the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region
The Legend of Joe Pye
Drought-Tolerant Annual Containers
Summer Lawn Care Tips
Sunflowers of Lisbon
Selecting the Right Potting Mix
Great Gardening Books Reviewed
What’s the Story, Morning Glories?
Heirloom
Asiatic Garlic
You Can Grow
Rex Begonia
Small Balcony, Big Colors with Bulbs
Need a Garden Club Speaker?
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
Barry Glick
Sunshine Farm and Gardens
696 Glicks Road
Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com www.sunfarm.com
www.greenspring.org
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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.
Green Spring Gardens
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.
Seed leaves (cotyledons) of Ivyleaf morning glory are butterfly-shaped and rounded before the trident-shaped adult leaves emerge. Photo courtesy of Michigan State University.
“The fragrances of the cultivars are mostly citrusy, but vary between cultivars to include musk, lily, jasmine, gardenia, and more, while the species, Brugmansia suaveolens, has no fragrance,” Ginny Rosenkranz, master gardener coordinator at the University of Maryland Extension, told MarthaStewart. com.
Cut Joe Pye Weed plants down to the ground in late winter/early spring. Divide the plants in fall as they go dormant, or in the spring just as shoots first appear, to
or to thin out thick
Photo by Cathy Dewitt, CC BY 4.0.
Celebrating Tomatoes
Every August, we host an annual Tomato Taste at our local farmers market where we let patrons come through and have a small taste of each tomato, then submit a ballot with their favorite. They take their judging duties very seriously and it always amusing to watch the younger children, especially deliberating about which one will be their choice. Once we tally all the votes, we announce the winners and then post them on our social media with pictures of those gorgeous and delicious tomatoes. The farmers at the market with the winning tomatoes get bragging rights and many shoppers flock to their tents to purchase those specific varieties after tasting them. In addition to the tomato voting, we also collect their email addresses on the voting slips and we award a tomato prize package to one of the taste voters. We also pass out tomato recipes, growing tip sheets, seed packets, and more.
It is a quick event, but one that engages hundreds of people and is easily duplicated with other fruits and veggies when they are in season. One of the attendees at this year’s Tomato Taste asked me if I was “some kind of tomato promoter”—my answer? “Why yes, indeed. Yes, I am!”
If you are not already growing and enjoying tomatoes in your own garden, why not consider doing so next summer? This summer, visit your local farmers market and enjoy some delicious tomatoes while they are at the peak of seasonal flavor.
Sincerely,
Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener, KathyJentz@gmail.com
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
Esha Bhatti
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Your editor and Arlen Salinas, our prize-drawing winner, at our annual Tomato Taste. Photo by Josh Panepento.
Reader Contest
For our August 2024 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a pair of Long Straight Snips from Corona Tools. The prize value is $14.
The Long Straight Snip has a straight, pointed blade for a wide range of applications. The corrosion-resistant stainless steel blades pivot to prevent rusting, are easier to clean, and reduce germ build-up. It also has an unobtrusive leather strap lock.
An authentic American brand, the Corona Tools company was born in the orange groves of California in the 1920s. Since then, generations of agriculturists, gardeners, landscapers, arborists, and construction professionals have turned to Corona to find high-quality tools that work as hard as they do. They know that Corona’s iconic red handles are an immediate symbol of quality and long-lasting durability. Learn more about Corona Tools at http://coronatoolsusa.com/.
To enter to win a pair of Corona snips, send an email by 5:00pm on August 31 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Corona Snips” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about 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.
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.
Reader Favorites
My favorite article from the June 2024 issue is “Museum of the Bible’s Rooftop Garden” because I was not even aware of the garden’s existence. The garden is a most appropriate part of the Bible Museum because of a garden’s significance in the Bible from the very beginning. I look forward to visiting.
Thank you for producing a quality, informative, and beautiful gardening magazine.
~ Phyllis Downey, Pasadena, MD
My favorite article in the June 2024 issue was “How to Make a Terrarium.” I have always wanted to do one, but didn’t know the dos and don’ts about it. Now I am informed. Thank you!
~ Ed Yemola, Drums, PA
My favorite article in the June 2024 issue is actually the editor’s note. It has been a brutally hot and dry summer, and with rare exception, I don’t typically water or baby established native plants. This summer is an exception. Every morning, I have had to go and spend an hour or so babying plants so that I have enough nectar sources. Seeing moths, and bees, but very few butterflies. Hoping that the chelsea chop of many of the perennials enables enough nectar to fuel for the fall migration. Hoping for rain.
~ Heather Andrews, Mechanicsburg, PA The Thoughtful Gardener.
My favorite article in the June 2024 issue is “ Yarrow.” I started planting this in what I call my circle garden 15 years ago. It is a large space in the center of a driveway loop we added when we purchased our home in 2005. It was part of the front lawn and was all grass with one established crabapple tree... I have planted various colors of Yarrow but white is the only color that works. Any idea why? Also in my garden, clover likes to grow with the Yarrow and I’ve embraced it. I have successfully divided and transplanted it in different areas of this space. I do deadhead the first blooms. This year, for the first time, I’ve started using it in floral arrangements and it is a nice touch.
Thank you for the continued great content!
~ Deborah Nisson, Shady Side, MD o
What’s the Stor y, Morning Glories?
By Rick Borchelt
It’s useful every now and then to do a gardener’s gut check about what exactly we mean when we say “weed.”
At its most basic, a weed is any plant growing where it isn’t wanted, usually in the context of a human-maintained landscape. The word itself is ancient, appearing in European writings before 900 A.D., and popping up (like weeds!) as the Old English waed or weod, Old Saxon wied, and Middle English wede. The meaning then, as now, meant an unvalued or unwanted plant, usually that has sprung up in a garden or field in competition with desirable crop plants.
George Washington Carver is famous for noting the fine line between the weedy and wanted with the quote, “a weed is a flower out of place.” It is Carver’s definition that truly fits our profile of morning glories.
In my callow youth back in Missouri, I once sent off for seeds of the heirloom (even then) ornamental morning glory ‘Grandpa Ott’, an inky-purple cultivar of the most common genus of morning glories, Ipomoea. In this case, the species was I. purpurpea, with origins in Mexico and Central America, and I still remember that first summer of lush vines with wide purple flowers handsomely screening the wire fence around the hulking propane gas tank in our back yard. They were equally beautiful clambering up rows of cornstalks where I’d stuck a few seeds from the generous packet that came in the post.
Like many morning glories, it’s a beautiful flowering vine, beloved of bees and hummingbirds and day-flying sphinx moths.
I saved lots of seed to plant the next year. I needn’t have bothered.
The next summer, ‘Grandpa Ott’ was everywhere. On every fence. Overwhelming the potato patch. Blanketing blackberries and raspberries. Hanging so heavily on young cornstalks that they sometimes toppled over. For all I know, it’s still vining and twining and strangling plants back on the old farmstead. Some of you may have had a similar experience with a favored morning glory cultivar in a community garden, and suffered the dour and exasperated scowls of fellow gardeners when morning glories came up in all their plots the next year...well, like weeds.
name itself derived from the Latin “convolvere,” to wind. The family includes other ornamental morning glories and moonflowers, noxious perennial vines known as hedgeweeds and bindweeds, and the garden staple sweet potato. The clingy golden parasite, dodder, is also a member of the clan.
Wind is what Convolvulaceae do. A single Whitestar or Ivyleaf left to its own devices to set seed this fall will populate any bare soil it finds in a yard or garden next spring. They’re easy to spot when they sprout—morning glories have a distinctive pair of seed leaves, the cotyledons, that resemble butterflies in outline. The cotyledons of Ivyleaf and most ornamental morning glories are rounded and blunt; Whitestar cotyledons are thinner, pointier variations on the theme.
They don’t stay cotyledons for very long. Within days, they’re twining up hollyhocks and scaling lily stalks. They’re quick to bloom.
But we don’t have to go to Central or South America to find morning glories behaving badly. One is native here: the Whitestar or small white morning glory, I. lacunosa
The other is a tropical species that’s been here so long its actual origin is lost: Ivyleaf morning glory, I. hederacea Once they get their twisty tendrils on your garden, you’ll be finding choicer words than weed to describe them.
Whitestar is a small-flowered morning glory; its inch-wide white flower stands out sharply from the dark-green, heart-shaped leaves and smooth purple stems. Ivyleaf morning glory is a brilliant sky-blue (although it can sometimes throw pink or white or purple flowers just to confuse us) borne over ivy- or trident-shaped leaves on hairy green stems.
Both annual species belong to the huge plant family Convolvulaceae, the
Removing them is a pain. Your best bet is to hoe or rake exposed soil in the spring when you see the cotyledons emerge. If you don’t catch them then, you can laboriously try to unwind them from their vegetal scaffolds, or yank them out at ground level and live with the unsightly brown leaves on plants in your back border until they fall off. Because the cotyledons are so entwined with other plants, herbicides aren’t usually helpful.
Luckily, these two morning glories are annuals, and the seeds don’t persist too long in the soil if they don’t germinate the first year. Religiously remove any seeds before they ripen, especially those left hidden among thorny roses or twiggy shrubbery. Don’t put them in the compost bin; they have an uncanny ability to ripen even after the vine has been pulled.
Pretty and delicate as they seem, these annual morning glories perfectly exemplify Carver’s definition of weeds as flowers out of place. o
Rick Borchelt is a botanist and science writer who gardens and writes about natural history at his home in College Park. Reach him with weed ID questions at rborchelt@gmail.com.
The flowers of Ivyleaf morning glories are typically sky-blue, but can sometimes show up as pink or purple. Photo by Tyler Bell.
The flowers of Whitestar are small—less than an inch wide, white, and narrow. Photo by Mike Honig
Angel’s Tr umpet versus Devil’s Trumpet (Datura and Brugmansia)
By Kathy Jentz
Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia sp.) is a perennial plant from South America with large, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang facing down. They bloom in mid- to late-summer and are pleasantly fragrant, especially in the early evening. The plant is moth-pollinated and attractive to hummingbirds.
It is hardy to USDA Zones 8–10. In our region, where it is not winter-hardy, Brugmansia (pictured here) is typically grown in a large container and then taken in when the weather turns cold. The container can be sunken into the ground during the growing season, if desired.
Brugmansia grows best in full sun. Pot it up in well-draining soils and water it regularly. Apply an all-purpose fertilizer regularly to encourage continual blooming.
It can reach heights up to 20 feet tall. If it gets too big for your space, prune it back in early spring before the new season’s growth emerges. The plant is a vigorous grower and doesn’t mind a hard cut-back.
To propagate Brugmansia, take a 6-inch cutting in early spring and put it in water. Once roots form, pot it up in a 1-gallon container.
Devil’s Trumpet (Datura sp.) is an herbaceous (non-woody) plant that is an annual in our region. It is hardy to USDA Zones 9–10. Some Datura (pictured on the cover) are native to the southwestern U.S. and others originate in the Caribbean and Central America.
The large, fragrant flowers bloom from mid-summer until frost. The plants tend to sprawl on the ground and can form a mound 3 feet wide or more.
All Datura are moth-pollinated. Datura wrightii is the host plant for the larvae of the Hawk moth (Sphingidae). It is a good choice for a nighttime or moon gardens.
It is often confused with Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia sp.) but Brugmansia blooms points down, while Datura’s flowers face up or out. Brugmansia’s fruit are smooth, while the Datura fruit or seed capsules are prickly.
They are both members of the nightshade family and are considered poisonous in all parts, so are essentially deer-resistant, but should also be kept away from small children and pets—and handled with extreme care.
The common name jimsonweed refers to Datura stramonium, also known as Mad Apple or Thornapple, amongst many other common names. It was used by Indigenous peoples of the Americas as a hallucinogen and intoxicant.
Datura grows best in full sun and in well-draining soils. It is quite drought-tolerant once established. Apply an all-purpose fertilizer regularly to encourage continual blooming.
To propagate Datura, sow the seeds indoors in February or directly outdoors after the last frost of spring. Collect the seed capsules before they open up if you do not want it to self-sow. o
Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener
Selecting the Right Potting Mix for Your Plantings
By Melinda Myers
As gardeners, it seems we are all looking for an ideal potting mix for our houseplants and containers. As with any gardening endeavor, a lot depends on what is available, the plants you are growing, and the type of maintenance you provide.
That said, there are some things you can do to increase your success and reduce ongoing maintenance. It all starts by reviewing the label on the bag you plan to purchase. You’ll find a variety of bags labeled as planting mix, potting mix, container mix, and more. Check the label to see what the bag contains and recommendations for its use.
These mixes usually contain inorganic and organic materials and may also include sand and mineral soil. They may or may not be sterilized to kill weed seeds and pests. If it doesn’t say sterilized, it probably is not, and you should consider another product instead.
Many potting mixes are labeled as “soilless.” They consist of peat moss, sphagnum moss, and compost for moisture retention and vermiculite or perlite for drainage, but do not contain mineral soils such as sand or clay. They are lightweight and blended to hold moisture while draining well.
Some potting mixes are modified to accommodate the needs of certain plants. Orchid mixes often contain more bark for better aeration while cacti and succulent mixes have more sand or perlite for better drainage. African Violet potting mix contains more organic matter to create a moist, rich growing medium.
Organic potting mixes are also available. Many gardeners prefer to know the ingredients are free of pesticides and other contaminants. Check for the word “organic” and OMRI on the label if you want an organic product.
Once again, check the label on the bag for more details about the potting
mix. Some potting mixes contain a “starter charge” of fertilizer. This minimal amount of fertilizer is usually gone after two or three waterings. Some include additional fertilizer that provides small amounts of nutrients over a longer period. The label may say controlled-release, time-release, or slow-release fertilizer, meaning it provides your plants with nutrients for a certain amount of time.
Moisture-retaining products are supposed to hold water near plant roots and reduce the frequency of watering. Research has not shown them to be effective. Some gardeners feel they are effective while others end up with root rot when using these.
Consider adding an organic product, like Wild Valley Farms’ wool pellets (wildvalleyfarms.com) to potting mixes that do not contain moisture-retaining products. It is sustainable, made from wool waste, university-tested, and shown to reduce watering by up to 20 percent, while increasing air space and adding organic matter.
Select bags of potting mix that are light, fluffy, and moist. Avoid bags that are waterlogged and heavy. The mix can break down and become compacted, and some of the slow-release fertilizer may be pre-released and damage young seedlings when saturated with water.
Spend a bit of time searching for the potting mix that best matches the plants you are growing and your watering regime. The time spent selecting your perfect potting mix will pay off with greater growing success. o
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Wild Valley Farms for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www. MelindaMyers.com.
The right potting mix will help ornamental and edible plants thrive. Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com
Hot Weather Lawn Care Tips for Homeowners
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is advising homeowners that although this summer’s soaring temperatures and spotty rainfall have sent many lawns into dormancy, there’s no reason for alarm.
“If you’re like most Maryland homeowners, you probably have cool-season grass, like tall fescue, that thrives in cooler temperatures,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “Although cool-season grasses perform well in our state, most will become dormant to protect themselves against heat and lack of rain. Most lawns will recover on their own once the rains return and cooler temperatures prevail.”
To assist homeowners concerned about the condition of their lawns, the department offers the following advice.
• Will My Grass Recover?
~ It’s okay to let established lawns go dormant during the hot, dry summer months.
~ Dormancy is a natural survival mechanism.
~ Dormant lawns continue to protect water quality by holding soil and nutrients in place.
~ Late summer/early fall is an ideal time to reseed most area lawns.
~ Turf-type tall fescue has a thicker blade and deeper roots that help withstand Mid-Atlantic summers.
• Mowing
~ Raise mower blades to a higher setting to allow the grass to shade its own roots and retain soil moisture.
~ To prevent burning the lawn, avoid mowing in the middle of the day.
~ Do not mow if the grass is less than 6 inches tall.
• Should I Water?
~ Most established lawns will recover on their own.
~ If you want to water, first check with your county or the local department of the environment to see if water use restrictions are in place and grass watering is prohibited.
~ If watering is allowed, do so early in the morning to minimize evaporation and maximize absorption.
~ Water deeply and less frequently to promote deep root growth.
• Care for Your Lawn
~ Reseed bare areas in late summer or early fall with a turf-type tall fescue.
~ Test your soil now to determine if pH adjustments are needed. Grass grows best at a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
~ A soil test is needed if you plan to apply a seed fertilizer containing phosphorus this fall.
Additional information about Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law and fertilizer best management practices is available on the department’s website at https://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/ fertilizer.aspx.
You can also refer to the University of Maryland Extension for lawn fertilizer recommendations and additional tips at https://extension.umd.edu/resources/ yard-garden/lawns/lawn-care-and-maintenance/. o
Gardening for Personal and Community Health
Molly Beardslee, an associate Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Page County, and Kimberly Hoffman, an Extension agent in Stafford County, recommend gardening as a source of physical exercise and a way to improve mental health.
• Pulling, digging, reaching, and twisting as part of gardening is considered light aerobic exercise, which can help improve heart and lung health.
• Gardening can help lessen anxiety and depressive symptoms, lower your heart rate and cortisol levels (stress hormone), and increase positive emotions.
• Gardening can help combat loneliness and isolation by creating social connections, which is more important as people age.
• Research shows that gardening can increase self-satisfaction by giving individuals a sense of purpose, and it can help form better social networks.
Beardslee and Hoffman have seen the positive impacts of gardening firsthand. “We have a cooperative-style community garden in Page that is a great site for people to interact with one another,” Beardslee said. “Especially in the last few years, it’s been a great spot for senior center groups to come and get outside and get some produce.”
“Extension meets people where they are,” Beardslee said. o
Small Balcony, Big Colors with Bulbs
Looking to create a colorful and fragrant spot? You can achieve a stunning effect on your balcony or terrace. Transform your outdoor space into a vibrant flower garden that will have you smiling every day. The secret: flower bulbs! These tiny powerhouses can work miracles, even in the smallest outdoor spaces.
• Planting bulbs in containers
Planting flower bulbs in pots is not only easy, it’s also fun. Fall, when leaves start to turn, is the best time to plant the flower bulbs. Choose your favorite flower bulbs and get planting. With just a few pots and a little potting soil, you can create a mini garden in no time that will truly come alive in spring.
• Small is beautiful
The great thing about flower bulbs is that they don’t need much space to flower. You can create a spectacular flower show, even on a small balcony or terrace. You can make optimal use of your outdoor space with hanging baskets, vertical planters, and planters in different sizes.
• Floral reward
As winter passes and the days get longer, you will slowly but surely start seeing the benefits of the bulbs you planted in the fall. The first green spikes will soon appear, followed by flowers that fill your balcony with spring fragrance and cheerful colors. Try a mix of tulips, daffodils, and blue grapes, for example, to make your balcony or terrace come alive like never before.
• Easy-to-use flower bulbs
Looking after flower bulbs requires very little effort. All they really need is some water and some loving attention every now and then. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a few outdoor pots, fill them with flower bulbs and let spring do its magic and transform your balcony into a colorful oasis.
Curious to find out more? You can find more inspiration and information about flower bulbs at www.flowerbulbs. com. o
Invincibelle Sublime hydrangea is true to its name, with cloud-like mophead flowers floating above the plant on super-sturdy stems. Each floret of the big, fluffy blooms is a deeply saturated tourmaline green that looks refreshing and intriguing in the garden all summer long. Very dark-green foliage sets off the lively green of the blooms. Makes a fantastic cut flower, both fresh and dried, if you can bring yourself to remove them from the fabulous plant.
Plant Facts:
• Deciduous Shrub
• Part Sun to Sun
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 3–9
• Height/width 3.5–5 feet
• Continuous Bloom/Rebloom
• Deadheading Not Necessary
• Native to North America
This is a 2024 introduction. For more information, go to https:// www.provenwinners.com/. o
Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts
• Tomato Taste Results
• Drought-Tolerant Native Plants
• Food Safety in the Garden
• Bunny Aler t
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
TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS
Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales
• Friday, August 23, 10–11:30am Succulents for Small Spaces
Do you live in a small space? Succulents are a perfect choice if you live in an apartment or condo and want to incorporate plants into your small space. Extension Master Gardener Stephanie Halcrow will explore what makes a plant a succulent, their geographic origins, and why they are great options for small spaces. You’ll learn all about the light, water, and soil requirements for successfully growing succulents. The class ends with reviewing 10 easy steps to repot a succulent for your own enjoyment. Free. Held via Zoom, Details at https://mgnv.org/event/succulents-for-small-spaces/.
• Tuesday, August 27, 7pm Maryland Trees Under Attack: What We Can Do, with Faith Campbell Maryland’s largest native plants—ash, beech, hemlock, and American chestnut—are under attack from non-native insects and diseases. Which have been most affected? What are the impacts on plant communities more broadly? What strategies can citizens support through volunteer actions and advocacy? Held via Zoom. Register: http:// www.mdflora.org/event-5768171.
• Saturday, September 7 DC State Fair
Online contest entry is now open. Held at Franklin Park in downtown Washington, DC. See dcstatefair.org.
• Sunday, September 8, 2–3pm Kathy Jentz “Groundcover Revolution” Talk & Book Signing
Held at Patuxent Nursery, 2410 North Crain Hwy., Bowie, MD. Fee: Free for talk only or $21.19 (if purchasing book in advance). Register at https:// patuxentnursery.com/event/kathyjentz-groundcover-revolution-talk-booksigning/#tribe-tickets__tickets-form.
• Saturday, September 14, 10am–3pm FOBG Plant Sale
The Friends of Brookside Gardens (FOBG) hosts their annual plant sale fundraiser at Brookside Gardens in
Wheaton, MD. Members get in early for the best selection. You can come early and join FOBG at the sale. New memberships on that day will continue through October 2025. Plant list will be up at www.friendsofbrooksidegardens. org in early September.
• Tuesday, September 17, 5:30–9pm FONA Dinner Under the Stars
Enjoy cocktails in the National Herb Garden and a tented dinner in view of the Capitol Columns at this beloved fundraising event hosted by the Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA). Spend a fall evening—under a full moon—with colleagues, business leaders, and government representatives. Details at FONA.org.
• Thursday, September 18
Urban Tree Summit
The Urban Tree Summit is presented by Casey Trees and Montgomery Parks. The conference will be held at the Silver Spring Civic Center. The conference presentations will focus on the health and welfare of trees in our increasingly developed landscapes. Learn from some of the country’s leading experts about innovative efforts to plant, protect, and preserve trees in urban and suburban settings. To register, go to https://urbantreesummit.org/.
• Saturday, September 21, 9am–4pm Garden Discovery Day Gardening programs for children and youth from kindergarten through high school, with a small charge for each attendee, from $10–$18 to cover the cost of materials and program expenses. Hosted by Montgomery County Master Gardeners. Held at Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Gaithersburg, MD. Spots are limited so early registration is encouraged at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/2024-garden-discovery-day-tickets-734763065107?aff=oddtdtcreator.
• Saturday, September 21, 6–10:30pm American Horticultural Society Gala
The 2024 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Gala at River Farm is cohosted by Skipp Calvert, member of the AHS Board of Directors, and Lauren Bishop, award-winning realtor at McEnearney Associates. The annual soirée
not only highlights the vibrant culture of gardening and horticultural practices but also raises vital funds to support the society’s outreach and educational programs and the stewardship of River Farm. Held at River Farm, 7931 E. Boulevard Dr., Alexandria, VA. The gala will feature cocktails, dinner, dancing, and mingling set amongst River Farm’s gardens Attire is black-tie. Individual tickets are $375 each.
Looking Ahead
• Saturday, September 28 Orchid Auction
The National Capital Orchid Society (NCOS) Auction will again be held in Harlow Hall at the North Chevy Chase Christian Church in Chevy Chase, MD. Sales tables will feature some hard goods for sale in addition to plants. The plants to be auctioned off will be displayed separately before the live auction. A simple, convenient lunch special will be provided for auction participants for $5. Open to the public. Details at https://ncos.us/.
• Saturday, October 5
Growing Community: Making Good Soil
Join fellow gardeners on Saturdays through October. Hosted by Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum. Register at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/growing-community-makinggood-soil-tickets-840533066027?aff=e relexpmlt.
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 2024 issue, for events taking place after September 15. o
You Can Grow Rex Begonias!
By Savannah Scollar
I was shocked the first time I heard the word “difficult” directed at Rex begonias (Begonia Rex-cultorum group)). Still, it wasn’t too hard for me to see how these colorful plants had earned themselves such an unfair reputation. Rex begonias are some of my favorite plants right now. I like them tiny. I’ll pick out the troubled ones and divide them up into shot glass-sized containers, which I’ll water gently every couple of days. That’s really the key, as it is with most houseplants: gentle watering. I’ll say it again and again and again: Unless that pot is mostly full of roots or perlite, you should not be fully saturating a houseplant’s soil.
Plants need air in their soil for their roots to breathe. When a plant is grown in soil, the roots are structured in a way that allows them to get their air from the spaces between the soil particles. If you fill those spaces up with water and it doesn’t dry fast enough, your plant will drown.
Care and Watering Tips
Rex begonias make some of the most dramatic recoveries of any plant I’ve seen. Sometimes, you’ll get a Rex that’s so troubled, you can’t even tell what type it is. When the new leaves grow in, you’ll be amazed. Lime-green, ruby-red, hot-pink, and silver: You’ll be obsessed with the new iridescent foliage, in beautiful shapes and indescribable patterns.
Once your new leaves start coming in, you’ll be able to take a photo and search for answers. Most Rex begonias are simply labeled and sold as “Rex begonia,” but there are more than 500 varieties, and all of them have names.
ful and more accurate than dedicated plant identifying apps. It usually leads me to Reddit, where I’ll find someone asking about the same plant, and someone else in the comments delivering the correct name.
Right now, I have ‘Jingle bells’, ‘Rumba’, ‘Escargot’, ‘Tango Red’, and ‘Colorama’. Colorama was a mostly silver plant when I got it. The vibrant pink revealed itself in the form of new leaves, a few weeks after I’d put the plant under some bright grow lights.
Propagation Tips
I’ll let you in on my secret: moss boxes. This is how I propagate pretty much anything other than a fern or a succulent. To make a moss box, all you’ll need are a clear container with a lid, a handful of sphagnum moss, and a bit of water.
First, moisten the sphagnum moss— just a little bit. Don’t go crazy. When you squeeze the moss, no water should come out. Soggy moss can lead to leaves that melt rather than grow into new plants.
Next, spread the moss out into a layer that covers the bottom of your container. Once that’s all set, your moss box is ready to go. Take a healthy leaf from your Rex begonia, cut a few slits in it, and lay the leaf face up on top of the moss. If you use an airtight lid, the box will keep itself moist. Otherwise, it just needs the occasional misting.
By following this protocol, you’ll end up with enough Rexs to make a joke about Jurassic Park. Unfortunately, I’m not quite there yet, and have yet to come up with such a joke.
I see so many overwatered Rex begonias in photos online, with captions along the lines of “Help! Why is it dying?” I see similar begonias in shops, too. The leaves get all floppy and sad until they die off completely. I scoop these plants right up. They’ll be safe with me.
Hybridizing began in the Victorian era. Legend has it that the original Rex begonia, named ‘Putzeys’, was a stowaway in an imported orchid. It arrived from the Himalayan foothills—sounds chilly, but the region is much more tropical than you’d expect. At least, the photos weren’t what I expect to hear with the word “Himalayan.” Geography wasn’t exactly my strong suit.
When I’m blessed by a beautiful begonia, or really, any plant that I’m unsure about, I use the Google Lens app on my phone to identify it. It’s use-
It’s back to work now—potting, propagating, and enjoying those shimmery leaves! o
Savannah Scollar opened Easy Little Plants in July 2023 at age 21. It’s a houseplant shop in Olney, MD. She loves doing research, teaching private workshops, decorating with houseplants, and arranging adorable terrariums. Contact her through her website: easylittleplants.com.
Photo Credits:
Top: Begonia (Rex-hybrid) ‘J. Gillingwators’. Photo by Meise Botanic Garden, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
Middle: Nautilus-leaf begonia photographed at Surreybrooke farm, Frederick, MD, by Cohee, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sunflowers of Lisbon
By Josh Panepento
In 2018, Derek Patrick, a dairy farmer, and his wife Jenny Miller, a veterinarian, converted a sod farm into a sunflower field. Then, the crowds came. Now, they have a second sunflower location, work with local charities, and host events.
Sunflowers of Lisbon is in Woodbine and Maple Lawn, Maryland. At the time of publication, they had just finished up their summer blooms and will begin preparing for their September and October sunflower festivals.
“The main reason I landed on sunflowers is because I don’t think there’s a better crop. When you look at a field, just a uniform bloom of sea of yellow, it’s gorgeous,” Patrick said.
Another reason for the sunflowers is the low-level of difficulty to maintain them. With Patrick’s and Miller’s jobs, they did not want a crop that would require too much day-to-day maintenance.
The flowers have two blooms at each location: July and September in Woodbine, and August and October in Maple Lawn. But even when the flowers aren’t in bloom, Patrick and Miller are still working hard.
“The rest of the year is just planning for the next year. We do a little bit of earth-moving. We plow the old flowers and get the ground ready for the next planting,” Patrick said.
In 2020, their original sunflower plantings were gaining popularity, so Patrick and Miller decided to expand to a second location. The farm that was on the new site sold off their dairy cows, which opened up space for the sunflowers.
“I reached out to another farmer and said, ‘What do you think about doing sunflowers here?’ Because it’s a beautiful location,” Patrick said, “It’s only about a five-minute drive right outside of Laurel, Maryland, so it’s in a
heavily populated area with some farm ground.”
During that same time period, Patrick and Miller had to also learn to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with an outdoor business, they found an opportunity. Sunflowers of Lisbon was one of the few entertainment options that could stay open with social distancing.
“We had to bring workers there to help people park because we were so busy. People had nothing to do and they couldn’t go anywhere,” Patrick said. “But they were allowed to come to our event, and once you were away from people, you were allowed to take your mask off and relax.”
Patrick saw that vendors from farmers’ markets had nowhere to go and musicians had nowhere to play, so he let them sell and perform at the sunflower farm.
“We were kind of like a home for that. In both of our locations, people would say to us, ‘This is the first time I came out in a couple of months.’ I’m like, ‘That’s crazy,’” Patrick said.
Since then, the farms have continued to host events. When the sunflowers bloom in September and October, there will be a sunflower festival with a corn maze, food, and more.
Visitors to the fields can expect slides, hayrides, and the opportunity to take some sunflowers home.
General admission is $15, which includes a visit to the 14-acre sunflower field and three sunflower stems to cut (additional stems available for $4 each). Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash and people-dogfriendly. For updates on when the fields open again, go to sunflowersoflisbon. wordpress.com or follow Sunflowers of Lisbon on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/thesunflowersoflisbon. o
Josh Panepento is a rising senior in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. This summer semester, he is an intern at Washington Gardener Magazine
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 Tree Care Tips and Containers for Humid Climates. You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc o
Photos courtesy of Sunflowers of Lisbon .
Heirloom Asiatic Garlic
Text and
Asiatic garlics had not been known in the United States until the last 25 years. They were only grown by collectors and individuals with a sophisticated knowledge of garlic. However, in the past 25 years, the Asiatics have begun to rise in popularity and although they are still relatively hard to find commercially, they are available from some of the best garlic-growing enterprises.
Along with the Rocamboles, the Asiatics, as a group, are some of the most flavorful garlics available today. They have some heat, but their general garlic flavor is rich and nutty. The only negative about these garlics concerns determining when to harvest. Unlike all the other garlic groups, the Asiatics mature rapidly and if not harvested early in the summer, they quickly lose their bulb skins and thus their storage capability.
The Asiatics should be harvested as soon as their first leaf begins to turn. It is critical that harvesting occur early, sometimes a month earlier than the other garlic cultivars. I grow the two garlics described in this article every year and routinely wait too long to harvest. If you look at the photo at right, you can see that most of my Pyongyang bulbs have lost their bulb skins. This means that I have to eat them within one to two months.
One last delightful attribute of the Asiatics is that they can be planted in late winter when the ground has barely begun to thaw. For the procrastinating gardener, this is great news. To be
by Barbara Melera
able to plant such amazing garlic in the spring is a huge benefit.
Pyongyang
Some consider Pyongyang to be one of the best Asiatics grown. I would take this statement one step farther: I think it is among the top five garlics grown. Pyongyang originated in a region near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. This area experiences short, cold winters and wet summers—not ideal for most garlics, but evidently ideal for Pyongyang.
Visually, Pyongyang is one of the most beautiful garlics grown today (see above photo). The bulb skins often have colorful purple stripes, but it is the clove skins that are truly stunning. They range
in color from deep red to vivid purple and sometimes with hints of gold. These striking skins protect creamy to glistening white cloves.
From a culinary perspective, there are few garlic cultivars that can compete with Pyongyang. Eaten raw, Pyongyang has considerable, but not uncomfortable heat. The garlic flavor gathers strength as it is cooked becoming nutty and intensely garlicky. In addition to having exceptional flavor, Pyongyang is an outstanding storer. I have had Pyongyang last 12 months. Its storage capability is truly remarkable.
Asian Tempest
Asian Tempest (above) was originally from South Korea and was introduced into the U.S. by Horace Shaw of Oregon’s Sweetwater Farm. It is the best-known Asiatic garlic cultivar grown today. Asian Tempest is a very productive and reliable garlic, producing relatively few, but large, cloves with good garlic flavor. The cloves are hot when raw, but the heat becomes milder and the flavor is greatly enhanced when cooked.
Asian Tempest has excellent depth of
photos
character that might approximate the best of the Purple Stripes. If harvested somewhat early, it stores exceptionally well.
Garlic Planting Tips
Garlic is usually planted in October in the north and from November through January in the south. It is important to note that garlic should be planted four to six weeks before the ground freezes to establish good root growth before winter. If winters are long and temperatures are extreme, then softnecks should be planted in the spring.
Garlic bulbs planted in the fall go through a short (approximately twoweek) dormant period, and then roots emerge and leaves sprout. With the onset of winter, the leaves die back and the roots cease to grow. This process is called vernalization. Proper bulbing is a function of adequate growth, vernalization, and subsequent growth under longer days. Bulbs planted in the spring must experience some minimal cold treatment to ensure proper bulbing.
Garlic can be grown in many different types of soil, but the plants prefer a rich, moist, sandy soil. Turn the soil and add some lime before planting. Break the bulbs apart into individual cloves and plant, root-end down, 2 inches deep, with 6 inches between cloves in rows 12 inches apart. Mulch immediately. In the spring, apply a 1010-10 fertilizer and water like any garden green. By summer, ease up on the watering. The hardnecks will send up a flower stalk in early June. Approximately one week after the stalk begins to turn woody, starts to uncoil, and begins to stand up straight, cut the stalk off ½ inch above the top plant leaf. This will redirect the plant’s energy into bulb production.
When harvest time is approaching, the plants will begin to dry from the bottom leaves up and from the leaf tips inward, one leaf at a time. The plants should be harvested when approximately 40% of the leaves are still green. Bundle in groups of five to 10 and hang inside, out of direct sunlight and where there is good air circulation. Never leave freshly dug bulbs in direct sunlight. The bulbs cure in three to four weeks. The bulbs are cured when the neck can be cut ½ inch above the bulb with-
out any evidence of moisture.
Garlics are best stored in netted onion bags at room temperature of 34–44 degrees, which will induce sprouting. Temperatures in the 30s are tolerable for table garlic, but planting stock should not be stored for long at cold temperatures. Humidity in the 60%—70% is preferable. Rocamboles and Purple Stripes will store for approximately six months. Porcelains and Artichokes will store for approximately eight to 10 months. Silverskins and Creoles will store for a full year.
A Garlic Favorite
Clearly from the tone of this article, you can conclude that Pyongyang is one of my all-time favorite garlics. I grow it every year and have been doing so for 15 years. Its beauty, its flavor, its storage capability, the fact that it can be planted in spring, its fairly large cloves all contribute to making this an exceptional garlic.
I like to quote Ted Jordan Meredith who, in my opinion, authored the best book about garlic, The Complete Book of Garlic, A Guide for Gardeners, Growers, and Serious Cooks. He, too, is a fan of Pyongyang and this is what he says: “‘Pyongyang’ is a characterful, rich-tasting cultivar that is very worthy of the garden and the table.” Boy, is he correct. 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.
“Inspire. Connect. Grow.”
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. Find out more at https://ngb.org/
GROUNDCOVER REVOLUTION IS OUT NOW!
By Kathy Jentz
Published by Cool Springs Press
“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
Ask the Expert
Text and Photos by Miri Talabac
Drought-Tolerant Annual Container Plantings
Q: I have a pot in full sun that I have a hard time keeping up with watering. I want colorful plants, but even droughttolerant annuals struggle or are pretty limiting in palette. What else can I try?
A: Succulents! Brookside Gardens is featuring succulent container (and inground) combos this year that might provide ideas. You may have the widest array of options for leaf color and growth habit among tender (not coldhardy) succulents, but that’s no different than replanting annuals every year.
One bonus of succulents over widely grown annuals like petunia, geranium, coleus, and celosia is that they do well with less water and fertilizer. You also can rely more on foliage colors and plant shapes for visual interest without dead-heading spent blooms to keep a container fresh-looking or to encourage reblooming. In that way, they are also lower-maintenance. Any tender succulents that do bloom will add more seasonal appeal. (You could also mix in annual portulaca if you want neon flower colors.)
Many succulents are fairly easy to propagate, so if you didn’t want to bring them inside for the winter (or don’t have the space), you could root leaves or stem cuttings and retain the plants for next year. Indoors, they’ll need either a sunny window or bright grow lights.
While tolerant of cramped roots, succulents will do best if given ample pot space, especially if you’re mixing several together. If you prefer locally native species, you could try hardy perennials like Prickly-Pear (Opuntia humifusa), Woodland Stonecrop (Sedum terna-
tum), and Adam’s-needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa). These will offer less foliage color than other succulents, but still interesting forms in the thriller-filler-spiller combo popular with container garden design.
Buttonbush Leaf Bumps
Q: My buttonbush has raised, small pebbly bumps on the leaves. Are they the eggs of a pest, or signs of a disease?
A: These are galls caused by mites, and are common on a variety of plants. Galls are abnormal swellings of plant tissue in leaves, stems, or roots, somewhat like a tumor but usually not serious, and in general, can be triggered by insects, mites, or infections. The activity of the organism interferes with normal plant development, forming the gall as plant hormones or other chemical signals influence maturing plant tissues.
Galls may look alarming when abundant, but most of the time (especially on deciduous foliage), intervention is not needed, and the plant will be fine. Even if you wanted to treat a plant, the organism is protected inside the gall, and in the unlikely event a pesticide would be effective at all, its use still would not revert the gall back to normal tissue.
Mite galls on Buttonbush can be light-green or blush-pink. They will disappear with leaf drop in autumn, and the shrub will start out with normal foliage again next spring.
If gall-forming organisms overwinter inside their galls, raking up and disposing of fallen leaves or trimming off galled twigs might reduce the population for next year. It’s not a foolproof measure, though; after all, the insect, mite, or pathogen involved found its way to the plant one time, and might do so again in a future year.
Drought-Damaged Lawn
Q: The summer drought did enough damage to my lawn that I need to repair it this fall. Should I get rid of any weeds first, or just focus on seeding?
A: This may depend on weed species and their abundance. Weeds compete with turfgrass, so get rid of any extensive infestations or particularly aggressive species (like Bermudagrass)
first, if possible. Summer annual weeds (like Prostrate Spurge) will die once it freezes, but if too numerous, rogue them out by hand or uproot them with a hoe. If needed, you could knock them back with spot treatments of an organic herbicide. This would kill their current foliage so they are weakened and less of a threat to new turf seedlings, even if they regrow a little.
While certain broadleaf or post-emergent herbicide treatments can selectively target broadleaf weeds in grass, a lag time can still be required between application and when you can safely seed. Autumn is the ideal time of year to care for and repair a lawn, so focus on that approach and manage more minor weeds at another time.
Even if undamaged by summer drought or disease, all lawns should ideally receive some attention each fall. This helps to keep the lawn vigorous, dense, and up-to-date with the bestperforming cultivars. Every few years, have a laboratory soil test performed on the lawn so you can learn if any nutrients are deficient, and if the acidity level (pH) needs adjusting to support good growth.
If a struggling lawn has become about 50% weeds, it will be simpler (and probably cheaper) to just redo the lawn, called renovation. That would involve stripping out the weedy sod entirely and either laying new sod or seeding, after any soil preparation is completed (compost amendment or leveling uneven ground). See more at https://go.umd. edu/lawn. o
Miri Talabac is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who joined the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center in 2019 as a horticulture consultant. She is a graduate of UMCP with a focus in entomology. To ask a gardening or pest question, go to http://extension.umd. edu/hgic and select “Ask Extension.” Digital photos can be attached.
Tender succulent container at Brookside Gardens.
Mite galls on Buttonbush.
Beginner’s Guide to Garden Planning and Design: 50 Simple Gardening Ideas for Adding Style & Personality to Your Outdoor Space
Author: Helen Yoest
Publisher: Creative Homeowner
List Price: $19.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4coOCWx and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781580116084
Reviewer: Josh Panepento
Helen Yoest’s book Beginner’s Guide to Garden Planning and Design gives readers 50 creative ideas for improving their garden’s look. From building a retaining wall to attracting birds, butterflies, and bees, this book opens the door to different variations for your garden.
The book contains one chapter for each idea, with “simple gardening ideas for adding style and personality to your outdoor space.” While 50 chapters may sound daunting, each is only four pages, with most of those pages being photos.
Yoest is a garden stylist and designer with a degree in environmental engineering. She was raised in Norfolk, Virginia, and is the executive director of Bee Better, a non-profit in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This book is best read away from the garden since it is not a step-by-step guide. Instead, the pictures can spark an idea while the text explains importance and maintenance. Yoest also shares personal anecdotes with some of the ideas, which makes reading it feel conversational and personal.
The foreword by PBS host P. Allen Smith is a nice touch that puts the reader in a relaxed mindset before reading. He showers Yoest with compliments about how well-written the book is and what to expect while reading.
The first five chapters are all about preparation—creating space, sketching a design, and creating a plan. No matter what you plan to do, these beginning chapters are an essential read. From here, you can jump around the book depending on what you want to do.
Some of the chapters go beyond the physical design of the garden. The chapters “Sound” and “Fragrance in the Garden” show that Yoest thought of every aspect of the garden—aspects that most people wouldn’t think about. Also, there is an emphasis throughout the book on environmental conservation. This is best displayed in the chapters “Simply Sustainable” and “Energy Conservation.” Yoest’s background in environmental engineering shows through her useful tips.
Finally, the book closes with the chapter “Gardening with Confidence.” Yoest gives the reader a personal message about learning from your mistakes and not becoming discouraged. This is the perfect close to the 50 chapters.
The book is aesthetically pleasing for the most part. The photos are well done and the pages have colorful backgrounds. However, some of the photos expand across multiple pages and get cut off by the middle fold between the pages.
Although the word “beginner” is in the title, I would argue that it is not reserved for beginners. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to add a unique design to their garden but does not know where to start. Yoest includes so much information that if you ever become bored with one design, you can start over with a new one. o
Josh Panepento is a rising senior in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. This summer semester, he is an intern at Washington Gardener Magazine
The Succulents Design Book: Container Combinations that Look Great and Thrive Together Year-Round
Author: Kentaro Kuroda
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Order Link: https://amzn.to/3yKv80T and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780804856102
Cost: $19.99
Reviewer: Nancy Eyl
In The Succulents Design Book: Container Combinations that Look Great and Thrive Together Year-Round, Japanese garden blogger Kentaro Kuroda demonstrates step-by-step in words, photos, and illustrations how to choose, plant, arrange, and care for succulents. This 157-page design book, published by Tuttle Press, is chock-full of “recipes” for fun and creative succulent arrangements organized by the calendar. Each month features three “recipes” similar to recipes for baking a pie—or something more complicated like macaroons. For each of the 36 designs, Kuroda provides a materials list upfront. Recipes include the plants (by scientific name), container (including dimensions), layout, numbered instructions, illustrations, and tips. Kuroda also provides a photo of the finished project.
The projects appear to be straightforward and can be made with easily obtained materials. The recommended potted succulents and seedlings are commercially available. Some of the containers can be found around the house, such as an old wok, an
aquarium, a fishbowl, a square glass vase, a basket, a vintage birdcage, a picture frame, a jewelry box, and even a Christmas tree-shaped baking pot. As for soil, it may need to be special ordered; I haven’t seen akadama soil, which is recommended to improve drainage, in local garden shops. Alternatively, Kuroda writes that perlitebased soils may be used. Of course, root rot inhibitor is needed when using a container without drainage.
Readers also might enjoy the list of recommended varieties for specific purposes—for example, photos and descriptions of succulents that are “perfect for the leading role,” play second fiddle best, with large or “charming small” leaves, with “unique forms,” or that “create a gentle impression with light colors.”
One thing that should be noted is that the plant information in the book seems to be geared more for beginners. For example, Kuroda includes FAQs about what succulents are. However, some of the FAQs could also be useful to anyone who needs a refresher, such as the best time to re-trim, why a plant is limp, and what diseases are most common.
Readers of all levels will appreciate the 20-page guide that covers the basics of plant care (tools, pots, soil), tips for combining succulents (color combinations, different heights, filling gaps, etc.), and instructions on maintaining each plant in the container garden. This guide also includes succinct design principles highlighted throughout the book.
Readers looking for help with design principles or who appreciate following recipes to achieve a certain result will benefit from this book most of all. My favorite design is the November recipe for three different dioramas to “create new worlds” and “start your own adventure!” Kuroda writes, “My aim in this chilly month was to use succulents to create fresh landscapes. It’s fun to put plants and miniature items together to imitate different kinds of scenery.”
The “idyllic succulent farm with small seedlings as vegetables” looks like the perfect winter project when it’s snowing outside. It will also give me an excuse to buy miniature zebras and giraffes at
the thrift store. o
Nancy Eyl is a gardener, sailor, and skier on her way to becoming a MC Master Gardener. Her native garden in Takoma Park, MD, provides refuge and food for many insects and birds.
Women Who Heal: Natural Practices for Body and Soul
Author: Emma Drady
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
List Price: $34.95
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4dKjQbJ and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781760764043
Reviewer: Teri Speight
Women often need to be inspired to practice inner healing. Whether it is through a walk or using nature as a prescription for healing, ideas are often difficult to imagine. Emma Drady has compiled a resource filled with ideas on how women can heal using naturalistic practices. She suggests three ways to use her book. Initially, the author suggests that each segment offers food for the soul. Feeding the soul is a great way to begin healing from within. Many times, we need to know that others are seeking to find their way toward healing. The stories of other women experiencing similar circumstances often resonates with the reader.
Using nature as a prescription in lieu of manufactured medicine is always helpful. Nature is all around us and is available to all of us. The author suggests this chapter as a step-by-step guide of ways to incorporate working on healing right at home. Going out into nature and benefiting from what is right around us couldn’t be easier if the reader simply steps outside. One example is of how a woman has united with nature as a way of connecting with her new environment after relocating. She feels more attached to her new surroundings merely by using naturally found pigments and clay. In a way, the earth is speaking to her and is helping ground her as she settles in to her new surroundings.
Drady ends the book with an entire chapter about how to use nature as a first aid kit. She offers a list of activities for those who are short on time. Picking one concept to focus on allows the reader to use nature as “medicine”
for now and for the future. The ideas are easy to use and hold onto when the reader has more time. This is a book that is simple to read, easy to execute, and wonderful to reference when time allows.
It is a great book for anyone interested in a deeper way of connecting with nature to heal. o
Teresa (Teri) J. Speight is a garden speaker, podcaster, blogger, and author. You can find her work and links at Cottage in the Court, https://cottageinthecourt.com/.
Container & Small-Space Gardening for the South: How to Grow Flowers and Food No Matter Where You Live
Author: Barbara W. Ellis
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
List Price: $28.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/3YLyeMA and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781469678290
Reviewer: Teri Speight
So many factors have changed when considering the garden. This includes zonal changes, shorter seasons, and even the reasons why we might garden differently. Having a book that enlightens the reader about things commonly encountered by the gardener is ideal. Container & Small Space Gardening for the South by Barbara W. Ellis is a great quick read for the gardener. Ellis shares the importance of finding your spark. What are you gardening for and why? Everyone has a different reason,
which is why most readers will find something of value in this book.
The book begins with the essential idea of planning and familiarizing yourself with your intended greenspace. Will you encounter considerable foot traffic? What time will you set aside for care? Will it be a high- or lowmaintenance space? What types of containers will be used? Each of these scenarios and more can be found in this book.
My favorite chapter references the types of plants and plant combinations that would work well in the smaller garden. The author offers suggestions for plants that thrive in many conditions encountered in the garden.
Ellis focuses specifically on container gardens that thrive in southern heat and humidity—or anywhere in the U.S. where you can grow and overwinter container plants. She also gives advice about tight budgets and how to create attractive containers from found materials.
Many gardeners want to grow food and need guidance about including food in the ornamental garden. The author offers tips starting with preparing the soil, which should be considered for both food or flower growing. I love the segment on restoring order. After a long hot summer, many gardens appear spent and have weeds. Ellis suggests pulling any plants you no longer want, layering the space with newspaper and compost, or simply replanting with a quick crop like lettuce.
Many gardeners do not consider succession planting, yet this is an idea that should be considered whether it is in a
pot or an in-ground plot. This is well-written book for anyone with a small space in need of simple ideas to encourage growing food or flowers in the changing world we live in. The author offers plant lists and conditions to consider, as well as answers questions with a commonsense approach. o
Teresa J. Speight is a garden speaker, podcaster, blogger, and author. You can find her work and links at Cottage in the Court, https://cottageinthecourt.com/.
Note: These book reviews include links to Amazon.com and BookShop.org for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine might receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links.
Love Reading?
The book reviews in this issue are by volunteer members of the Washington Gardener Reader Panel. To join the Washington Gardener Volunteer Reader Panel, send an email with your name and address to: KathyJentz@gmail.com We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local gardening publication o
The Legend of Joe Pye
By Barry Glick
Late summer/early autumn brings a whole new color to the natural, native landscape in our woods and meadows. The Asters, Goldenrods, Eupatoriums, and Ironweeds are all starting to bloom and their brilliant colors will last well after the first frosts of late September and early October.
These plants are all members of the largest family of vascular plants on Earth, possibly our solar system, maybe even the Universe: the Asteraceae or Aster family. Formerly called the Compositae or Composite family, in this area alone, there are more than 60 genera (plural of the word genus) of plants in that family.
Asters alone, for which the family bears the namesake, have more than 15 different species, some of which have such slight differences that you have to look at them under a microscope to identify them.
Most folks are familiar with the Aster novae-angliae or New England Aster, one of the showiest of our native species. Appearing along roadsides and in moist thickets, the height of this beauty ranges from 2–8+ feet. The dark-purple flowers bloom from August through October.
Also in the Aster family, Eupatoriums are quite well represented by more than a dozen species. Of course, the most popular and subject of the title of this article is Eupatorium fistulosum (also known as Eutrochium fistulosum) or more commonly as Tall Joe Pye Weed and Hollow Joe Pye Weed.
Towering up to 10 feet tall and blooming in late summer throughout early autumn, Eupatorium fistulosum is a striking plant and I’m sure that everyone has noticed it at one point in their travels. Commonly found in moist creek bottoms and along stream banks, with
its rosy-pink flowers, it’s an important pollen and nectar plant that attracts insect pollinators by the score.
These plants make a great statement in the garden where they are best placed in the back of the border to highlight smaller plants in the middle to front of the border.
I know of at least one cultivar, ‘Gateway’, that was selected by worldfamous Plantsman, Kurt Bluemel. It was selected for its reddish stems and dramatic pink-purple blooms.
By the way, the name Eupatorium comes from its namesake, Mithridates Eupator, who lived from 132–163 BC and was purported to have used the plant medicinally. The specific epithet, fistulosum, means hollow stem.
Another species in the genus Eupatorium is a plant I learned as Eupatorium rugosum, now known as Ageratina altissima—with the common name of White Snakeroot This plant lives in a completely different habitat: It can be found in woods and along fence rows where woods meet fields. Eupatorium rugosum grows from 12–36 inches and its flowers are white. The name rugosa means rough or wrinkled and refers to the coarseness of the foliage. A cultivar named ‘Chocolate’, selected by Dr. Richard Lighty of the Mt Cuba Center for Piedmont Plants in Greenville, Delaware, has brownish-bronze chocolate-like foliage and presents a lovely contrast to the pure-white flowers.
Well, I never did tell you who Joe Pye was, mainly because I don’t know and the legends abound. Some say he was “an Indian medicine man” who saved an entire colony of English settlers in the 1600s. Others say the plant was named for Mohican sachem (chief) Joseph Shauquethqueat, who lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in the late 1700s. If anyone does know for sure, I would appreciate hearing from them. 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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MARCH/APRIL 2005
• Landscape DIY vs. Pro
• Prevent Gardener’s Back
• Ladew Topiary Gardens
• Cherry Trees
MAY/JUNE 2005
• Stunning Plant Combinations
• Turning Clay into Rich Soil
• Wild Garlic
• Strawberries
JULY/AUGUST 2005
• Water Gardens
• Poison Ivy
• Disguising a Sloping Yard
• Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005
• Container Gardens
• Clematis Vines
• Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens
• 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005
• Backyard Bird Habitats
• Hellebores
• Building a Coldframe
• Bulb Planting Basics
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006
• Garden Decor Principles
• Primroses
• Tasty Heirloom Veggies
• U.S. Botanic Garden
MARCH/APRIL 2006
• Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs
• Azaleas
• Figs, Berries, & Persimmons
• Basic Pruning Principles
MAY/JUNE 2006
• Using Native Plants in Your Landscape
• Crabgrass
• Peppers
• Secret Sources for Free Plants
JULY/AUGUST 2006
• Hydrangeas
• Theme Gardens
• Agave
• Find Garden Space by Growing Up
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006
• Shade Gardening
• Hosta Care Guide
• Fig-growing Tips and Recipes
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006
• Horticultural Careers
• Juniper Care Guide
• Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes
• Layer/Lasagna Gardening
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007
• Indoor Gardening
• Daphne Care Guide
• Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes
• Houseplant Propagation
MARCH/APRIL 2007
• Stormwater Management
• Dogwood Selection & Care Guide
• Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips
• Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens
MAY/JUNE 2007
• Roses: Easy Care Tips
• Native Roses & Heirloom Roses
• Edible Flowers
• How to Plant a Bare-root Rose
JULY/AUGUST 2007
• Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass
• How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head
• William Paca House & Gardens
• Hardy Geraniums
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007
• Succulents: Hardy to our Region
• Drought-Tolerant Natives
• Southern Vegetables
• Seed Saving Savvy Tips
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007
• Gardening with Children
• Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics
• National Museum of the American Indian
• Versatile Viburnums
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008
• Dealing with Deer
• Our Favorite Garden Tools
• Delightful Daffodils
MARCH/APRIL 2008
• Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens
• Our Favorite Garden Tools
• Coral Bells (Heuchera)
MAY/JUNE 2008
• Growing Great Tomatoes
• Glamorous Gladiolus
• Seed-Starting Basics
SUMMER 2009
• Grow Grapes in the Mid- Atlantic
• Passionflowers
• Mulching Basics
• Growing Hops
FALL 2009
• Apples
• How to Save Tomato Seeds
• Persimmons
WINTER 2009
• Battling Garden Thugs
• How to Start Seeds Indoors
• Red Twig Dogwoods
• Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region
SPRING 2010
• Community Gardens
• Building a Raised Bed
• Dwar f Iris
• Broccoli
SUMMER 2010
• Fragrance Gardens
• Watering Without Waste
• Lavender
• Potatoes
FALL 2010
• Vines and Climbers
• Battling Stink Bugs
• Russian Sage
• Garlic
WINTER 2010
• Paths and Walkways
• Edgeworthia
• Kohlrabi
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SPRING 2011
• Cutting-Edge Gardens
• Final Frost Dates and When to Plant
• Bleeding Hearts
• Onions
• Flavorful Fruiting Natives
JULY/AUGUST 2008
• Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses
• Edible Grasses to Graze On
• Slug and Snail Control
• Sage Advice: Sun-Loving Salvias
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
• Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now
• Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums)
• Best Time to Plant Spring-blooming Bulbs
• 14 Dry Shade Plants Too Good to Overlook
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
• Outdoor Lighting Essentials
• How to Prune Fruiting Trees, Shrubs, Vines
• 5 Top Tips for Overwintering Tender Bulbs
• Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009
• Compost Happens: Nature’s Free Fertilizer
• Managing Stormwater with a Rain Garden
• Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum
• Grow Winter Hazel for Winter Color
MARCH/APRIL 2009
SUMMER 2011
• Ornamental Edibles
• Urban Foraging
• Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star
• Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic
FALL 2011
• Herb Gardens
• Toad Lilies
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cool Weather Cover Crops
WINTER 2011/EARLY SPRING 2012
• Green Roofs and Walls
• Heaths and Heathers
• Radishes
SPRING 2012
• Pollinator Gardens
• Brunnera: Perennial of the Year
• Growing Yacon
SUMMER 2012
• Tropical Gardens
• Captivating Canna
• Icebox Watermelons
SPRING 2013
• Great Garden Soil
• All About Asters
• 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips
• Spring Edibles Planting Guide
• Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start
• Redbud Tree Selection and Care
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• Squash Vine Borer
SUMMER/FALL 2013
• Miniature/Faerie Gardens
• Beguiling Abelias
• Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells
MAY/JUNE 2009
• Top Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat
• Salad Table Project
• Grow and Enjoy Eggplant
• How to Chuck a Woodchuck
• Growing Great Carrots
WINTER/EARLY SPRING 2014
• Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic
• Chanticleer Gardens
• Beet Growing Basics
Jentz Prints
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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.
