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Spring Into Planting Season With Whole Habitat Designs

Whole Habitat Designs, LLC based out of Neshanic Station, is gearing up for the spring planting season.  The snow will soon be melting, which means the time for gardening is upon us.  Apart from spring clean-ups, it is also the time to prep, plant and prune in your landscape beds.  Frost in hardiness zone 6 will begin to thaw in late March, making April prime time to start your garden plans.

Nell Smith, founder and owner of Whole Habitat Designs has over 11 years of experience in horticulture.  “We always look forward to the warm weather and it couldn’t be more welcome this year after such record breaking cold temperatures. As soon as the last bit of snow melts we are ready to go to work for our clients in the garden.”

Whole Habitat Designs specializes in planning with native plants and sourcing local materials wherever possible, completing projects ranging from edible gardens to habitat restoration. They focus on high-quality workmanship and expertise in horticulture. Says Ms. Smith of Whole Habitat Designs, “Our goal is creating inspired spaces that will be loved the homeowner for years to come.”

For more information about Whole Habitat Designs, please call (908)-285-5663 or visit their website WholeHabitatDesigns.com.

News Briefs
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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