Washington Gardener Magazine August 2023

WASHINGTON g a rdener

Monkey Balls, the Funky Milkweed

Getting Rid of the Spotted Lanternflies

Meet Claudia Tsas, Founder of Kharis Lavender Fields

Moisture-Loving Native Plants

Be Wary of Low-Acidity Vinegar

When Canning

Preserving History at Dumbar ton House

Great Gardening Books Reviewed

Mothballs Are a Pesticide

Propagating Sof twood & Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

How to Grow Delicious Carrots (even in containers!)

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out on the 15th of every month. Contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588-6894 for ad rates (starting from $200) The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

ooo o o o

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the DC region and ONLINE! Call 240.603.1461 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR

Barry Glick

Sunshine Farm and Gardens 696 Glicks Road

Renick, WV 24966, USA

Email: barry@sunfarm.com www.sunfarm.com

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round goldmine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It’s an outdoor classroom for children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife. It’s also a museum, a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long, rich history with colonial origins. Located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA. Information: 703-642-5173.

Claudia Tsas, founder of Kharis Lavender Fields, credits Bethesda Green, a nonprofit that helps meet local environmental challenges, for helping her start her business. “I got the idea to use my land to grow lavender, a sustainable plant with low carbon and water footprints. Not to mention lavender has long been known for its soothing scent and natural healing properties!”

Got a Garden Question?

question you need answered? Send your questions to KathyJentz@gmail.com and use the subject line “Q&A.” Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.

Got a

Dumbarton House is a Federal style house in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It was completed around 1800 and stands on approximately an acre of gardens.

Greater Purple Fringed Bog-Orchid (Platanthera grandiflora) is pollinated mainly by swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus, Papilio polyxenes, and Papilio troilus) and a species of moth (Autographa ampla).

Collecting My Laurels

I’m honored to announce that I won two 2023 Media Awards—Gold Laurel Medals of Achievements—and a Silver Laurel as well. These international awards are presented by GardenComm (Garden Communicators International) and recognize individuals and companies achieving the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications.

Here are the awards I received:

• Gold: Podcast Series (Overall): GardenDC Podcast

• Gold: Speaking (Live Presentation): Deer & Garden Mammals Talk

• Silver: Social Media: @WDCgardener Twitter Account

The categories are judged for “accuracy, content, production value, and style.” The 2023 competition had 121 entries in 39 categories.

“The GardenComm Media Awards showcase writers, photographers, editors, videographers, social media managers, publishers, and trade companies that have demonstrated excellence in garden communications in print or electronic communications,” says Maria Zampini, president of GardenComm.

Since the early 1980s, the GardenComm Media Awards program has recognized outstanding writing, photography, graphic design, and illustration for books, newspaper stories, magazine articles, and other works focused on gardening.

The full list of winners will be available on the GardenComm website at https:// gardencomm.org/.

Sincerely,

Credits

Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher

Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave.

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Phone: 301-588-6894

kathyjentz@gmail.com

www.washingtongardener.com

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

Proofreader

Taylor Edwards

Marissa Yelenik

Interns

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Volume 18, Number 6

ISSN 1555-8959

© 2023 Washington Gardener

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener KathyJentz@gmail.com

All rights reserved. Published monthly. No material may be reproduced without prior written permission. This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that the information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to legality, completeness, or technical accuracy.

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

Your editor at the GardenComm awards banquet. Photo by Sean and Allison McManus.

Reader Contest

For our August 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a Gardener’s Harvesting Set from Garrett Wade.

The set includes Forged Carbon Steel Hand Pruners, French Harvesting Knife, and Galvanized Steel Trug (value $103). These three items are beautifully made, highly functional, and built to last.

Garrett Wade (https://garrettwade. com/) is a Brooklyn-based company that partners with craftsman around the globe for the best-in-class hand tools for the home, garden, and kitchen.

To enter to win the Gardener’s Harvesting Set, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on August 31 with “Gardener’s Harvesting Set” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on September 1. o

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/MidAtlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out in the middle of every month. Contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates (starting from $200). The ad deadline is the 5th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

GROUNDCOVER REVOLUTION IS OUT

By Kathy Jentz

Published by Cool Springs Press

Order it today at:

https://amzn.to/3IlYHYL

“Groundcover Revolution is must-have book for anyone who is interested in having less lawn, fewer weeds, and reduced mulching. The properties charts will save the reader time and money, the pictures provide inspiration, while the detailed plant portraits give the focused information needed for creating beautiful, functional landscapes.”

―C.L. Fornari, GardenLady.com

“Inspire. Connect. Grow.”

Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) is an easy program to participate in and really does not take any extra resources than what you may have in your garden. In normal times, about 35 million people wonder where their next meal will come from. Most of these are children. That’s where PAR steps in.

PAR is such a simple program: It urges gardeners to Plant A Row (or a container) dedicated to feeding the hungry, and then take the harvest to someplace or someone that needs it. Once you have donated, send an email to KathyJentz@gmail.com with the total (in pounds and ounces) of what you gave. That is all there is to it. Easy. Effective. Adaptable and Helpful.

The National Garden Bureau is a nonprofit organization that exists to educate, inspire, and motivate people to increase the use of garden seed, plants, and products in homes, gardens, and workplaces by being the marketing arm of the gardening industry. Our members are experts in the field of horticulture and our information comes directly from these sources.

Claudia Tsas Founder and CEO of Kharis Lavender Fields

By Marissa Yelenik

Claudia Tsas (pronounced ut-sas), the founder and CEO of

Fields, started her business on a lot next to her residential property in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Tsas was born in Bolivia, South America, but moved to Maryland in 2005 and has resided in the area ever since. She values kindness and humility and works to incorporate her family into her business.

With a background in business, Tsas previously had no experience with

gardening but now provides lavender fields, lavender products, and a venue for events. She hopes to expand her business’ culinary production to local shops and hotels.

What is Kharis Lavender Fields? Where did the name Kharis come from?

It comes from the Greek word for grace. It is the result of a spiritual and relational journey that took me to a different level of understanding of God’s “grace.”

Kharis is devoted to supporting a natural and balanced way of life. Our goods are formulated with ingredients provided by nature, handcrafted with love, and delivered directly from the farm to every family and home. We are just as passionate about respecting the environment, using our business to provide opportunities for the underprivileged, and creating a brighter world for our children.

Tell me about the founding of your company.

We started our lavender adventure in March 2020. It was an exciting, scary, fulfilling, and never-ending learning process. It is wonderful to work so close to home because I don’t need to be driving or in traffic at any time, and I can be there when my kids need me.

Do you have any gardening background? Why lavender?

No, I don’t have a gardening background. We are focused on growing only lavender at this point in our business development. As soon as I started my research on the medical benefits of lavender, especially in relation to mental health, I felt the desire to share all this knowledge with a community seeking natural ways of self-care and their families.

I fell in love with the medicinal properties of lavender; its ability to help with mental health and its antiseptic properties allows us to use its essential oil in numerous essential products for our homes, family, and self-care.

Does your family take part in the company or fields?

Absolutely! My husband, our adult kids, young kids, in-law kids, and grandkids all have a role or level of involvement in the company.

What kind of products do you produce?

We have a variety of self-care products like lotions, soaps, body and lip scrubs, shower steamers, etc. We offer homecare products such as carpet refreshers, linen sprays, candles, etc. Our gourmet selection includes lavender tea blends, lavender honey, and lavender balsamic vinegar.

Kharis Lavender

Tell us about the different components of Kharis. What draws the most attention?

It all depends on the season. When the plants are in bloom, visiting the fields is at the top of our customers’ attention. During the off-season, our Lavender Barn functions as a venue for private events and classes, which helps us create community. The holiday season brings more attention to our products and gift suggestions.

Who has most influenced your career?

I was very influenced by Steve Jobs’ biography with his love for detail. His focus on the customer experience and the aesthetics of each of the products he developed inspired me to strive for the same.

What advice would you give to gardeners who want to build their own plant-based companies?

Aspiring founders should write a business plan, seek local advice from their agricultural extension office, make a detailed analysis of their S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), and keep in mind that it takes time to build a dream.

Do you have any plans for the future?

We are looking forward to expanding our culinary lavender production to meet restaurants’, coffee places’, and hotels’ demands for lavender products.

How can readers contact you to find out more?

My email is claudia.tsas@ kharislavender.com and our website is www.kharislavender.com. Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience and journey with your readers. o

Marissa Yelenik is a rising junior journalism and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is a Savage, MD, native and amateur gardener

Kharis Lavender Fields is a miniature farm, processing plant, factory, retailer, and destination.

The Enduring History of Dumbarton House

By Taylor Edwards

Nestled in Georgetown in Washington, DC, lies Dumbarton House, which carries a deep-rooted heritage and close ties to the early history of the United States. The estate, which is the national headquarters of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA), has exclusive perks for members, such as access to the museum, programs, and more.

Carol Cadou, the executive director of Dumbarton House, gave us an inside look into the mansion’s rich legacy, the NSCDA, and what grows in Dumbarton’s public gardens.

The History of Dumbarton House

The name Dumbarton comes from Ninian Beall, the founder of Georgetown.

According to Cadou, the 700-acre land was initially named the Rock of Dumbarton after a famous rock outcropping in Scotland.

A man named Samuel Jackson created the house for Washington elites to enjoy. After the Jackson family moved out of the house, Joseph Nourse moved in from Philadelphia with his family. He was the first registrar of the Treasury, managing the accounts of the early federal government. After he left, several congressional representatives and military officers lived there for a short period of time and used the house for purposes such as dinners after congressional sessions.

“What’s interesting about the house to me is that it was, very early on, identified as a national headquarters

for one of the nation’s oldest women’s organizations, and that is the NSCDA,” said Cadou.

After being formed in 1891, the organization decided to focus on historical preservation in response to many of America’s historic sites being torn down during industrialization. In 1928, they decided to move their headquarters to DC and officially named the mansion Dumbarton House. Cadou shared a fun fact about how the house was not in its original spot, fronting on Q Street, and had been moved back about 100 feet.

“Over the course of several months, some records say it was just with one horse that it moved an inch a day,” Cadou said with a light laugh. “I find it hard to believe that one horse could pull it an inch a day.”

To restore the museum to its colonial glory, the NSCDA hired professionals, including Fiske Kimball. The museum is reminiscent of what the house would have looked like for the Nourse family and has been updated from what the staff discovered in the archives over the years.

The Dumbarton House Gardens and Grounds

Kimball was a well-known preservation architect and was responsible for restoring residences such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. He designed a garden niche in Dumbarton’s back garden that was inspired by the Georgian era in Europe because of its symmetry and central walkway. It is called a colonial revival garden. In the backlot, there is a miniature version of where the outbuildings would be in the back of the mansion. Here, there would be stables, carriage houses, washhouses, and a dairy where slaves and indentured servants would have worked.

With the help of the Georgetown Garden Club, the house gained another garden that the public has open access to. The club helped put in plants that were representative of what would have grown in the 19th century. For example, women used the garden to grow herbs for healing and medical purposes. It was designed by Meade Palmer. The garden received a refresh from advisory board member Guy Williams, who is now at DCA Landscape Architects. It was decided not to have a garden in the

front of the house because, in the past, that space was used for carriages to arrive.

According to Tucker Broadbooks, marketing and communications manager, upkeep of gardens was important to the original inhabitants of the house. Joseph Nourse kept a journal on how to raise plants where he admitted that he copied farming techniques from a neighbor because he noticed that their crops were growing better than anyone else’s.

The gardens are open to the public during normal business hours. A local landscape service manages the general upkeep. Kathy and Joe Clare are two dedicated garden volunteers that come one morning a week for about five hours from spring to November. Kathy, a horticulturist, has been caring for the garden for 20 years. She said that a friend encouraged her to volunteer at the house. After 17 years, the friend moved to South Carolina and Joe has been helping out ever since.

Kathy described the East Park as having an assortment of plants such as daffodils, peonies, daylilies, lambs ear, and lycoris.

“The North Garden has quite extensive beds on either side of the North Garden Niche and is a work in progress. Meanwhile, we are kept busy just keeping the Lenten roses, daylilies, catmint, iris, false indigo, hosta, peonies, and cranesbill geraniums looking neat and tidy, and there are always the ever-present weeds to deal with,” said Kathy.

A few historical trees were planted on the grounds, such as the Magnolia in front of the house. Some plants around the property are listed on their website: American Holly, chaste tree, witch hazel, and more. The herb garden was designed by Williams after he

researched the types of plants used in the Federal period. These include basil, chamomile, yarrow, sage, rosemary, and more.

Events and Museum

The house hosts a variety of events to engage with the local community. Dolly Days is reminiscent of Dolly Madison stopping by the house in her escape when the White House burned in 1814. There are programs catered specifically to Girl Scouts, where troops can sign up for museum tours that coincide with their fall and spring schedules. One of the programs is called the Growing Gardener Program.

The organization has started a series called Community Conversations that center on discussing history, such as how to research and fill in the gaps of those who lived in the house or Georgetown in general. The house is a famous spot for Jane Austen’s movie showings because of its similar period atmosphere. Weddings are the house’s most popular event, with two to three weddings on average per weekend in warmer months such as April, May, and June.

The museum has several collections that show what living would look like in the Federal period. Cadou and Broadbooks provided a quick tour of what each room in the house represented. In the breakfast room, women would use

watercolors as a pastime. In the next room is a drawing by a local gardener of what residents would have seen looking out into the garden, which was more agricultural than the urban environment that appears today.

Confusing the Two Dumbartons

Many tourists confuse Dumbarton Oaks and Dumbarton House when they visit Georgetown. When the NSCDA first acquired the house, it was called Bell Vue. They renamed it to Dumbarton so it wouldn’t be confused with other Bell Vues in the area. Years later, Harvard University established the museum and gardens at Dumbarton Oaks.

“It was their attempt to avoid a common name and mix-up when [it] in fact has just contributed to it. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to have a good relationship with our colleagues at Dumbarton Oaks on everything from sharing visitors to occasionally sharing misdirected pieces of mail or packages,” said Cadou.

“And the occasional April Fool’s joke on Instagram,” said Broadbooks. o Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener.

Be Wary of Low-Acidity Vinegar Options When Preserving Food at Home

Pickled vegetables in a mason jar. Homemade salsa. Craft ketchup. Each summer, people use a variety of home food preservation methods to make their garden harvests last all year, and many of them involve acidifying food with vinegar.

But with low-acidity vinegars becoming increasingly prevalent, consumers can’t grab just any bottle from the shelf. They need to check the label carefully, according to Virginia Tech food safety experts Melissa Wright and Lester Schonberger, because any vinegar with less than 5 percent acidity cannot be used in home food preservation.

“There has been a recent increase in the number of questions we’ve been getting about the presence of 4 percent acidity vinegars in the marketplace and if these can be used to safely preserve foods at home,” said Schonberger, associate Extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology. “No, they cannot.”

While vinegar comes in many varieties, including distilled, white, apple cider, balsamic, red wine, malt, and more, all contain acetic acid and should be labeled with their contents’ percent acidity. Schonberger said, consumers should avoid buying any that don’t for their home canning needs.

“Some labels may also bear the concentration in grains, where 10 grain is equal to 1 percent acidity, so you’d want to look for 50 grain vinegar,” said Wright, director of the Food Producer Technical Assistance Network in the Department of Food Science and Technology. “Vinegars with less than 5 percent acetic acid concentration should never be used in home food preservation, as they can lead to unsafe pH levels and spoilage.”

Vinegars with greater than 5 percent acidity are an acceptable substitute when 5 percent isn’t available as long as consumers don’t use less vinegar than a recipe calls for, and it should be assumed that all non-specific recipes refer to an at least 5 percent acidity product—5 percent is the standard for recipes.

“A food scientist knowledgeable in

acidified foods or a local Extension agent would be good resources to help with answering questions about a recipe,” she said. “When in doubt, reach out.”

For questions about where to get good food-safe recipes, home canners can consult the National Center for Home Food Preservation, the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, or a Cooperative Extension System such as Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE). o

Mothballs Are a Pesticide Controlling pests outdoors is a common summer activity for gardeners, but it’s also important to know how to safely and effectively protect against an insect that feeds indoors and can ruin clothing.

Mothballs, one of the most common methods to control clothes moths, must be recognized as a pesticide that can be harmful to humans or animals when misused, according to Tim Stock, Extension integrated pest management education specialist and director of the OSU Extension School IPM Program.

“People often use mothballs in inappropriate sites and against incorrect pests,” said Stock, who co-authored “Mothballs: Proper Use and Alternative Controls for Clothes Moths.” “The only recommendation that counts is the product label, which is a legal document whose instructions must be followed—particularly on where mothballs may be used and which pests they will control.”

Mothballs should not be used in attics, crawl spaces, gardens, trash cans, or vehicles, Stock said.

“Unfortunately, mothballs are used in these locations to control pests other than clothes moths, including squirrels, skunks, deer, mice, rats, dogs, cats, raccoons, moles, snakes, pigeons, and a variety of other animals,” Stock said. “Any such use is illegal and can be

harmful to human health. A relatively common mistake is placing mothballs in an attic to repel squirrels. This will almost always result in a persistent and noxious odor throughout the home.”

Mothballs—which come in cakes, crystals, tablets, bars, and flakes—contain either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene as active ingredients. Never mix these two types of mothballs, Stock said. Following the label instructions will limit exposure to these chemicals and control the moths most effectively.

“Both chemicals are fumigants, meaning that their volatile chemicals will vaporize at lower temperatures, such as room temperature,” Stock said. “Naphthalene has been associated with adverse health effects such as headache, nausea, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. Paradichlorobenzene is also a potential hazard, although typically less [dangerous] than naphthalene.”

Mothballs must be used in an airtight space, such as an airtight garment bag or other containers labeled as airtight, and never in an open closet or plastic garbage bag. Once vapors enter the home, their odor can be detected at a few parts per billion in the air.

Alternative ways to control clothes moths are available for those who prefer not to use chemical treatments. The best way to protect at-risk (animal-fiber) clothing from clothes moths is by keeping clothes clean and storing them in airtight containers.

“For existing infestations of clothes moths, you must do more,” Stock said. “Vacuum drawers and closets using a HEPA vacuum cleaner. Also, vacuum furniture and other places that provide food sources such as lint, pet hair, and human hair.”

After vacuuming, promptly dispose of the vacuum bag. Boric acid dust can be used to treat cracks and crevices once the infested articles have been removed and cleaned. But Stock cautioned people to always follow label requirements when applying boric acid dusts.

“For stored clothing that is not kept in airtight containers, place the clothing in the dryer or in the sun once or twice a month to destroy larvae,” Stock said. “Shake the clothes or brush them before putting them back in the drawer or on the hanger. This will help dislodge remaining eggs and larvae.” o

New Plant Spotlight

Rudbeckia x ‘Sweet as Honey’ PP#34,972 and Rudbeckia x ‘Green Eyed Lady’ PPAF

In the wake of their award-winning introductions of Rudbeckia x ‘American Gold Rush’ and ‘Glittters like Gold’, Intrinsic Perennial Gardens introduces two new Rudbeckias.

Rudbeckia ‘Sweet as Honey’ (pictured above) reaches 18 inches in height, with an upright habit. Yellow flowers are held on branched hairy stems starting in July through September. Basal foliage is extrathin, giving this plant resistance to Septoria, the fungus that affects ‘Goldsturm’. ‘Sweet as Honey’ makes a great container plant. Full sun and well-drained soil are best.

Rudbeckia ‘Green Eyed Lady’ PPAF (pictured below) reaches 30 inches in height. Yellow flowers emerge with green eyes turning toward yellow and are held on upright hairy stems starting in July through September. Basal foliage is extra-thin, and resistant to Septoria. Full sun and well-drained soil are best.

For more information about these new plants, contact Brent Horvath, Intrinsic Perennial Gardens at BrentH @intrinsicperennialgardens.com. o

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• Zucchini Trials

• Adaptive Gardening

• Pickerel Weed Plant Profile

• Potato Harvest

See more Washington Gardener blog posts at WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

August—September Garden Task To-Do List

• It is harvest time and a good time to start taking stock of what worked well for you this season and what didn’t.

• Buy raspberries and peaches at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market.

• Let the lawn go dormant for now; it will green back up in the coming rains.

• Check your local garden center for end-of-summer bargains.

• If your pond water gets low from prolonged drought, top it off with tap water and add a dechlorinator according to package instructions.

• Wash out birdbaths weekly with a diluted bleach solution.

• Water thoroughly, especially if you receive no rain for more than seven days.

• Turn your compost pile weekly and don’t let it dry out.

• Start shopping for spring bulbs.

• Divide and cut back Bearded Iris and Peonies.

• Check your pond pump for debris and clean it out every few weeks.

• Watch for slug damage and set out traps or Sluggo bait.

• Check for mosquito breeding grounds. Dump out any water that sits stagnant for more than three days.

• Weed and weed some more.

• Cut back any leggy Asters or Mums.

• Take garden photos and make notes in your garden journal.

• Start collecting plant seeds for next year and for trading.

• As the days get cooler, plant hardy Mums.

• Prune evergreens to get them in shape for fall/winter.

• Hand-pick or cut out any bagworm cocoons.

• Harvest your herbs often and keep them trimmed back to encourage leafy growth. Dry them indoors if you can’t use them right away.

• Bring Christmas Cactus and Poinsettias indoors if you took them out for the summer, in preparation for holiday blooming. Fertilize them and put them where they’ll get 10 hours’ bright light per day.

• Inspect for powdery mildew. If seen, prune back perennials to create needed circulation. Discard properly (i.e., not in your compost bin).

• Clean your hummingbird feeders and add new sugar-water every three days.

• Renew your container plantings, which may be looking a bit ragged at this point. Pinch back overgrown plants. Pull out any spent ones and pop in some substitute annuals or Mums. Keep them well-watered and add a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them going through early autumn.

• Switch your deer-deterrent spray.

• Start seeds for fall annuals, such as Pansy, Calendula, and Kale.

• Plant fall crops such as Chinese Cabbage, Lettuce, Radish, Mustard, Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Cauliflower, Turnips, and Beets.

• Order Garlic, Onions, and Shallots for fall planting.

• Attend a county fair and enter some of your garden bounty.

• Preserve gourds and dry flowers for display in the fall.

• Apply grub control to your lawn.

• Divide Hostas and Daylilies.

• Deadhead Garlic Chives before they go to seed. They make nice cut flowers. o

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Daily through August 30

Garden Photo Show

Washington Gardener invites you to the view the 2023 garden photo show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. You may see the photos any time during the normal Visitor Center hours through August 30.

• Every Tuesday until August 29.

Twilight Tuesdays

Enjoy Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, MD, in the magical early evening hours during Twilight Tuesday. Guests can enter the gardens any time and stay through the evening to enjoy sunset views, blooms, music, and specialty café offerings. See details at https:// ladewgardens.com/.

• Fall 2023

CCBC Horticultural Classes

Sign up now for horticulture classes at

the Community College of Baltimore County’s (or CCBC’s ) Sustainable Horticulture Program. Registration is open for fall horticulture classes at CCBC Dundalk, Hunt Valley, and Catonsville. Contact Winny Tan for more information: wtan@ccbcmd.edu or call her office at 443-840-3787.

• Thursday, August 24, 6—8pm

River Farm Anniversary Picnic

The American Horticultural Society celebrates 50 golden years at its beloved River Farm headquarters with the River Farm Anniversary Picnic, featuring live music from the band, Soulfire. Guests are encouraged to pack a blanket and picnic basket with food and beverage favorites; find a comfortable spot on River Farm’s welcoming lawn; and relax and enjoy the music, stunning gardens, and spectacular views overlooking the Potomac River. The BYOB outdoor community picnic is FREE and open to the public. Registration is available through Eventbrite.

• Friday August 25, 6:30—8:30pm

Foodie Fridays: The People’s Medicine

Plants have been used in medicine for thousands of years. Today, they can be found in 40% of prescription drugs in the Western world. Yet, many consumers are unaware of this deeply rooted connection. Explore the intersection between traditional and holistic wellness practices, land stewardship, and home herbalism with Rhiannon Smith, founder of a Takoma Park-based herbal apothecary. Held at Josiah Henson Museum and Park. Fee: $10. Admission includes light refreshments. Register at https://montgomeryparks.org/events/ foodie-fridays-the-peoples-medicine/.

• Saturday, August 26, 10am–12n

Tomato Tasting

Join Washington Gardener Magazine at the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD, for a celebration of everything tomato. Free.

• Sunday, August 27, 1:00pm

Vegetables to Plant Now

Get the scoop on the best vegetables to plant now for a fall harvest, including easy vegetables for beginners, fast-growing vegetables, frost-tolerant veggies for the longest growing season, and more. Tawnya Bair, Merrifield plant specialist, will help customers pick out their veggies to get their fall gardens growing, including lettuces, cooking greens, broccoli, root vegetables, and more. This class will take place in the Annuals House at the Gainesville, VA, store. Details at www.merrifieldgardencenter.com/classes/.

• Wednesday, August 30, 7–8pm

Garden Tool Clinic

Your garden tools work better, last longer, and are safer with proper care. Learn how from an experienced gardener. Held at the Arlington Central Library. Free, no registration required. Details at https://mgnv.org/events/.

•Thursday, August 31, 3pm

Climate-Smart Agriculture & Who’s in the Garden Webinar

Learn from experts from USDA and beyond who will share planting tips and resources that benefit community gardens. On-the-ground stories will be

shared of gardens making a difference by growing fresh, nutritious food for their communities. Free. Register for the Zoom link at https://www.usda.gov/ peoples-garden/webinars.

• Sunday, September 10 DC State Fair

Held at Franklin Park in downtown Washington, DC. See dcstatefair.org.

• September 12–15

Urban Tree Summit 2023

Montgomery Parks and Casey Trees host the summit, showcasing work by leading experts in the diverse field of urban forestry. Sign up to learn virtually about the need for increased tree protections in the built environment, how public gardens play a key role in urban forests, best practices for climbing arborists, and more. Or meet outside for expert-led tree tours through the U.S. Capitol Grounds and the Accredited Arboretum at Arlington National Cemetery, and learn about historic champion trees in the Montgomery County area. See schedule and register at https://caseytrees.org/urban-tree-summit-2023/.

• Saturday. September 16, 10am

Groundcovers Talk

Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener magazine and host of the GardenDC Podcast, will talk about her most recent book, Groundcover Revolution. Held at My Dead Aunt’s Books. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Details at https://www.hyattsvillehorticulture.org/.

Looking Ahead

• September 21 and 22

Annual Boxwood Symposium

The 2023 Annual Boxwood Symposium will be held this year in Pottersville, NJ. The symposium will include educational lectures on the care and health of boxwood by specialists in the field, and tours of some fantastic private and public landscapes that would normally be difficult to access. Details at americanboxwoodsociety.org.

• Saturday, September 23

AHS 50th Gala at River Farm

The Gala will be the perfect opportunity

to show your support for the American Horticultural Society and River Farm: visit the treasured headquarters; connect with fellow supporters; and enjoy a magical evening of good food, drink, entertainment, and conversation. See https://ahsgardening.org/.

• September 30 to November 12

Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens

From tiny pom-poms to oversized blooms, more than 5,000 chrysanthemum plants in rich colors of yellow, orange, lavender, maroon, and more transform Longwood’s grand conservatory into an autumnal dream. This amazing display is also Longwood’s most challenging exhibition, combining art and horticulture to bring an ancient artform practiced throughout Japan and China to the gardens. Details and tickets at https://longwoodgardens.org.

• Sunday, October 1, 1–3pm Urban Agriculture Month October Urban Agriculture Month in Arlington County, VA, shines a spotlight on the significant role urban agriculture plays in the regional and local food system. The event takes place at the Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St.) with speakers and demonstration sessions. For more information, visit: https:// arlingtonurbanag.org/2023-urban-agriculture-month/.

• Saturday, October 28, 11am–2pm Garlic Planting Party & Poetry Slam Fall planting, crafts, and a youth poetry competition in Washington Youth Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum. Details coming soon.

Event Listing Updates

See updated event listings on the Washington Gardener discussion list. Join by emailing WashingtonGardenersubscribe@googlegroups.com

How to Submit Events

To submit an event for this listing, email washingtongardenermagazine@gmail. com with “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is September 5 for the September 2023 issue, for events taking place after September 15. o

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City is all about small-space gardening solutions!

By Kathy Jentz and Teresa Speight

Published by Cool Springs Press/Quarto Homes

Order it today at: https://amzn.to/3yiLPKU

GardenDC Podcast

The GardenDC podcast is all about gardening in the greater Washington, DC, and Mid-Atlantic area. The program is hosted by Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine, and features guest experts in local and national horticulture. The latest episodes include interviews with experts on Wild Bees, Planting by the Signs, and Adaptive Gardening. You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o

Monkey Balls

By Kathy Jentz

Gomphocarpus physocarpus is a member of the Milkweed family and has many common names, including Hairy Balls, Giant Swan Plant, Goose Plant, Family Jewels, Oscar, Monkey Balls, and Balloon Plant. (Asclepias physocarpa is its former botanical name.)

It is native to South America and grown as an annual in our region. It is hardy to USDA Zones 9 to 11.

It prefers full sun and moderate moisture. It can grow 4–6 feet high. The flowers are not very dramatic, but the seed pods are show-stoppers.

Like other Milkweeds, it supports Monarch caterpillars and butterflies, as well as other pollinators. It is also deer-resistant.

You can start seeds indoors a few weeks before the last expected frost date in spring and then transplant them outdoors.

This plant is a favorite for flower arrangements. The seedpods dry nicely and it makes a terrific conversation starter in the landscape or on a table. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener

Garden Photo Contest Opening Reception

By Taylor Edwards

Washington Gardener Magazine presented the winning images of its 17th annual Photo Contest at an art show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia, on July 30.

The show was open and free to the general public. Winners and other attendees had the chance to see all 17 images on display. There was also a booklet where attendees could read about each photographer and their photograph(s).

To be entered in the contest, the photos had to be taken during the 2022 calendar year in a garden setting within a 150-mile radius of Washington, DC. There were four categories that people could enter: Garden Views, Garden Vignettes, Small Wonders, and Garden Creatures. Photographers ranged from professional to amateur, with a few of the winning photographs being taken on a smartphone.

The photo show’s opening reception took place in the Meadowlark Visitor Center. Kathy Jentz, the editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, started the reception by explaining the photo show requirements and mentioned that there were more than 200 entries. Next, winning photographers introduces themselves and explained their work.

Nicole Nile’s, third-place winner of Garden Vignettes, entered the contest for the first time this year. Her winning photo was taken in her home garden in Cheverly, Maryland, with her iPhone.

Mike Whalen won second place in Garden Vignettes and an honorable mention in Garden Creatures. The second-place photo “Made in the Shade” is of Japanese ferns. It was captured with a 135mm fixed lens mounted on a tripod at f/9 and was taken in the early evening hours. Whalen said that he was drawn to it because of its unique foliage colors of purple and sage.

“These colors work so well together and remind me of colors you might see on neon lights on the Miami strip or on an old TV show called Miami Vice,” said Whalen.

The grand prize winner, “Antoinette Tulip,” was displayed in the middle of the photo exhibit wall. The photographer, Jeanne Markowski, took the picture in her home garden in Ellicott City, Maryland. After retiring from the government, she decided to take digital photography seriously. She primarily works on nature shots such as flowers and birds. To get shots of unique tulips in the spring, she orders them in the fall so she can then take macro shots of them. The winning image was captured with a Canon R6 mirrorless camera with a 100 mm lens. It was her third time entering the contest. She said that it was a great opportunity to meet the other photographers at the reception.

“This winter, I will be encouraging my camera club members to enter the next contest in January,” said Markowski.

The photo show will be on display at the Meadowlark Visitor Center’s lobby until August 30. o

Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener

Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

By Marissa Yelenik

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a national park in Washington, DC, held its annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival from July 15 to 22 with beautiful flowers and scenery, performances, and food. The event drew children and adults to see the display of culture and nature at a small oasis in the busy city.

The festival had different themes each day, such as “Asian Cultures and the Lotus,” “Birds of the Garden,” and “Kids Day,” providing something for everyone. With a focus on culture, education, and community, the festival was wide-ranging and attracted many different types of people.

Much of the gardens focus on preservation, from the physical plants to knowledge and culture that was passed on to visitors.

“Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens was

created to preserve a variety of aquatic plants, many with histories spanning generations,” according to a sign at the entrance of the gardens.

Signs posted along the trails highlighted environmental issues the park has struggled with, including the pollution of the Anacostia River, which received a passing grade for the first time in 2018 during a water quality assessment. Since 2018, the river has received two more passing grades and two fails.

“Even with these improvements, there is still work to be done … to continue to uplift the community to create a safe and healthy environment in all neighborhoods,” the sign said.

The first day of the festival had a focus on health, both mental and physical, with a 5K walk, yoga, painting, and poetry. The second day focused on Asian culture, allowing attendees to participate in cultural dances, music, and learning. The third and fourth days each had a focus on education about the gardens, ecosystem, and birds that surround the aquatic gardens.

Each of the following days were about community, with fun activities for kids, painting and dance classes, drum circles, and learning about the history of the gardens and what they represent. “Celebrating Veterans Day” had a special focus on the founding of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens by Civil War veteran Walter Shaw. Shaw bought the land in 1879 that would later become the aquatic gardens.

While the former business started with only American waterlilies in the late 1800s, they shifted to include a variety of exotic plants in the following decades. It now contains lotus plants and waterlilies from all across the world, as well as other complementary plants like Pickerelweed.

The aquatic gardens also attract a variety of wildlife. Many birds could be seen in the marshy land, including several Great White Egrets that excited visitors. o

Marissa Yelenik is a rising junior journalism and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is a Savage, MD, gardener

How to Grow Carrots

By Barbara Melera

The carrot is the fourth-most-popular vegetable in the world. Only the potato, wheat, and rice enjoy greater popularity. Carrots are such an important part of the American diet and yet we hardly realize this. They are an essential ingredient in many soups and stews, most gravies, a host of salads, and various side dishes. The vegetable probably originated in the area now occupied by Iran and Afghanistan, but quickly spread to southern Europe.

In the wild, carrots come in many colors, including white, yellow, red, and maroon. Carrots—like their cousins parsley, cumin, chervil, dill, caraway, coriander, fennel, anise, parsnip, and celery—were originally grown for their leaves and seeds which were used as flavorings. With cultivation, the roots grew larger, sweeter and less woody and eventually the root became more popular for culinary purposes than the leaves or seeds.

Cultivated carrots originated in the Afghanistan region and were yellow and purple. From this center of domestication, carrots were grown as a root crop to the east and west of this region, with the incorporation of several characteristics contrasting those two geographic areas. The Eastern carrot spread to central and north Asia and then to Japan. Red carrots are typical of India and also were introduced into Japan. In contrast, Western carrot types were characterized initially by yellow and later by orange root color. This carrot type spread to the

West and now dominates in Europe and America.

The first orange carrot was introduced in the Netherlands in the 1600s, but it was the French who fell in love with the idea of orange carrots. Some say the French fascination with orange carrots was somehow related to the House of Orange, a princely dynasty that derived its name from the medieval principality of Orange in old Provence in southern France. The dynasty was important to The Netherlands because it is that nation’s royal family. Whatever the reason, the famous French seedhouse, Vilmorin-Andrieux, dedicated massive resources during the mid-1800s to developing the sweetest orange carrots on the face of the Earth. Most of the orange carrot varieties that we have today are a result of the Vilmorin breeding programs.

Great Carrots to Grow

The following is a list of the best heirloom carrot cultivars available today.

• Heirloom Carrot ‘Nantes’

The ‘Nantes’ carrot, developed at Vilmorin-Andrieux, was named for the town of Nantes in Brittany. It was developed in the late 1800s and brought to the United States around 1900. Its nearly cylindrical shape, blunt tip, incredible sweetness, lack of a woody core, and beautiful orange color have made this one of the most popular carrots of all time.

The 7 to 8-inch roots store very well

and seem to become sweeter with storage. Its sweet flavor and fine-grained flesh make it an excellent choice for juicing. ‘Nantes’ is perhaps the best carrot for containers. From seed to harvest takes approximately 65 days.

• True American Heirloom Carrot

‘Danvers Half Long’

‘Danvers Half Long’ was introduced in 1871. Unlike most of the carrots we have today that can trace their origins to France, the ‘Danvers Half Long’ is a true American heirloom, developed near Danvers, Massachusetts.

This carrot has it all. It grows well in many soil types, is an excellent storer, has very little core, and is generally quite sweet. The 6 to 8-inch, pointed roots take approximately 75 days from seed to full maturity.

• Heirloom Carrot ‘Chantenay’

Chantenay was one of VilmorinAndrieux’s first carrot introductions and was first released to the public in the 1830s and brought to America in the late 1800s. The 7-8 inch long roots make it the largest of the carrots discussed in this article. Like Danvers, the roots taper to a point, which allows them to grow well in heavier soils.

Like ‘Nantes’, this carrot becomes sweeter in storage. The time to maturity is 60–75 days, depending on the climate.

• Heirloom Carrot ‘Thumbelina’

‘Thumbelina’ is a popular, small, round carrot that was developed from a 19thcentury French carrot. The 2-inch round or turnip-shaped roots possess good flavor and are well suited for heavier soils.

‘Thumbelina’ carrots are an excellent choice for children to grow. Their short, round roots make them easy to harvest. From seeding to maturity takes approximately 60 days.

• Purple Carrot ‘Cosmic Purple’

‘Cosmic Purple’ is a striking purple carrot with an orange center. Cosmic’s 5 to 7-inch pointed roots are tender and sweet. From seeding to harvest is approximately 70 days. Flavor becomes sweeter in storage.

‘Cosmic Purple’ carrots were developed by geneticist Dr. Philipp Simon at the USDA Agricultural Research Station in Madison, Wisconsin, and introduced

in 2005. Purple carrots are native to Central Asia and have been present since ancient times, but many original varieties had unpalatable flavors.

Purple carrots are among the oldest of carrots. Purple carrots range in color from dark violet to reddish purple, with an orange or yellow core. They can often have a peppery flavor. Some varieties contain 20% less sugar than traditional orange carrots and are therefore ideal for those who need to follow a diet low in sugar.

Purple (or almost black) carrots grow mostly in southern Europe and Asia. Their characteristic purple or black color comes from pigments called anthocyanins. These pigments exhibit a reversible change in molecular structure as the pH of solutions change from acidic to basic. This change in structure is characterized by a shift in hue from red to purple to blue.

Many of the pigments in carrots serve to shield plant cells during photosynthesis. Purple carrots possess an entirely different class of pigments from the other carrot colors (anthocyanins) that act as powerful antioxidants. Red carrots derive their color mainly from lycopene, a type of carotene believed to guard against heart disease and some cancers. Yellow carrots accumulate xanthophylls, pigments similar to betacarotene that support good eye health.

Carrot Growing Tips

Carrots can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. Adding lime to the soil before planting will further sweeten the carrots.

Benjamin Watson in his book, Taylor’s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables, recommends presoaking the seeds the night before planting to hasten germination. Watson also recommends mixing carrot and radish seeds when planting. The radishes will be up and harvested long before the carrots begin to mature, and this helps with thinning.

Carrots should be thinned twice.

First, when the green tops are about 1 inch high, thin the seedlings to a 1inch separation. Use the thinnings for a salad condiment. Second, when the green tops are about 3-inches tall, thin the plants to a 3 inch separation. Use the thinnings as baby carrots. Leave the carrots in the ground until

you need them. Carrots can tolerate frost very well, but you do need to get them out of the ground before the soil freezes solid.

Carrots in Containers

Carrots are among the easiest of plants to grow in a container. Your container must be deep enough to allow the carrot roots to fully develop with little misshapening. A container that is 10–12 inches deep is ideal. Start with a good soil mix and add lime to the pots before planting: 1 to 2 cups per size of container. The lime will make the carrots sweeter.

The absolutely best soil mix for containers is 60% crummy (poor quality) backyard soil, 20% peat moss, and 20% dehydrated cow manure or, even better, compost. If you prefer not to use backyard soil, then purchase topsoil (not potting soil, special soil mixes, premium soil). Mix the ingredients together and pour into a pot.

In addition to, presoaking the seed the night before planting may hasten

germination. Mixing carrot and radish seed when planting is also recommended.

Sprinkle seeds around the surface of the soil in the container and cover with 1 inch of soil. Pat the soil down firmly. Water generously and keep the soil moist until the sprouts emerge.

In containers, carrots should be thinned twice, just like carrots planted directly in the soil.

Make sure the containers are in full sun and water frequently as soon as the soil surface is dry. You do not need to fertilize because there should be plenty of organic matter in your soil (peat moss and compost/manure).

Frankly, I am surprised that such an important asset of our diet has attracted so little attention. Carrots are an essential part of our diet or should be. They are good for our eyes, our blood pressure, our diabetes, etc. They are also easy to grow and can flourish in containers.

Most of the time, we describe how wonderful it is to consume a vegetable fresh from the garden, but in the case of carrots, we have to reverse this statement. Most carrots actually become sweeter and more flavorful when held in storage for a few weeks or months.

This growing season, if you don’t already grow carrots, try growing some. Like learning about potatoes, learning to grow carrots is an essential part of our horticultural knowledge. o

Barbara Melera is president of Harvesting History (www.harvesting-history.com), a company that sells horticultural and agricultural products, largely of the heirloom variety, along with garden tools and equipment.

Ask the Expert

By Miri Talabac

Getting Rid of the Spotted Lanternflies

Q: These daggone lanternflies are everywhere in my yard! Please tell me what I can use to get rid of them. I’m finally having a good vegetable year and don’t want it ruined by these pests.

A: The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), the invasive insect in the news and Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) press releases these past few years, is becoming more abundant throughout our region. If you don’t happen to be in the current primary hotspot of Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and northeastern Maryland, you may have the joy of finding nymphs or adults in the yard in the coming years.

We started to receive lots of questions this time of year about how to kill these insects and protect gardens. Fortunately, based on research and experience thus far, this insect is not a direct threat to home garden plants. Granted, high levels of honeydew (sugar-water waste) produced by abundant SLF can foster heavy layers of sooty mold that can shade leaves, but on deciduous plants, this impact is only temporary. We don’t have to go out of our way to kill them at home by any means necessary. Vineyards and hops growers are more at risk of dire economic consequences, but the use of chemical means to combat these insects on residential properties is not recommended.

You could correctly point out that the MDA messaging tells us to kill them on sight. Well, yes, via squishing and maybe trapping, but spraying is not the way we should be taking action. Some insecticides may work reasonably well on SLF (and research into this is ongoing to find the least-toxic approach), but they come at a cost: collateral damage to pollinators, beneficial insects, or other parts of the ecosystem because a chemical is not going to be lanternflyspecific. Applications would either be very short-lived, like insecticidal soap or neem oil, which need frequent reap-

plication, or would have long-lasting residues and therefore be much more hazardous to other organisms. Spraying an insect that readily hops or flies away at the slightest disturbance is impractical, since the lower-toxicity pesticides need good pest contact to be effective.

If you have SLF’s favorite host plant, Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus), growing on your property, it would be prudent to remove it, especially since it too is a species that invades natural areas. Our Spotted Lanternfly Management for Residents web page (https://go.umd. edu/SLF) contains updated information about identification and management, but importantly, also links to Penn State Extension resources that provide even more detail, since they were the epicenter of the appearance of SLF in the U.S. An MDA reporting form is also linked on our page, where you can note where SLF was found, what life stage it was in, and what plant it may have been found on. You can also upload a photo for documentation.

Propagating Sof twood & Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

Q: I’m experimenting with propagating some native shrubs to share with friends. I’ve found tips that say to use “semi-hardwood” or “softwood” cuttings, for example, but no explanation of what that means. Can you help?

A: These terms are referring to the maturity of the wood that will be cut, typically at the tip of a branch, because younger wood is more likely overall to root than growth that is several years older. Having said that, how readily a cutting will root greatly depends on the plant species, with some being easier to work with than others.

Rooting hormone powder or gel applied to cuttings won’t necessarily

stimulate root formation if the wood of the cutting is too old, and cuttings too young might not be able to support themselves (literally and figuratively) before being able to form roots. Hormone applications aren’t universally required, but for reluctant-to-root species, these can be a big help, especially since some products include a fungicide to resist invasion of the cut by pathogens that would rot the stem.

“Softwood” is growth of the current year that is still succulent and pliable, although just old enough that they can snap when folded instead of just bending. Think of asparagus spears—tender, but not too tender. “Hardwood” cuttings are definitely firm and woody, and have a more distinct bark-like exterior. “Semi-hardwood” lies in between these two states, with the tissues mature from spring’s flush of growth but not yet hardened-off fully for winter.

According to the NC State Extension, softwood cuttings are usually taken in late spring through midsummer, semihardwood mid- to late summer, and hardwood in autumn, winter, or early spring before dormancy is broken. You can find more guidance on their page, Plant Propagation by Stem Cuttings (https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/plantpropagation-by-stem-cuttings-instructions-for-the-home-gardener). o

Miri Talabac is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who has worked as a horticulture consultant for the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center since 2019. To ask a gardening or pest question, go to http:// extension.umd.edu/hgic and scroll to “connect with us.” Digital photos can be attached.

Late-stage (fourth instar) nymph of the invasive insect Spotted Lanternfly on Black Walnut. Photo by Miri Talabac.

The Compost Coach: Make Compost, Build Soil and Grow a Regenerative Garden—Wherever You Live!

Author: Kate Flood

Publisher: Murdoch Books/Quarto

List Price: $27.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/44hbCme and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781922616456

Reviewer: Marissa Yelenik

The Compost Coach is chock-full of information about composting. From measurable facts about the impact of food waste (according to author Kate Flood, over 40% of all the food produced in the world is wasted) to what “critters” to add to your pile, this book is jam-packed.

With over 250 full-sized pages, the book can get a bit overwhelming, but if readers take it one step at a time or use the comprehensive table of contents, it can be an incredible resource for those looking to get into composting.

While Flood is based in Australia, much of her advice could be applied almost anywhere, with the book’s tagline even saying “Make compost, build soil and grow a regenerative garden— wherever you live!”

The book is split into eight chapters and several subsections to assist readers on their composting journey.

Chapter One, “The What,” explains the basics of composting—what it is, what it does, and how it affects part of the ecosystem.

Chapter Two, “The Why,” focuses on

the effects of food waste, and emphasizes that composting is one of the most accessible ways for people at home to have a direct, positive impact on nature.

Chapter Three, “The How,” takes a bit more of a scientific approach to the topic, explaining the four essential components of composting—nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, and water—and how these come together to create compost. It also helps readers understand how to directly add each of these components, explaining nitrogen as “the juicy green stuff” and carbon as “the dead, dry, brown stuff.” Flood then goes on to explain many of the basics of composting: what to do, problems and solutions, and a number of other concepts. This is the second-longest chapter.

Chapter Four, “The Kit,” explains the equipment options readers have when trying out composting, provides a flow chart to help them decide what would work best for them, gives short overviews of the equipment, and lists pros and cons for each of them.

Chapter Five, “The Worms,” digs into an imposing part of composting with encouraging language (“Worm farming is rad!”). Flood breaks down every question you could have about worms, and then, most importantly, explains how to create your own worm farm at home with instructions, guidance, and troubleshooting.

Chapter Six, “The Who,” breaks down tons of “compost critters” that can help out your composting and explains what they do. Flood also provides some advice about critters that may be unwelcome, how to prevent them from joining the party, and how to keep populations under control if they start to overcrowd the compost.

Chapter Seven, “The Scraps,” helps readers understand what is (and isn’t) welcome in the pile. Flood describes it as “a cheat sheet for when you have a question about the compostability of a particular item.” The section also includes some dos and don’ts when feeding chickens, explaining some things that are better left to decompose.

Chapter Eight, “The Soil,” is the longest chapter, and can be a bit overwhelming. Readers should cer-

tainly read the rest of the book (or at least have a fair understanding of composting) rather than skipping to this section. This chapter breaks down what is going on with soil, providing readers with simple methods to test their own soil, what that means, and how to change it if the soil is imbalanced. There is information about the “browns,” “greens,” “whites, grey, and black,” and even tea recipes.

Overall, this book is an incredibly comprehensive look at composting that can walk a confused reader through each step of the process, allowing them to find exactly what they might be having trouble with. While I would personally love to see more step-bystep images to help someone who may be struggling to visualize some of the processes, it is still a great book for anyone trying to learn more about composting. o

Marissa Yelenik is a rising junior journalism and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is a Savage, MD, native and amateur gardener.

Succulents for Your Home and Garden: A Guide to Growing 191 Beautiful Varieties & 11 Step-By-Step Crafts and Arrangements

Author: Gideon F. Smith and Jessica Surface

Publisher: Creative Homeowner List Price: $22.99

Order Link: https://amzn.to/45yUrOo and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781580115728

Reviewer: Taylor Edwards

Succulents for Your Home and Garden is an excellent guide to succulent crafting for both houseplant beginners and enthusiasts. The book is a valuable resource for taking a deep dive into learning about various succulent plants, where to grow them, and how much care goes into them. Its simplicity allows readers at all gardening levels to start maintaining succulents. The authors show that succulents don’t have to sit in a pot but rather can be used for many different purposes, both indoors and outdoors. The different projects expand the recent trend of

succulent collecting and turn it into an activity.

A substantial portion of the book is an in-depth guide about the top 75 succulents for crafting. Each species profile is accompanied by care instructions and a small blurb about what they look like and how they react in their native environment. Each example has clear instructions about indoor care, outdoor care, temperature, lighting, watering, repotting, and propagating. Each species is also put into categories, which can be seen in the introduction to the book.

While each plant has care instructions, the next section of the book, “Caring for Succulents,” goes into detail about the general care of the plants. Although short, the section talks about the specifics of lighting and propagation. The authors go into the different types of propagation you can do, such as stem cuttings, roots, leaves, plantlets, and seeds.

The next two sections, “Why Craft with Succulents?” and “Gallery,” show and explain to readers what crafting with succulents can look like. The authors give important tips to keep in mind while crafting, such as knowing that succulents aren’t permanent. In the “Gallery” section, there are beautiful pictures that can provide crafting inspiration. Each example shows who made it, their location, their social media, and a short description of why they made that project. Showing images of various projects is a great idea for readers to get some inspiration and

show that you can do it, too.

“What You Need to Get Started” shows the different supplies needed to make craft projects out of succulents. Each tool has a picture next to it and a description of what it could be used for. The section also includes what type of craft materials you could be using, such as moss, wire, ribbon, paint, and more.

The other large section in the book is “Projects,” where there are 11 crafts to make. Each craft has a difficulty level in the shape of a succulent, materials needed, and succulents used. It also includes a big picture of the finished product, as well as step-by-step pictures paired with instructions. At the end of each project, there are instructions for how to take care of it after making it.

This book was informative and fun to read. The projects include difficulty levels and projects for different occasions. The instructions are easy to follow. The book could act as an educational guide and recipe book for crafts. You should get this book if you love succulents and want to expand on what to do with them. o

Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener

Hanna Rion: Her Life and Writings

Author: Kitt R. McMaster III

Publisher: Palmetto Publishing

List Price: $28.99

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3DXWrE2 and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9798822912816

Reviewer: Jim Dronenburg

This review is not of a gardening book. We got it because Hanna Rion wrote two gardening books, yes, but out of the whole book, there are maybe 10 pages of casual mention of that part of her writing.

Rion was arguably a genius, and demonstrably a force of nature. She was known in England and America as an artist, a musician, and a writer. She was not exactly a suffragette, per se, in terms of “Take heart, for Mrs. Pankhurst has been clapped in irons again,” but agreed with them, and

was a guiding force in the adoption of Twilight Sleep for labor, a process of putting the mother in labor “under” with a dose of morphine and scopolomine. It allowed painless childbirth, or at least with no memory later of the labor. Done under rigorous medical procedures, it was safe, effective, and did no harm to mother or baby. (Needless to say, this treatment was never mainstream in its time and has been superseded.)

Rion’s mother, Mary Catherine Rion, was also a garden writer. She wrote the Ladies’ Southern Florist—“florist” meaning “grower of flowers,” as opposed to our modern usage—published in 1860. (Your reviewer has ordered that and is awaiting its arrival.) Hanna’s books about gardening are The Garden in the Wilderness, 1909, which chronicles her garden in New York state, that she and her husband carved out from, literally, a forested wilderness, and Let’s Make A Flower Garden, 1912, which is a how-to book, and is lauded (in this present book) as very good, and common-sense-ical. Your reviewer will probably order these too, or see if he can get them on interlibrary loan. Rion also published garden articles in many publications, as well as fiction and other nonfiction subjects, especially Twilight Sleep.

This book is not an easy read. Those who have read Gertrude Jekyll’s purple prose and liked it will like this book.

It is quite florid, and takes six words where one would have done quite well. But it does paint a picture of a remarkable woman.

Oh, yes, and in an age where divorce was a “thing-not-done,” she managed to divorce not one but three husbands. Her fourth husband survived her.

Getting past the prose, this is a record of a remarkable figure, and well worth looking for it in your library—or having your library look for it, on your behalf. o

Jim Dronenburg is a retired accountant and now gardens full-time in Knoxville, MD

A Gardener’s Guide to Botany: The Biology Behind the Plants You Love, How They Grow, and What They Need

Author: Scott Zona

Publisher: Cool Springs Press/Quarto

List Price: $32.00

Order Links: https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760374450

Reviewer: Marsha Douma

It has been many years since I read a biology book cover to cover, but Scott Zona’s clearly and expertly written, as well as beautifully arranged, book was worth the effort. It is filled with fascinating photographs of plants from around the world to illustrate his points. Truly, every page is worthwhile, which is a claim not easy to make for a textbook. Even a cursory reading of the book will leave the reader in awe of how exquisitely plants have evolved to adapt and thrive no matter what environment they inhabit.

Since knowledge is empowering, while this book is “about how plants grow, not how to grow plants,” the information it imparts can’t help but make all its readers better gardeners. As Kermit the frog always said, “It’s not easy being green.” This book underscores both the challenges to plant survival and the solutions that have evolved for plants to spectacularly flourish for more than 400 million years.

The book begins, as you might expect, with a general description of what is meant by the Plant Kingdom— who in fact lives there, how they are the same, and how they differ from one another. The remaining chapters thoroughly explain everything else we need

to know.

Chapter 2 defines the essential function of each obvious part of a plant— the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and cones—and how these basic parts have been modified when necessary over the millennia, to accomplish their job.

Fascinating concepts are explored. Ever wonder how the tips of roots push through hard soil without getting crushed? Or how a seed, bulb, or stem knows which part grows up, which down, where the light is, and how to do all this correctly? How about what makes all stems somewhat hard compared to leaves, bark superhard, and how the plant knows the difference between all these parts? Photosynthesis: I was very glad for the detailed explanation of this most amazing phenomenon, unrivaled in the nonplant world. It is all here.

Chapter 3 describes the myriad ways plants acquire the water they need. Spoiler alert: It is way more complicated than one might think.

Chapter 4 is devoted to light. Ah, light, the energy that makes life possible. No light, no plants; no plants, no life. The variations in plant parts that have evolved to enable plants to live in all corners of this Earth, using what light there is, is absolutely remarkable.

Previous chapters explained the molecular structures and chemical reactions responsible for the absorption and release of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Chapter 5 lists the macronutrients necessary—nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and

magnesium—as well as the micro-nutrients essential for plant growth. The chapter also explains which nutrients plants can get on their own, and when they might need to partner with other bacteria or fungi to attain them.

The fascinatingly role of mycorrihizae, “fungus-root,” is one of the sleepers of the book. For a couple of years now, I have been using a product called mushroom mulch to plant with or use as mulch around my plants. It has been fascinating to see the difference in growth habits among the plants that have grown in a generous amount of the mulch, compared to those that have grown in a more sparing amount. Perhaps the mulch has a plethora of available mycorrhiza, which are ready to partner with the plant roots to help them absorb the dissolved nutrients they require to thrive.

Chapter 6 is all about defense, or how can plants protect themselves from being eaten. Chapter 7 is about reproduction—the point of it all.

Chapter 8 lists all the ways seeds get dispersed so they can make new plants, assuming reproduction is successful. Stephen Spielberg’s imagination has a worthy rival in the plant kingdom’s adaptations to solve these problems. Plants are, after all, stationary.

Finally, for the reader who wants to learn yet more about any subject discussed in the book, there is a lengthy bibliography.

While this book was an investment in time, I was glad I made the effort and I am sure you, the reader, will benefit as well. o

Note: These book reviews include links to Amazon.com and BookShop. org for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine may receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links.

Marsha Douma is a retired dentist and lifelong gardener who also enjoys swimming, tennis, and playing the piano. She lives in Rockville, MD.

Moisture-Loving Natives Some Like It Wet

side of the U.S., we have five to seven species in the genus Spiranthes. Now, here is another “the name says it all” plant. If you look closely at the image at left, you’ll notice that the individual florets spiral around the flower stem. Not only that, but on this particular species, Spiranthes cernua f. odorata, the individual florets are “nodding,” hence the word cernua in the name, which means nodding in botanical nomenclature. Are you following along? The f. is a reference to the word “form, because this particular form of the species is fragrant. I can attest to the fact that it smells like vanilla extract—delightful!

By Barry Glick

Hold on a second: It’s August, not April, isn’t it? And except for a week or so, it has rained every day up here on this mountain. It’s easy to complain, but why bother? You can’t do anything about it, so let’s roll with the punches.

Accepting the Yin/Yang of life and gardening, I’m okay with that and so are “most” of the plants that I am addicted to. That’s one of the wonderful miracles of the plant world: There are plants for every location and every situation.

Here are a few of our native plant friends that enjoy it a bit on the moister side or, as we say in plant world, they “like wet feet.”

Let’s start with Orchids. And no, these orchids don’t need an ice cube or shot glass to show you how to water them. You know, it still surprises me how taken aback most folks are to find out that right here on the East Coast, we have more than 20 species of naturally occurring, native orchids. Now you have to remove the image from your consciousness of the typical big prom corsage blooms, which are usually in the genus

Cattleya. Plants are classified into families, mostly based on their floral structure and sexual parts. If you pull out your 10X hand lens (an inexpensive tool that is a requirement on all woodland hikes and explorations), you’ll notice that the floral structure of our native orchids is identical to those prom corsage flowers—just in miniature.

Many of our native orchids favor, getting their feet wet—some, but not all. It’s like the subtitle of this article—a reference to the classic 1959 hit movie directed by Billy Wilder, starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe, “Some Like It Hot.”

One of the showiest of our native orchids is Platanthera grandiflora, actually, I could say that the name says it all—grandiflora! Commonly known as the Greater Purple Fringed Bog-Orchid, the flower is quite grand, a real eye-catcher, from the lavender color to the lovely fringing on the edges of this long-lasting bloom.

Another of my favorite moisture-loving plants is the genus Spiranthes. On this

How about a far differently scented flower? Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is a real swamp lover and it sure does make a stink! The best place to see it around here, and it is quite common if you’re out looking for it, is around the boardwalk in the “Cranberry Glades” in the Monongohela National Forest in WV. They can be quite imposing if they are in the wet constantly. I’ve see specimens the size of a Subaru up there. And one of the coolest things you can experience with this plant is the thermal reaction that it creates in the winter to melt the snow around it so it can flower.

Another large plant is Veratrum viride, a real “tall drink of water” (pun intended). It is a very sexy plant in the Lily family. Its common name, False Green Hellebore, has nothing to do with Hellebores, which are in the Buttercup family. Veratrum viride can get up to over 6 feet tall in a moist, swampy, or mucky area and have a nice spray of small green flowers.

All of the plants mentioned here are great to use if you are building a bog garden or for the margins of your ponds. There are lots more Mid-Atlantic native plants that like it wet, we’ll chat about those another time. o

Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtually every country in the world. He writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at barry@sunfarm.com, www. sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208.

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Jentz Prints

Antique Botanical Prints for the decorator, collector, connoisseur, and art lover.

Jentz Prints can be purchased most weekends (weather-dependent) at the world-famous Eastern Market

Antique prints are affordable—most in the $10-$30 range—and they are the perfect gift idea for that plant lover in your life. And don’t forget to buy a few for yourself!

For more information or to get a detailed show schedule, please contact Jentz Prints by email at UllrichJ@aol.com.