Dear Garden Problem Lady by Wendy Blair

THANK YOU

TO MY CLIENTS

My Clients Are Saying…

Dare managed the renovation of our home, including getting multiple bids from contractors... We ended up being extremely satisfied with the work that was done.

We loved her attitude and approach. She was confident, and helped us move forward, without pressuring us unnecessarily. She was nonjudgmental. She gave us space when we needed. We felt like she was letting us make decisions, but also was willing to sit in the driver’s seat as much as we needed.

She spent tons of her time -- much more than we would have expected from her. She told us beforehand that she enjoyed managing renovation projects, and it was clear that she did. She came by the property frequently during the renovations, to check on how things were going. She took the lead in marketing the home, and in negotiating the sale for us. The sale price ended up exceeding our expectations. We’d work with Dare again without hesitation. - Marc B , Seller

Dare Johnson

Realtor® DC D: 202.957.2947 O: 202.545.6900 Dare@RealEstateOnTheHill.com www.RealEstateOnTheHill.com

Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 | 202.545.6900

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The Capitol Hill Garden Club presents

Dear Garden Problem Lady,

by Wendy Blair

I heard there is a new kind of garden hose that snaps together, doing away with screw-tops that are di cult to wrench together or apart, especially at the inconveniently low garden taps on our house. Are these a good buy? My old hands are losing their grip.

Maybe yes. To begin, you will need to make sure the hose attaches cleanly to your faucet or tap. Try to nd a good salesperson at a good hardware store to help you. If you buy a Y-shaped connector to the faucet (accommodating two or more hoses instead of one) you can dedicate one hose to a far garden and one to close-by flowers. Or one hose can go to garden and the other to car washing, and a third to something else. However, online customers complain that not all “snap on” hose connector brands t with others. The snap-on connectors can vary in type and size, depending on the brand.

I bought a charming little Hummelo ower called “Betony” that has clumped beautifully, stayed neat, and bloomed its head o . Is it an annual?

Your plant label should tell you no, it is a perennial. It needs little care, is happy in full sun, and can accommodate some shade. It does need to be watered, of course, but moderately. And next spring it will come up around mid-April to do it all over again. Lucky you.

Hummelo ‘Betony’

My six new Lavender plants look good except for the leaves of one, which are turning yellow. Is this a worry?

It could be a serious problem if the one with yellowing leaves suffers from any of the following: (1) too much watering; or (2) too great humidity in the air; or (3) soil that is too rich; or (4) compacted soil (or more than one of the above). Alas you can do little about DC humidity. Just be aware that in Mediterranean climates, where lavender is native, the soil is poor, light, and airy. Your soil might contain too much nitrogen, compost, or manure. Try gently digging up the yellowing one, mixing coarse sand to its soil -- even some tiny stones -- and stopping all watering. Lavender prefers bad soil and drought! Without space (oxygen), lavender roots can su ocate especially if your soil is compostrich or compacted by water that can’t drain away fast.

For information about the Capitol Hill Garden Club, visit the club’s website: capitolhillgardenclub.org. The club is on summer break. Meetings will resume soon, on the second Tuesday in September. Please pay attention to whether meetings can resume to be ‘in person’ or must continue on zoom. Gardening will continue no matter what.

Feeling beset by gardening problems? Send them to the Problem Lady c/o the Editor, Hill Garden News. Your problems might even prove instructive to others and help them feel superior to you. Complete anonymity is assured. ◆

Keith Roofing

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A new deck over a garage with a frame for a sunshade and stainless steel cable railings.

Also additions, basements, whole house, replace windows & doors or restore/make them in our shop, kitchens, baths cabinets, counter tops, built-ins, etc.