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.

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

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