June 15, 2026

Landscape IPM Walk at Deep Cut Gardens

Formal garden

June 30, 2026 – 9:00am to 11:00am

Location: Deep Cut Gardens, 152 Red Hill Rd., Middletown Township, NJ 07748

NJ Pesticide License Recertification Credits

  • 3A: 4
  • 8C: 4
  • 10: 4
  • PP2: 4

This program will provide hands-on experience in IPM best management practices. Participants will tour the ornamental plants of Deep Cut Gardens and learn about scouting, monitoring, timing, insect and disease ID for common issues in our area. Safe application of pesticides with a focus on reduced risk materials will also be covered for each pest. Deep Cut Gardens contains specimens of many of the common plant species that green industry professionals work with in the field, making it an ideal environment to learn about proper best management practices for common problems that they may encounter in their operations. Boxwoods, roses, trees, shrubs, and herbaceous annual and perennial species will be covered. Landscape IPM Walk at Deep Cut Gardens Flyer

This program is geared towards commercial nursery growers and landscapers and will be led by:

  • Steve Rettke: IPM Program Associate, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
  • Bill Errickson, PhD: Agriculture Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

 

Space is limited.

Pre-registration is required: $25 (cash, check, or purchase order)

Please RSVP to reserve your spot.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

732-431-7260

Catherine.vanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

 

Hosted by the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth and Cumberland County

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery Tagged With: , , ,
June 10, 2026

Box Tree Moth CONFIRMED in Cape May, NJ

Cape May County NJ, with inset of Rio Grande (township)
Cape May County NJ, with inset of Rio Grande (township)

Box tree moth (BTM) has been confirmed in Cape May County, NJ.

An official NJDA press-release expected within days – this PPA post has no legal bearing. 
  • What is happening:
  • Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) has been reported and Federally confirmed in the area of Rio Grande, Cape May County.
  • USDA and NJDA have established a monitoring zone surrounding the infestation.
  • A quarantine will be established for all of Cape May County, NJ.
  • The quarantine will apply to ANYONE moving boxwoods out of Cape May County
  • NJDA has an official reporting tool and website for BTM
  • If you see this pest 1) Report it, 2) Eradicate it, 3) remove it (if applicable) following guidelines

 

 

 

Please click the read more tab below for important information
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
May 28, 2026

Scale crawlers, updated 2026 scouting guide, IPM webinars, Box tree moth

Educational Resource Update: 

Stay informed

  • Sign up for the 2026 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program – click here to sign up
  • Program is free, but registration is required – 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 (for commercial nursery/greenhouse and Christmas tree farms)
    • Access to live bi-weekly webinars (Zoom)
    • (Next session – TUESDAY 6/9 @ 12PM) – Guest Speaker Dr. Richard Cowles – Connecticut Ag Exp. Station – Scale Management 
    • Every Second and Fourth, Tuesday, April through September
  • Visit the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website (click here) for updated webinar videos.

Scale crawler emergence predictions throughout NJ. 

Now is an excellent time to be scouting for crawler emergence using double sided (or doubled over – sticky side out) tape. Targeting scale insects is most successful during their crawler periods, however this should be visually confirmed for greatest efficacy. For more information on installing this type of IPM trap and others please see – Setting up and deploying IPM traps – Tutorial Video 2026 (click here).

Common Name GDD RANGE Target Stage SOUTH – Upper Deerfield (NJ50) CENTRAL – Howell (NJ10) NORTH – Randolph NJ (AU137)
MIN MAX START STOP START STOP START STOP
Cottony camellia / taxus scale (soft) 520 – Crawlers (only) 17-May – 20-May – 18-May –
Euonymus scale 533 820 Crawlers (Gen 1) 18-May 3-Jun 21-May 8-Jun 18-May 7-Jun
*Cryptomeria scale 600 800 Crawlers (Gen 1) 20-May 2-Jun 27-May 7-Jun 24-May 6-Jun
*Sprucebud scale (soft) 700 1150 Crawlers (only) 27-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
White prunicola scale 707 1151 Crawlers (Gen 1) 28-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
*Juniper scale 707 1260 Crawlers (Gen 1) 28-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
Calico scale (soft) 714 – Crawlers (only) 28-May – 2-Jun – 31-May –
Striped pine scale (soft) 750 800 Crawlers (only) 30-May 2-Jun 4-Jun 7-Jun 2-Jun 6-Jun
Oak lecanium scale (soft) 789 – Crawlers (only) 1-Jun – 6-Jun – 5-Jun –
Cottony maple leaf scale (soft) 802 1265 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Cottony maple scale (soft) 802 1265 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Golden oak scale (Pit) 802 1266 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Japanese maple scale 829 – Crawlers (Gen 1) 3-Jun – 9-Jun – 7-Jun –
European elm scale (soft) 831 1388 Crawlers (only) 4-Jun 27-Jun 9-Jun 4-Jul 8-Jun 6-Jul
European fruit lecanium scale (soft) 932 1645 Crawlers (only) 9-Jun 7-Jul 14-Jun 14-Jul 14-Jun 17-Jul

*Conifer / Christmas Tree scales

Please visit the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website – Pest and Disease Index (click here) for more detailed information on specific scale species management and pesticide considerations.

Box tree moth – stay vigilant looking for this pest

Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is alive and well in MD, DE, VA, WV, NY, OH, MI, MA. Please report this pest to twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

If this pest does make its way into New Jersey, and quarantines are established, nurseries will be required to comply with a federal compliance agreement if shipping out of potential quarantine areas. Please review this document if boxwoods are an important crop for you. Compliance Agreement for Production Nurseries in BTM Regulated Nurseries (click here)

Box tree moth caterpillars. Photo credit: USDA.

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 14, 2026

2026 Central Jersey Turf and Ornamental Institute

Rutgers Cooperative Extension presents

2026 Central Jersey TURF & ORNAMENTAL Institute

Friday, February 27

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Monmouth County Ag Building

4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ

 

Registration: $75 per person (includes Continental Breakfast & Lunch)

Registration Brochure: CJTOI Brochure 2026

 732-431-7260 or email Catherine.VanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

Registration by cash, check, or purchase order only.

 

Agenda:

  • CORE Pesticide Safety for Ornamental IPM – Tim Waller, Ph.D.
  • Boxwood BMPs and Alternative Shrubs – Bill Errickson, Ph.D.
  • Managing Scale in the Landscape – Steve Rettke
  • Integrated Pest Management for Invasive Plant Species in Woodlands, Fields, and Parks – R.J.Curcio and Maggie Coakley
  • Mosquito & Tick Management for Green Industry Professionals – Emily Fontaine
  • Things to Consider Before Applying Fungicides to Control Turfgrass Diseases – Ming-Yi Chou, Ph.D.
  • Integrated Weed Management for Turfgrass – Matthew Elmore Ph.D.
  • Turfgrass Fertility Management for Sports Fields and Grounds – Brad Park

Recertification Credits:

  • Core = 2 credits
  • PP2 = 4 credits
  • 1A = 2 credits
  • 2 = 2 credits
  • 3A = 4 credits
  • 3B = 3 credits
  • 6B = 4 credits
  • 8A = 1 credit
  • 8C = 7 credits
  • 9 = 2 credits
  • 10 = 6 credits
  • 13 = 1 credit
  • ProFACT = 1 credit

 

 

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , ,
September 19, 2025

Save the Dates – Sept. 23 (Final IPM webinar), Oct 7 (POSTPONED), Oct 22 (Core Credit, In-person)

Join us for the Final Ornamental IPM webinar Tuesday 9/23/25 

Still time to Sign up (click here) for the final remaining 2025 session

Topics to be covered:

  1. Beneficial insect: Preying mantids​
  2. Mums   ​
  3. White pine aphid​
  4. Eastern spruce gall adelgid​
  5. Cooley spruce gall adelgid​
  6. Hemlock woolly adelgid​
  7. Spruce spider mite​
  8. Southern red spider mite​
  9. Hemlock rust mite​
  10. Fall practices for sanitation
  11. Importance of fall irrigation in field ​settings​
  12. Using horticultural dormant oil​
  13. Questions to consider regarding​ your nursery IPM monitoring ​program

Please visit our new –Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program Website (click here)

 

More details and registration links to follow in the coming days – once CEUs and collaborators are finalized. NOTE: CEUs have been applied for but those listed below are not guaranteed. Both events are in-person in Cumberland County, NJ.   

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, pesticide credits, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
July 28, 2025 , and

Box tree moth confirmed in MD, VA, and expanded quarantines in MI, OH. Plus+ IPM webinar recordings and 8/12 session

Box tree moth has been detected in MD and VA.

Additionally quarantines have been expanded (7/21/25) in counties of Michigan and Ohio: Click here for: APHIS Expands Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) Quarantines in Michigan and Ohio (July 2025)

Click here for: Maryland BTM confirmed in Washington Co., MD.

Click here for: Virginia BTM confirmed at four sites in Clarke and Loudoun Counties, Va.

Efforts are being made to eradicate the pests at these locations & no additional quarantine information is available at this time. More information to follow.

Box Tree Moth – Resources:

Still time to Sign up for the 2025 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program

(Join us for the next Session Tuesday 8/12/25 – Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Lab – Rich Buckley (Guest Speaker))

Previous webinars:

Please visit our new –Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program Website

 

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,