprays (e.g., pyrethroids) only to the terminal leaders during this time. Before mating & egg laying, adults will feed by chewing holes within the central leader, causing a characteristic pitch flow that becomes white when dry. Then females will lay eggs in new cut-out holes within the top 12 inches of the leader just below the terminal bud.

White pine weevil adults will feed within the upper terminal leaders & cause pitch flow that when dries has a white appearance. This is an early symptom that adults are active & control materials need to be applied. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)

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Black Knot Fungus of Prunus: A Common Landscape Disease

Overview:

Black knot is a cankering fungus disease that infects many trees and shrubs within the genus Prunus. It is caused by the native North American fungal pathogen Apiosporina morbosa. Although black knot fungal galls have been found in a couple of dozen Prunus species, not all species are equally susceptible, and it can be most destructive to certain varieties of cherries and plums (Photo 1).

The following species can be highly susceptible to infections: Japanese plums (Prunus salicina), European and American plums (Prunus domestica & Prunus americana), Sweet cherry (Prunus avium), Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb), and cultivated species of chokecherries.

This blog reviews the symptoms and signs of Black Knot Disease. It’s management by pruning and fungicide treatments is discussed. Finally, a handful of resistant plum varieties is provided.

Photo 1: This Japanese Plum species is highly susceptible to Black Knot Disease.

Photo 1: This Japanese Plum species is highly susceptible to Black Knot Disease. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)

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Approaching 2025 Boxwood Blight Season

March weather is always unpredictable, however, if we have sustained periods of increased temperatures and spring rains, boxwood blight (BWB) will become an issue quickly.

New – [pictorial tri-fold] Common Boxwood Pests and Diseases (click-here). This includes Box Tree Moth images. Print the PDF out double-sided, then fold. We are working to have a better resolution print of this material very soon.

If you suspect Boxwood Blight and would like to have this verified – please contact the Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Laboratory (click here) for sample submission instructions

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 3/4/2025
Region Location CODE 3-March 4-March 5-March 6-March 7-March 8-March
Southern Upper Deerfield NJ50 Very Low  Very Low  Low Minor Risk Very Low  Very Low 
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 Very Low  Very Low  Low Minor Risk Very Low  Very Low 
Northern High Point NJ59 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Minor Risk Very Low  Very Low 
M T W TH F S
 Please check YOUR LOCAL risk (click here)

There is a minor potential for boxwood blight infections this Wednesday & Thursday, throughout ALL of NJ. Incoming rains, coupled with warmer temperatures may initiate boxwood blight infections this week.

  • It is time to begin protective fungicide applications in boxwoods throughout the state if you have not already done so. 

  • If BWB is important to your business Use the USPEST – PUSH Alerts – (click here) – to setup weekly email alerts. Create an account, watch the tutorial, and then set up your subscriptions. You select which locations (as many as you like), days you want to receive emails, and what you would like to receive alerts about (BWB and a variety of other pests and diseases). Rutgers is not directly affiliated, however this is an incredible tool. 

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