Group gives tips for nature-friendly gardens
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - In anticipation of both novice and experienced gardeners going through the seeds and plants they "hort-ed" through the winter, the township's Environmental Commission has some suggestions for sprucing up natural horticulture this spring.

Gardening designs not only add to the beauty of a landscape but also help the environment. Mark Hommer, chairperson of the commission, said providing an inviting environment will attract many types of fauna that spread seeds, eat insects and pollinate flowers.

"Because they add so much to the beauty and enjoyment of home gardens, backyard horticulturists usually welcome certain winged creatures, such as birds, bees and butterflies. Making the right gardening choices will help them feel at home," he said.

Birds typically find food and habitats in shrubs, trees, wildflowers and perennials, so plants should be selected that produce flowers, fruit or seeds at different times of the year. For example, Hommer said that elderberry and blueberry plants produce berries in the spring, while sunflowers, echinacea and black-eyed Susans yield seeds late in the summer. Dried flower heads can be left so birds can eat the seeds as they ripen.

"The environmental bonus is that many birds eat huge numbers of insects each day, which helps control the population of mosquitoes and other pesky insects," he said.

However, bees are one type of insect that should be left to flourish. By helping to pollinate plants, they are responsible in part for 15 to 30 percent of the food U.S. consumers eat, according to National Geographic News. To attract bees, plant colorful flowers in groups and cultivate sweet-smelling herbs such as basil among vegetable crops. Fennel in the garden provides nectar for the bees and also attracts beneficial insects, Hommer said.

Another insect to enjoy is the butterfly, which benefits the ecosystem by spreading pollen as it moves from flower to flower. New Jersey is home to the monarch, tiger swallowtail, black swallowtail, mourning cloak, and the silver spotted skipper varieties of butterflies.

"Butterflies like sunny locations and brilliant colors. When looking for a place to lay their eggs, they prefer plant species that their caterpillars will eat. Many native New Jersey plants and trees provide both food and habitat to butterflies, including flowering dogwoods, wild black cherries, milkweeds, hyssops, phlox, asters, viburnums and violets," Hommer said.

In order to keep gardens beautiful but animals and insects safe, the use of pesticides is not advised because the chemicals can kill insects that provide food for birds, contaminate water supplies and adversely impact human health.

"According to the Migratory Bird Center at the Smithsonian Institute, an estimated 67 million birds die annually due to pesticides used on U.S. agricultural lands. So far, about 40 active ingredients in pesticides have been found to be lethal to birds, even when used according to the instructions on the label; only about a quarter of these ingredients have been banned in the United States," Hommer said. "In the past 50 years, the domesticated honeybee population has declined by about 50 percent, due in part to pesticides sprayed on crops. Butterflies, which are insects, are particularly threatened by insecticide use."

The Environmental Commission and the town's Department of Public Works have been working together to deter pesticide use.

"In North Brunswick Township we are working toward having a policy of integrated pest management on municipal property, which means we use the best available information and the most economical means possible to control pests with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment," Hommer said. "We are also working on developing an ordinance to regulate and control the application and use of pesticides townwide."

Instead of pesticides, Hommer recommended buying local species plants because they are suited to the local climate and therefore need less watering and can better resist local pests without the use of chemicals. Also, certain plants help keep pests away naturally. For example, Hommer cites dill, fennel and yarrow as attracting parasitic wasps that attack many garden pests, and sunflowers that attract ambush bugs, which eat flower-loving insets.

He also recommended that nature lovers make sure their plants get enough soil, water, nutrients and space in order to grow properly and maintain their own defenses. Pest problems should be treated early on before the plants become damaged.

The all-volunteer Environmental Commission meets monthly and has been working on several other projects to help inform residents and advise municipal governments on ways to conserve natural resources and protect the environment in the town. For more information about the organization, contact Hommer at (732) 297-8982.