Happenings September 2025

  September 2025

Solving a Bee Problem with a Shop Vac?

Listen for the Sounds of the Katydid Chorus

There’s Always Room for Composting!

The Benefits of Goldenrod

4-H News: Puppeteers Out and About and the Start of a New Season

September Is Better Breakfast Month: Start Your Day with a Recipe from SNAP-Ed

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Solving a Bee Problem with a Shop Vac?

by Jennifer Lerner, Senior Resource Educator

Each year we get panicked calls to the horticulture hotline about “bees” in the walls. Sometimes they are living in the foundation or emerging from next to a window and, worst of all, finding their way accidentally into the dwelling spaces.

Our first line of question is yellowjacket or honeybee? Turns out there is a dramatic difference! Not sure of what you have? Find a dead insect below the nest opening, safely retrieve it, and reach out to us for identification.

With honeybees, entire removal of the hive is essential. Some beekeepers and pest pros specialize in the careful removal and relocation of honeybees. However, you will also have to remove the honeycomb, as abandoned honey can attract pests who will find this sweet feast a treat in your walls.

Yellowjackets are a different story altogether. Unlike honeybees, they don’t store honey! The hive only exists for the summer season before a few queens move off to mate and the hive dies in late fall. Often, we don’t even know they are around. However, if the yellow jacket nest is near a place where people and pets will regularly encounter them, you may need to act.

Because ground-nesting yellow jackets live in cavities and void spaces, a typical long-range jet-spray pesticide will not reach into the cavity and only affect those insects coming and going in the entrance. In addition, plugging up the hole with live insects inside can be a big mistake because they will find a way out, often into the house.

You have two good options. The first is to contact a pest pro. They will have the equipment and pesticide options to tackle the toughest locations and pests. Turn to pest pros, especially if addressing a pest problem involves high or hard to reach places. Standing on ladders with stinging insects present is especially risky! Leave it to the pros.

Or, if the nest entrance is in a clear and easy-to-reach place, consider this no-pesticide approach. You’ll need a wet/dry shop vac, extension cord, 1-3 bungee cords or duct tape, and a ladder or chair. As with any activity around stinging insects, be sure your escape path is clear of tripping hazards. No banana peels or skateboards! Wear long sleeves, long pants, and button collars and sleeves as a precaution.

Remove the bag from the shop vacuum. Add 2 to 4 inches of soapy water to the bottom (see photo.) This is key as a shop vac full of dead yellow jackets is far better than a shop vac of live ones! Soap breaks the surface tension of water, and the insects become entrapped and drown.

Working away from the nest, set up the wet/dry shop vac with a long extension cord, turn the vacuum into the ‘on’ position but don’t plug it in: you’ll do that from a safe distance when everything else is set up. Use bungee cords or duct tape to firmly attach the nozzle to a chair or ladder at the estimated height. Using bungees allow you to fine tune the position later.

When everything is set, carefully slide the rigged shop vac into position. Adjust the height to come near the nest opening. The nozzle doesn’t have to be in the nest opening (see photo.) The vacuum doesn’t suck them out of the hole, rather as wasps leave and return from foraging, they come near the nozzle and—zoom—they are sucked down to Davy Jones’ soapy locker.

Run the wet/dry shop vac for 30 to 40 minutes and then let it cool off. Turn it off by unplugging it. Run it again later the same day for 30-40 minutes. Allow the shop vac to stand unplugged overnight and be sure to dump out the dead wasps and soap promptly the next morning to avoid smells.

Any larvae still in the nest may hatch in a week or so, and you may have to repeat the process to get the last of them.

Most importantly, when the wasps have gone and winter is nigh, be sure to seal up those holes, cracks, and crevices, or you may be at it again next year when a new yellow jacket queen looks for a place to start her family!

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Listen for the Sounds of the Katydid Chorus

by Jill Eisenstein, Master Gardener Volunteer

Have you heard them? Some have been singing most of the summer, but in mid-August, when the birds have fallen silent, the chorus seems louder. Or maybe it is louder.

One of the loudest among North American katydids, the common true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia), our nocturnal soundtrack, sings from dusk into the night through the late summer and early fall: mating season.

Katydids could have played in the old-time jug bands—they rub a rigid “scraper” on one forewing against a comb-like “file” on the other. The result is a rasping sound usually composed of two to three notes: ch-ch…ch-ch-ch…ch-ch-ch…ch-ch. They get their name from these mating calls, which people have said sound like someone repeatedly saying, “Katy, Katy did, Katy did, Katy.” The forewings of males bend out to make a resonance chamber that intensifies their sound. When there are many males in a location each male joins one of two choral groups. The two groups alternate their songs in a back-and-forth match, forming huge choruses that drown out other sounds of the late summer night. As temperatures decrease in the fall, the songs grow slower, usually fading into silence sometime in October.

The adults die off. The females will have deposited eggs in plant stems, tree bark or soil in late summer or early fall, and the katydid eggs hatch into nymphs the following spring. They chew on leaves and flowers but rarely cause significant plant damage as they grow into the adults we hear on late August nights.

By then, they have become geometric wonders—their large wings tower in a pyramid shape much taller than wide above their bodies. But katydids can barely fly! Instead of instruments for flying, the wings function both as musical instruments to propel reproduction, and camo gear to elude death. Looking absolutely like green leaves in shape and color, the wings are designed to keep them safe from predators like birds, rodents, tree frogs and praying mantids. And that’s why you are more likely to have heard them than seen them.

Enjoy the performance.

Resources:

https://extension.umaine.edu/home-and-garden-ipm

https://songsofinsects.com/katydids/common-true-katydid

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/katydids/

https://extension.msstate.edu

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There’s Always Room for Composting!

from Cornell Cooperative Extension Putnam County

As we all try to reduce our contributions to the waste stream, we think about recycling our glass and reducing plastic use. But what about food scraps, paper towels, and even shredded documents? Even if you are not a gardener, composting yard debris and kitchen scraps makes sense. Up to 75 percent of the items in landfills today could have been composted. Why burden our landfills with waste that we can compost at home, safely, easily and cheaply?

Microbe Power
The concept of composting is a simple one: put enough organic matter, in the form of nitrogen or carbon, into a pile and let microbes do their work! Bacteria start the process, using nitrogen available from wet compost like vegetable waste and coffee grounds, to consume the carbon sources like shredded newsprint and dry leaves. Fungi jump in on the process, followed by larger organisms like centipedes and earthworms.

Organic Matters
What qualifies as “Organic matter?” Anything that was once alive has the capacity to be dismantled by microorganisms. So, a surprising array of organic matter can be worked into the compost. This can include, depending on your intended final product, corrugated cardboard, grass clippings, sawdust and even shredded paper!

When composting kitchen scraps, be sure to exclude meat, bones and fatty foods like cheese and used fry oil. These things do not compost well and can attract wildlife to compost, as well as create some unpleasant odors.

Let’s Cook
What keeps a compost pile happy? It’s all in the balance. And while organic matter will compost even if you don’t get these factors just right, here are some things to keep in mind when you build your compost pile.

Carbon-Nitrogen Balance
Sounds daunting, but it’s not. You just have to keep the microbes happy! Your pile needs enough nitrogen (generally wet or green items), to feed the microbes that’ll break down the carbon (generally dry or brown items). The best ratio is 1 part nitrogen to 30 parts carbon: most organic matter has some carbon and some nitrogen. But to keep it simple, here is an example: a pound of coffee grounds (nitrogen) to a bushel of leaves (carbon). If that sounds like a lot of carbon, you’re right. One of the biggest mistakes new composters make is not adding enough carbon: without it the compost can become stinky and wet! You can keep a carbon “stockpile” nearby. It will be your best composting friend!

Surface Area
Why shred your papers or run your leaves through the lawn mower? The more surface area you can create on those carbon-rich sources, the faster the microbes can break them down. Imagine throwing a whole phone book in the compost: chances are years later you’d still be able to read it. But, if you shredded and wrinkled the pages, and discarded the thick cover and binding, that same phone book would compost in less than a year.

Air and Water
We need air and water and so do the microbes. If your compost bin is tightly lidded, you’ll need to add water. Here’s one easy way: if you are collecting kitchen scraps, just add water to your scrap pail on the way out to the compost bin, then pour it and the scraps in together. Keep your compost as moist as a wrung-out sponge—not dripping and not dry.

Air is just as important. Most commercially made compost bins already have air holes in their sides, but on homemade bins you can use hardware cloth, even chicken wire, to allow air to move into the pile. Occasional turning will increase composting speed. (Though compost will still decompose without turning.)

Pile it On
Twenty-seven cubic feet (a 3’ x 3’ x 3’ pile) is the magic number in composting. Compost piles smaller than 3 feet take a long time to compost. But they do eventually break down. This is called "cool" or "passive" composting.

Piles around 27 cubic feet compost best. With the carbon to nitrogen ratio just right, these piles compost at high temperatures caused by intense microbial activity. This is called "hot" or "active" composting.

Piles larger than 3 feet don’t compost well, as air and water can’t get into the center of the pile, which slows down composting and makes for strong odors.

Build Your Own!
There are a number of easy-to-use compost bins out there on the market, but you can also build your own with inexpensive, or often free, materials.

If you are just collecting yard waste, such as leaves and grass clippings, you may opt for a holding bin. These can be made with scrap fencing, or discarded shipping pallets. Even a perforated plastic garbage bin can serve as a composting unit.

But if you are collecting yard waste, kitchen scraps, shredded paper (no glossy magazine paper), and manure, you may want to make a turning unit. This can be a single lidded composter or the three-bin turning unit pictured here.

If you are strapped for space, you might like to look into vermiculture or worm composting. Vermiculture bins can be small, made from inexpensive materials that require very few tools to construct, and can be kept in a house or apartment. The worms used for worm composting (Red Wigglers) require warmth through the winter months, so bins should be sited indoors or in a protected location where they can’t freeze.

Many people find it helpful to have two bins running. Once one is filled, leave it alone and let it rot! Then, you can start filling the second bin, alternating this way, and harvesting your nutrient rich compost!

The End Results
Compost is often referred to as “brown gold,” rich in organic matter and beneficial microbes. Add it to flower beds, spread it around the base of shrubs, or use it in your vegetable garden.

When is compost done? Once the compost has an even color, and smells like soil, with no off odors, it’s ready to use. You shouldn’t be able to easily detect the materials it is made out of (except for the occasionally avocado pit or egg shell). If it was a hot or active compost pile, wait until it’s the same temperature as the surrounding soil. If it was a cool or passive pile, wait until the compost is even in color and consistency.

For more information and videos on composting, see our composting page https://cceputnamcounty.org/gardening/compost-resources

Sources:
Worms Eat my Garbage, by Mary Appelhof, paperback, 162 pages, Flower Press, 1977.

Home Composting, 4 p. brochure, Cornell Waste Management Institute, http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/compostbrochure.pdf

Backyard Composting, HG-35, by Lewis Shell, Maryland Cooperative Extension, Home and Garden Information Center, http://www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg35_006.pdf

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The Benefits of Goldenrod

by Jill Eisenstein, Master Gardener Volunteer

In some circles, goldenrod (Solidago spp.) is despised. I used to be in one of those circles. As steamy August days got shorter and summer flowers dropped their bright skirts and bowed their heads, goldenrod blazed forth in golden splendor. And I began to sneeze. My mother told me it was those nasty yellow flowers all over the fields and roadsides.

It wasn’t. The surreptitious culprit, waving a nondescript green flowerhead loaded with pollen dust, was ragweed (Ambrosia spp.). They bloom at the same time.

A single ragweed plant can produce a billion grains of pollen and that pollen can remain airborne for several days. Ragweed has no need to be showy or beautiful; it has no interest in birds, bees or butterflies, just the wind. All these years, it has inconspicuously caused histamine reactions in humans and let goldenrod take the rap.

Flamboyant goldenrod—for centuries is has been known for its healing properties and used for dyes. Prolific producer of nectar and pollen from late summer into fall, it is an important flowering plant for native bees, and actually crucial to the winter survival of some honeybees. The pollen, which is sticky and carried by insects, NOT wind, adds considerable amounts of protein, fats and minerals to the late-season diet of the bees. Goldenrod also produces many seeds and so has earned a beloved spot in the diet of goldfinches, grosbeaks and nuthatches.

Other birds, especially chickadees and downy woodpeckers, like the energy-rich larvae hidden in goldenrod galls. Goldenrods are host to about fifty species of gall-making insects, from moths to flies to midges. Goldenrod bunch galls, also called rosette galls, are the result of an egg being laid in the topmost leaf bud of Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) by a midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis). The stem stops growing, but the leaves don’t. The resulting rosette of leaves provides shelter and food for the midge larva, and well as many other insects, including other midges. Another gall-making insect, the Goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidagninis) parasitizes not the leaf buds but the stems of goldenrod plants causing them to produce large spherical galls. The larva overwinters in the gall and emerges in the spring if it doesn’t get eaten first, either by the birds or by wasps that live in the same gall.

Goldenrod also attracts butterflies. The native Canada goldenrod is a food source for monarch, clouded sulfur, American small copper, and gray hairstreak.

Goldenrod flowers grow as an inflorescence in a broad or sometimes narrow pyramidal panicle. The stems can be anywhere from 2 to 5 feet tall. There are several to many horizontal branches, which carry numerous, densely-crowded small heads of golden yellow flowers.

Time for full disclosure. You should know the other reason they are sometimes despised: some, and especially the ubiquitous Canada goldenrod, have not been known to behave nicely with other plants. Clonal in nature, Canada goldenrod reproduces by rhizomes as well as by seed, and can be quite aggressive in taking ground. Left unchecked, they have been known to take over even raspberry patches.

In their defense, if you want a wild native plant garden, rhizomes could be checked by using underground barriers, or you could pull or dig the ones you don’t want. The golden flowers look especially great with purple asters, Joe Pye (Eupatorium), and New York Ironweed (Vernonia).

Goldenrod for Gardens

Otherwise, you could opt for other-than-wild. There are about 140 varieties of goldenrod today, and many of the more recent varieties are, you might say, well-bred. They are much better behaved than their wild cousins and quite lovely in perennial gardens. Most are hardy from USDA zones 4 to 7. The plants will survive just about anywhere, though most prefer full sun. Goldenrods also tolerate a variety of soil types. Although many insects love them, including the gall insects, ambush bugs, butterflies and bees, they are relatively pest free (well, their insects tend to like just goldenrod) and drought tolerant. Clumps can be rejuvenated by division in spring every 4 to 6 years.

Fireworks goldenrod (S. rugosa ‘Fireworks’) and Showy goldenrod (S. speciose) are popular. Grey goldenrod (S. nemoralis) does well in sandy soil but needs to be re-sown every few years. Swamp goldenrod (S. uliginosa) actually performs well in areas with wet soil, and if you need a salt-tolerant goldenrod, there is Seaside (S. sempervirens), whose height varies from 1 to 8 feet depending on its growing conditions. Stiff goldenrod (S. rigida), which is 3-5 feet tall and clump forming, might do best with tall plants at the back of the border. White goldenrod (S. bicolor), also called silverrod, likes sandy soil and is the only member of the genus in the East that doesn’t have bright yellow flowers. Its tiny white flowers are clustered in the axis of the leaves.

All varieties of goldenrod make beautiful cut flowers, especially now that you know you could not possibly be allergic to them. They add pizazz and attract birds, bees and butterflies to your fall landscape.

The right goldenrod in your landscape might be worth its weight in, oh, gold. If your garden needs new eye-pop for autumn, may I suggest a brilliant goldenrod paired with purple?

References:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/goldenrod/goldenrod-care-information.htm. Accessed 13 July 2019.

Holland, Mary. Naturally Curious Day by Day. Lanham, MD: Stackpole Books. 2016. Pp. 255, 277.

Beaulieu, David. Goldenrod Plant Profile. https://www.thespruce.com/goldenrod-wildflowers-2132951. Accessed 19 July 2019.

Ruttle, Jack. Goldenrod. https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/241/. Accessed 18 July 2019.

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4-H News: Puppeteers Out and About and the Start of a New Season

by Brandy Keenan, 4-H Educator

Puppeteers visit museum

On August 7th, the Puppeteer Players toured the Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut. They learned about different types of puppets and puppetry throughout history, and after the tour they learned how to make shadow puppets from some of the puppetry majors at the college. It was the perfect way to close out the season!

4-H registration opens in September

Registration for our 4-H Clubs opens Sept. 15.

The Annual 4-H Enrollment Fee is $35 per youth, per year. Once enrolled, youth are welcome to join 4-H Clubs, participate in short-term programs (SPARKS) and take part in special events held throughout the year! There will be several new clubs this year: Hay, Now Livestock Club, NatureCraft Club and a second sewing club. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to join a community of young learners and tomorrow's leaders. Enroll your child in Putnam 4-H today! 

In addition, we are also looking for a facepainting club leader and SPARKS leaders. If you are interested to leading a club, please reach out to Brandy Keenan at 845-278-6738 or bmk98@cornell.edu.

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September Is Better Breakfast Month: Why Is It So Important?

from Maria Portelos-Rometo, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

Do you skip eating breakfast or maybe skimp on breakfast? For some, not being hungry in the morning or not having enough time is a good reason to skip this important meal altogether. But you might want to re-think that habit.

Breakfast is your body’s early morning refueling after eight or more hours without a meal. Your body needs to refuel for the day ahead whether you’re going to school, going to work, staying at home. Whatever the activity is, your body needs food energy to get you through the day. Also, think of breakfast as a marker for healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle and not just a source of food energy. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, individuals who regularly eat a morning meal usually consume more vitamins, minerals and fiber for the day.

So, what’s a good breakfast? Well, there’s no real consensus on what foods make the best breakfast. A lot depends on what and how much you eat the rest of the day.

Select foods that you enjoy, that are easy and quick to prepare and clean-up. Stay away from foods that provide no real nutritional benefit and are high in added sugars, saturated fats and calories. Choose foods from at least three of the food groups including protein-rich foods and whole grains which are rich in fiber. Try to include a serving of fruit into your breakfast. It could be a fruit smoothie, a serving of fresh blueberries or strawberries or perhaps 100% fruit juice. Don’t leave out a calcium choice as well such as a fat-free or low-fat dairy. 

Looking for a protein boost in the morning? Here are 6 fast and easy suggestions from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

1. Eat a grab-in-go bran muffin and banana. Partner this with a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or a large, hard-boiled egg for 6 more grams of protein. 
2. Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on your toast instead of butter or margarine. Or try 4 tablespoons of hummus for 5 grams of protein.
3. Switch the yogurt with added sugars to 6 ounces of Greek yogurt for 18 grams of protein. If you are paying attention to your calcium count for the day, unless fortified with calcium, Greek yogurt likely has less calcium than regular yogurt. Read the nutritional facts label for more information.
4. Make oatmeal with milk instead of water for 8 grams of protein. Top your oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of walnuts for 2 more grams of protein or add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to your oatmeal.
5. Add ham or Canadian bacon to a breakfast sandwich. Or try adding an ounce of Cheddar cheese to your sandwich for 6 grams of protein.
6. Give your smoothie a protein boost beyond the milk or yogurt. Instead, add a 1-ounce scoop of whey protein for 16 grams of protein or add a tablespoon or about 1/2 ounce of chia seeds for 2 or more grams of protein.

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Well, it’s hard to say one meal is more important than another, but spreading nutrients out throughout the day is generally advised. So, with this, starting the day with a healthy meal can get you off to a good start. 

To learn more visit: myplate.gov.

Overnight Oats

submitted by Josephine Quiocho, Nutrition Educator

This recipe is easy and delicious. Great for breakfast on the go. Flavored yogurt could be substituted for extra sweetness. Try with any combination of fruit you have on hand!

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup nonfat or 1% milk
• 1/2 cup berries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup chopped apple (about 1/3 a medium apple [3” diameter])

Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, mix oats, yogurt and milk.
2. Add the fruit now or add just before eating.
3. Cover and refrigerate oatmeal mixture for 6-12 hours. (For grab-and-go breakfasts, place scoops of mixture in small dishes or spoon into small jars with lids.)
4. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Source: SNAP-Ed New York

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Last updated September 1, 2025