the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region
Native Wildflower
Rosy Twisted Stalk
Carolina Horsenettle
Tracking the Destructive Red-headed Flea Beetle
Great Gardening Books Reviewed
2025 Photo Contest
Call for Entries
2025 Seed Exchange Details
Good Choices for Native Street Trees
New Poinsettias
Tulip Tips
Identifying Fungal Tree Diseases
Silver and Gold Chrysanthemum
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
Your Ad Here
Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out on the 15th of every month. Contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588-6894 for ad rates (starting from $200). The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.
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.
The ideal soil for growing tulips is well-draining, neutral to slightly acidic. Pictured are Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’, ‘Spring Green’, ‘China Town’, and ‘Honeymoon’. Photo by www.flowerbulbs.com.
Got a Garden Question?
Send your questions to KathyJentz@gmail.com and use the subject line “Q&A.” Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.
The new Freya Series of poinsettias, available in four colors, features Marble, Pink, Red, and White. These poinsettias are the perfect blend of beauty and resilience with early timing. Having medium vigor, Freya thrives in both heat and cold. All four colors match in timing and habit, and work well in mixed-color combinations or smaller pots. Photo by Dümmen Orange.
Green fruit of Carolina horsenettle, giving it the common name of wild tomato. Horsenettles are heavily armored with spines along the midrib of every leaf. Photo by Larry Alain, USGS.
Join and Flourish
I recently watched the new documentary “Join or Die.” The film is about why you should join a club—and why the fate of America depends on it. It examines the social scientist Robert Putnam’s “Bowling Alone” theory of how declining community engagement created an American civic crisis.
The documentary visits the meetings of many varied organizations (disappointingly none were garden-related!) and shows how the more involved people were with these groups throughout U.S. history, the more they were involved in local politics, understood the world around them, and knew their neighbors, and how that was better for society as a whole.
These benefits of being in an organization are great for civic life as a whole, but it is at the individual level that I believe you will see the greatest impact. By being active in a garden group or other organization, especially at the leadership level, there is a sense of accomplishment, pride, and duty. You form a bond with your fellow members and leaders that carries into other aspects of your life. You can use this network to obtain business referrals and job leads. You can rely on fellow members for advice and feedback—and yes, you may even make a few friends.
Sincerely,
Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington
Gardener, KathyJentz@gmail.com
PS Exciting news! We’ve created an online shop partnering with some of the best growers and best tool/supply brands in the garden space to ship from their fields and workshops straight to you. Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse. We’re adding new items every week!
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
Zachary Intrater Intern
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Your editor (at far right) with fellow members of Ladies in the Landscape.
Reader Favorites
Reader Contest
For our December 2024 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away three copies of Black Flora by Teresa Speight.
Unearthing the floral legacies of the past, celebrating the present, and inspiring younger generations of plant-lovers, Black Flora is the first book to feature profiles of contemporary Black experts innovating in the world of flowers. Author and longtime gardener, Teresa Speight, offers a beautiful intersection of flowers and community. With iridescent lettering across the cover, stunning photos throughout, and insights from more than 20 growers, florists, and designers from around the U.S., each with a deep reverence for nature, this breathtaking book showcases a range of floral expertise. Both a celebration of now and a vision for the future, Black Flora honors floriculture’s creative vanguard and is a must-have for every lover of design, style, gardening and—of course—flowers.
To enter to win one of the book copies, send an email by 5:00pm on December 31 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Black Flora” 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 January 1. Replies might be published. 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.
My favorite article in the October 2024 issue of Washington Gardener was “A Sunflower Protest” by Zachary Intrater. I enjoyed the interview format, and hearing from Conner about how he got involved with the sunflower garden and committed to caring for it. With only one type of plant, the Polonne Sunflower Garden communicates a clear message of resistance—and resilience.
~ Anamaria Anderson, Arlington, VA
Great November 2024 issue of Washington Gardener!
~ Jack Basark, WDC o
Kathy Jentz
“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
Shurrell Hester is an AmeriCorps VISTA member at the University of Maryland (UMD) Food Systems Project, which project aims to alleviate food insecurity on campus and in the community by expanding food literacy, increasing awareness of available food resources, and increasing capacity for those resources.
According to the UMD Office of Sustainability, “Approximately 20 percent of University of Maryland students lack reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable and nutritious food. The UMD Campus Pantry is open to help students, faculty, and staff experiencing food insecurity.”
Before this, Hester was the Community Gardens Program Assistant with Montgomery Parks in Montgomery County, MD. She graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University in 2018 with a bachelor of science in environmental science, and then worked as a graduate assistant there from 2019–2022.
Q: Tell us about yourself. Did you grow up in the Washington, DC region?
A: I was raised in Prince George’s County, MD, where I attended school and explored my love for science.
Shurrell Hester: UMD Food System Education Project
By Zachary Intrater
Q: Have you always been interested in gardening? If so, how did that interest begin?
A: As a child, I spent a lot of time outside, exploring nature. I have always been interested in how things work and what I’d do if I could change the world. Naturally, gardening and encouraging others and myself to learn fell into this. The thought that we could grow almost anything with the right conditions anywhere still fascinates me.
Q: Tell us about your position with Montgomery Parks. What were your day-to-day tasks like?
A: Being at Montgomery Parks was a great experience. My position was Community Gardens Intern and later Community Gardens Program Assistant. I spent most days interacting with gardeners and the public, listening, and learning about what their experiences are with the gardens, viewing the gardeners’ hard work during inspections, assessing planning, implementing program improvements, and responding to gardening emergencies (you’d be surprised!).
Q: Tell us about your current project with the University of Maryland’s food system. What are your goals with this project?
A: The current project I’m working on focuses on alleviating food insecurity on campus and in the community. The goals are to build capacity for 1) the Campus Food Gardens and Terp Farm to support campus and community food security, 2) the Campus Pantry Teaching Kitchen to offer comprehensive learning opportunities, and 3) expanded food literacy both on and off campus through student and youth empowerment. We are in a phase of program expansion through increasing awareness of resources available so they can be used and so knowledge of the system is increased. A final goal is increasing funding for staff and diversifying the supply of resources to ensure the system is sustainable.
Q: What is your favorite edible plant to grow?
A: My favorite plants to grow so far have been all of the herbs, strawberries, and raspberries. They’re good for beginner gardeners and very rewarding.
Q: Who are your heroes/mentors/ influences?
A: My influences are many women and men who don’t deny their human experience—flaws and all. However, they are committed to being their best selves and encouraging others to do the same.
Q: Is there anything else you want our readers to know about you or your work?
A: A goal of mine is to develop sustainable communities that re-prioritize basic needs to ensure communities have what they need to thrive and also reduce impacts on the environment. Through sustainable building materials, using renewable energy, creating com-
munity spaces, and ensuring space for gardening, I’m taking steps in my career to make that goal a reality. I’d love to speak with others who are interested in this type of work.
Q: How can readers contact you to find out more?
A: Feel free to reach out to me at shester3@umd.edu or hshurrell@gmail. com. o
Zachary Intrater is a senior in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. This fall semester, he is an intern at Washington Gardener Magazine
Photos courtesy of Shurrell Hester.
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 Lichen, Apples, and Garden Trends.
You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc o
Silver and Gold Chrysanthemum
By Kathy Jentz
Silver and Gold Chrysanthemum (Ajania pacifica, previously known as Chrysanthemum pacificum and Dendranthema pacificum) is a perennial plant with silvery edges to its leaves and clusters of yellow-gold flowers. It blooms in late fall, when most other plants are going dormant.
It is native to the island of Honshu, Japan, as well as to central and eastern Asia. In its native habitat, it grows along coastlines. It is salt-tolerant and hardy to USDA Zone 5 to 9.
Silver and Gold Chrysanthemum grows best in full sun and a spot with great drainage. It will rot if planted in soggy soils. It is a good container plant and also ideal for rock gardens. It can spread by rhizomes to form a 2- to 3-foot wide mat and act as a groundcover.
To propagate it, dig and divide it in the spring or take stem cuttings. Bees and butterflies visit the long-lasting flowers. It is deer-resistant. o Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener
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November 22, 2024, through January 5, 2025
(Closed November 25-28, December 24-25, January 1)
Brookside Gardens transforms into a magical winter wonderland for the annual Garden of Lights display.
Stroll through the one-half mile, outdoor, walk through exhibit and enjoy the twinkling lights and glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and grounds throughout the 50 acre horticultural gem in Wheaton.
Shop for unique seasonal items at the Gift Shop
Hot chocolate and light snacks available for purchase
Tickets: Timed-entry tickets available at GardenofLights.org
$10 per person, ages 5 and older
Visitors must arrive within their half-hour time slot
Researchers Track Flight Journey of Destructive Red-headed Flea Beetle
With a bright-red head and a shiny black body, the red-headed flea beetle hops from plant to plant like a jumping bean and looks surprisingly adorable. Despite their charisma, these little pests—smaller than a grain of rice—can cause nursery growers millions of dollars’ worth of damage by chewing holes in leaves, skeletonizing foliage, and stunting plant growth.
Researchers at Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, a Virginia Tech program, are collaborating with affected growers in the area to better understand the dispersion of this emerging nursery and ornamental pest.
“We work with growers across the United States with a focus on the Commonwealth of Virginia, where we serve them directly,” said principal investigator and entomologist Alejandro Del-Pozo. “When we visit nurseries, one of their biggest challenges is managing the red-headed flea beetle.”
The initial focus of the study is to examine the inherent flight capability of the red-headed flea beetle by collecting data in a controlled laboratory setting, free from environmental influences or interference.
Much like runners use a treadmill to monitor their performance, researchers use an apparatus known as a flightmill to measure the speed, distance, and duration of the red-headed flea beetle’s flight patterns.
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Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse plants, tools, and bulbs. We’re adding new items every week!
The second part of the study investigates how field conditions affect the movement of the red-headed flea beetle within the landscape.
Using the mark-and-recapture method, researchers apply a colored powder to the beetles that can only be seen using a UV light and a microscope. After releasing them back into the nurseries, the team returns 24 hours later to sample the area for recaptured redheaded flea beetles. “In the laboratory, we’re studying their potential, but in the field, various host plants might restrain or influence where the red-headed flea beetle will go,” said Del-Pozo. “We complement those two approaches to understand how far they can fly between crops.”
From this data, researchers can determine not only how far the beetles are dispersing, but also how environmental factors, such as wind or preferred plant species, affect the population’s movement.
Modifying plant layouts and creating separation between crop zones could help limit the beetles’ spread, particularly from older crops to newly planted crops.
Ultimately, results from this study will support enhanced integrated pest management strategies, potentially reducing the need for chemical treatments.
“Our goal is to find science-based solutions that actually make an impact,” said Del-Pozo. “Virginia Tech is committed to serve the growers. We hope the next time we visit, they say, ‘Alejandro, I’m spraying less and seeing less damage.’”
See more about the red-headed flea beetle in the May 2024 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. o
Enjoy Your Own Tulip Garden Next Spring
Late fall/early winter is the perfect time to start preparing for a colorful spring. And what could be better than enjoying your very own gorgeous tulip garden? Tulip bulbs are the perfect start to transform your outdoor space into a true flower paradise in the spring.
As fall enters the stage and the leaves start to fall, it is time to start thinking about the coming spring. Spring may still seem a long way off, but planting
bulbs in fall ensures colorful blooms in spring. The tulip assortment offers a wide range of colors and varieties, so you can create your own unique flower show. Choose tulips in the same color and vary with their shape for a peaceful ton-sur-ton look. Or perhaps you prefer lots of different colors in your garden? Anything is possible with tulips!
Planting flower bulbs is an easy and fun activity that is suitable for young and old. With a little care, the bulbs will develop into beautiful tulips that will brighten up your garden. The fun starts with selecting your favorite tulips. Planting bulbs is simple: dig a hole two to three times deeper than the height of the bulb and place the bulb in it with the growing tip facing up. Cover them with soil and water them. That’s all there is to it!
Watching your garden awaken in spring and admiring the flowers in your own tulip garden is such a treat. Whether you want to plant a colorful sea of flowers in your front garden, a charming tulip border in your backyard or window boxes on your balcony, the wide range of tulips offers countless possibilities to transform your outdoor space into a floral paradise.
You can find more inspiration and information about flower bulbs at www. flowerbulbs.com. o
A red-headed flea beetle under the microscope.
Photo by Alana Martin for Virginia Tech.
Tulipa ‘Lilac Star’, ‘Double You’, and ‘Orange Princess’. Photo courtesy of flowerbulbs.com.
New Plant Spotlight
New Poinsettia Varieties
Dümmen Orange participated in numerous industry poinsettia trials in North America over the past few weeks. Trial locations included Sawaya Gardens, N.G. Heimos Greenhouses and Millstadt Young Plants, Vaandrager Nurseries, Lucas Greenhouses, and Plantpeddler.
New varieties introduced by Dümmen Orange included its Freya Series, Noblesse, Rapid Red, and Red Ribbons. Additional highlights at the trials included Candy Cane, FabYULEous, Ferrara, Flurry, Frozen, and Red Soul. Red Ribbons (pictured above) are a true poinsettia innovation with uniquely shaped bracts and leaves. This new variety is easy to grow with low to medium vigor. Its free-branching variety provides a florist-type quality. With its uniquely shaped oak leaf bracts, bold red color, and abundant cyathia, it is perfect to use with foliage combinations or as a standalone novelty.
For more information about Dümmen Orange, visit na.dummenorange.com. o
Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts
• Garden Trends for 2025
• Broccoli Harvest
• Holiday Gifts for Gardeners
• Garlic Planting
See more Washington Gardener blog posts at WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o
December–January Garden To-Do List
• Keep watering your poinsettias and give them plenty of light. Ensure they are away from drafts and that pots drain freely.
• Last chance to plant bulbs or, if you have waited until the ground is frozen, pot them up for forcing indoors.
• Gather holiday greens. Some, like holly and boxwood, respond to being pruned by growing thicker.
• Feed birds and provide them with a fresh-water source.
• Check houseplants, and any plants you brought indoors for the winter, for insects.
• Provide some special protection to tender or early-flowering plants like Camellias.
• Stake newly planted large trees or shrubs to protect them from winter winds.
• Check any tropical or summer-blooming bulbs, corms, tubers, and bare root plants in storage for rot or desiccation.
• Apply scale and dormant oil treatment to evergreens.
• Spread ashes from wood fires on your vegetable beds.
• Keep succulents and cacti on the dry side.
• Water fresh-cut Christmas trees daily.
• Gently remove layers of snow from outdoor evergreens with a broom.
• Start organizing your pile of incoming garden catalogs.
• Keep an eye out for damage to tree bark from rabbits and deer.
• Spray broadleaf evergreens with anti-desiccant to prevent dehydration.
• Use the branches from your Christmas tree as bedding mulch or a windbreak.
• Keep watering newly planted trees and shrubs as needed.
• Cover strawberry beds with straw or pine needles.
• Prune stone fruit trees such as cherries, plums, and peaches.
• Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools.
• Reduce fertilizing of indoor plants (except Cyclamen).
• Set up a humidifier for indoor plants, or at least place them in pebble trays.
• Continue to rotate houseplants to promote even growth.
• Attend a local garden club meeting.
• Start new indoor plants from cuttings—try an easy one, such as violets.
• Check the plants under tall evergreens and under the eaves of the house to see that they have sufficient moisture.
• Weed. Weed. Weed.
• Pick a budding gardener to give some inspirational garden books and magazines, then watch the new gardener blossom.
• Store your fertilizer and seeds in rodent-proof containers.
• Do any filling and grading needed around your yard. The soil will settle during the winter months.
• Vent cold frames on sunny days.
• Avoid walking in frozen planting beds.
• Remove and destroy gypsy moth egg masses.
• Clean your gutters.
• Prune maples, dogwoods, birches, elms, and walnuts—if needed.
• Consider using alternatives to de-icing salts, such as sand, beet juice sugars, light gravel (grit), or non-clumping kitty litter. De-icing salts around driveways and sidewalks can harm your garden plants and turf. o
Photo courtesy o f Dümmen Orange.
Dümmen Orange Red Ribbons were shown at the Lucas Greenhouses Poinsettia Trial in Monroeville, N.J. on December 3, 2024.
TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS
Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales
• Every night through January 5, 2025, except December 24–25 and January 1 Brookside Gardens Garden of Lights
The Garden of Lights display transforms Brookside Gardens into a magical winter wonderland. Stroll through the half-mile outdoor walk-through exhibit and enjoy the twinkling lights and glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and grounds throughout the 50-acre horticultural gem in Wheaton, MD. Tickets are $10 per person, age 5 and older, and only available to purchase at https://brooksidegardens. ticketsauce.com/f/gol/garden-of-lights. Garden of Lights is an outdoor, rain or shine event. Dress accordingly.
• Every day through January 5, 2025, closed on December 25. Season’s Greenings at USBG
The annual holiday display at the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) will run between 10:00am and 5:00pm each day—and on several evenings in December. Multiple model trains will run in the gated outdoor gardens and the Conservatory will feature botanical wreaths and holiday decor, thousands of poinsettias, and DC landmarks made from plant parts. Throughout the outdoor gardens, discover trees and shrubs lit with string lights, festive evergreens and decorations, and six large plant-based sculptures of pollinators in the Pollinator Garden. Tickets are not required to view the trains or any part of the USBG. Plan a visit at www.USBG.gov/SeasonsGreenings.
• Daily through January 12, 2025
A Longwood Gardens Christmas It’s the most magical A Longwood Christmas ever as the botanical showplace debuts its long-awaited Longwood Reimagined expansion amid the splendor of its popular holiday display. Step into a world of dazzling new spaces, festive horticultural displays, incredible flowering plants, and more than half a million lights. Timed tickets to A Longwood Christmas are required and are available now at longwoodgardens.org.
• Daily through January 14, 2025 The Holidays at Hillwood
As always, the gardens at Hillwood reveal the beauty of the holiday season. Conifers such as the blue atlas cedar and false cypress show off their evergreen boughs, while holly and witch hazel provide bright spots of color. Pine trees adjacent to the mansion are lighted to lead the way into the holiday splendor. Details at https://hillwoodmuseum.org/events/holidays-hillwoodmaking-spirits-bright.
• January 8–10, 2025, MidAtlantic Nursery Tradeshow
MANTS is one of the largest private trade shows serving the horticulture industry. Held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD. Early-bird registration is now open at MANTS.com.
• Saturday, January 25, and Saturday, February 1, 2025, 12:30–4pm Washington Gardener 20th Annual Seed Exchanges
Washington Gardener Magazine is cohosting two annual seed exchanges, one at Brookside Gardens and the other at Green Spring Gardens, with lectures and a face-to-face seed swap. Bring your extra seeds to swap and leave with a bag full of seeds, make new garden friends, and get expert planting advice. Fee: $20 ($15 for verified Friends group members and Washington Gardener subscribers). See details on pages 16–17.
• Friday, February 14, 2025, 9am–4pm GreenScapes Symposium
Join Brookside Gardens for a day of virtual lectures as industry experts share valuable lessons from the field of creating sustainable landscapes. See details on page 13.
Looking Ahead
• March 5–8, 2025
Nature Forward’s 6th Taking Nature Black Conference, “Reclamation & Resilience”
This four-day experience provides two days of virtual engagement that you can join from anywhere; an in-person day at the Silver Spring Civic Center in downtown Silver Spring, MD (to be live-
streamed for virtual attendees); and a day of outdoor nature experiences in the DC region. Hosted by Nature Forward of Chevy Chase, MD. See details at https://natureforward.org/tnb2025/.
• Saturday, March 29
38th Annual
Lahr Native Plant Symposium
Learn from experts about native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems at this day-long symposium hosted by the U.S. National Arboretum. Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) members get a 20% discount on registration. The symposium includes a Native Plant Sale, where you can shop from a small number of local native plant vendors at one of the earliest plant sales in the area. This event is hosted by FONA and held in conjunction with the Arboretum’s Lahr Symposium. Details at FONA.org.
• Saturday, April 26 Garden Fair & Plant Sale
Celebrate spring at the National Arboretum. Shop from thousands of plants, browse dozens of local vendors, and enjoy free family activities. FONA members get early admission to the Plant Sale. Details at FONA.org.
• May 20, 2025 Second Annual Reduce Your Lawn Day!
Register your pledge to reduce your turfgrass lawn and be automatically entered for a chance to win a prize package. Details at reduceyourlawnday. com.
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 January 5 for the January 2025 issue, for events taking place after January 15. o
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025
9 AM–4 PM
PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR DESIGNING RESILIENT LANDSCAPES
Join us for a fascinating day of presentations offering practical strategies to create sustainable and resilient landscapes. You’ll benefit from decision matrixes that help make informed plant selections and develop successful designs based on a range of environments, ecological benefits, and sustainability goals. Experts will help you create resilient landscapes by presenting a range of native plant combinations and design layouts that manage water runoff, survive droughts, and support pollinators and wildlife. You’ll be surprised how climate change is dictating conservation efforts, its impact on native plant ecoregions and even its implications for expanding our plant palette.
SEMINAR TOPICS
� Species, Cultivars and Selections: Design Matrixes for Making Smarter Choices in Your Landscapes
Ulrich Lorimer, Director of Horticulture, Native Plant Trust
� Resilient RainScapes: Designs That Thrive in Climate Extremes
Ann English, RainScapes Manager, Watershed Restoration Division, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland
� Practicing New Naturalism: Site-Specific Plantings in Public and Private Places
Kelly Norris, award-winning landscape designer, horticulturist, author
� Responding To a Rapidly Changing Climate: The Case for Diversity & Plant Palette Expansion in Urban Landscapes
Kim Shearer, Director of Collections & Curator, The Morton Arboretum, & Chair, USDA Woody Landscape Plant Crop Germplasm Committeecape
GreenScapes will be offered as a series of live online lectures using Zoom with audience Q&A incorporated into the program. Registration includes access to watch recordings of each session after the event.
BrooksideGreen.org 301-962-1451
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
EARLY BIRD FEE: STANDARD FEE: $50/person until Jan 10, 2025 $60/person starting Jan 11, 2025 Register using this link ActiveMontgomery.org (Course PBG0057) or call 301-962-1451.
Ask the Expert
By Miri Talabac
Good Choices for Native Street Trees
Q: Can you suggest a few underused native species for use as either a street tree or a smaller accent tree? They don’t have to have showy features, just be tolerant of minimal care.
A: I think several of our locally native large shrub or small tree species deserve to be grown in home landscapes, but for some reason, they’re hard to find. Maybe they’re harder to propagate, or maybe it’s just an issue of low demand because they’re not as flamboyantly showy or well-known.
American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) grows wild in much of the state, and in habit is more of a large, multistemmed shrub than a tree, though it could be cultivated as either. On average, its white blooms appear from late April to early May, and develop into interesting inflated three-sided seed pods by autumn. It is adaptable once established to drier or periodically wet soils, in full sun to understory shade, and a near-neutral soil pH. Thriving plants might sucker a bit.
Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) tends to be sold as a shrub but can mature into a small tree if you let it. Found statewide, it adapts to many soil types and tolerates drought. It blooms about the same time as Bladdernut and the autumn berries are a colorful medley of mint-green changing to pink to dark blue-black as they ripen. Foliage may turn burgundymaroon in autumn.
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) could be suitable for street tree use (as well as an in-yard specimen) due to its tolerance of rocky soils that skew dry, although moist (not wet), acidic soils are ideal. Slow-growing, it is an understory species, but can do well in full sun in cultivation. Named for the interesting seed pods that resemble hops, it is related to American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), because both are members of the birch family, but where Hophornbeam prefers upland soils, Hornbeam prefers floodplains.
We think of oaks as large shade trees (most are), but a more obscure native that is almost shrublike in stature is Dwarf Chinquapin Oak (Quercus prinoides). Once established, it has good drought-tolerance, and it prefers acidic soils. If too short for use as a specimen tree (genetics and soil traits will influence its mature size), a group of them could serve as a thicket to block a view, or a minimally pruned or unpruned hedge. Despite being an oak in a much smaller package, its foliage and acorns still support lots of wildlife.
Identifying Fungal Twig Galls
Q: My young serviceberry tree has lumpy, dark swellings on the twigs. When I checked my flowering plum tree, it looked worse, with the same symptoms. Is this a spreading disease, and how do I control it?
A: They are diseases, but two different infections that happen to look similar. This is a good example of how knowing the plant ID helps to narrow down a diagnosis when symptoms overlap greatly. The serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.) has a rust gall, and the plum has black knot disease. Both are caused by fungi, but they are not spreading between these two trees; serviceberries don’t contract black knot and plums don’t contract rust.
Gardeners who have encountered Cedar-Apple Rust on their serviceberry foliage or fruits may be surprised to learn that this twig gall symptom is caused by the same group of fungi (Cedar-Quince Rust in this case). Instead of the familiar bright, rustyorange spores on infected fruits and leaves, the fungus creates galls (abnormal tissue swelling) on the twigs, where spores emerge.
Black knot is aptly named, because it causes knobby-looking black galls on the plum twigs, which spread the fungal spores. It does not create leaf symptoms.
Both diseases will kill the affected twig beyond the gall, so when found, they have to be trimmed off and the debris thrown away or hot-composted. Neither disease can be cured with fungicides. Wild plum and cherry (Prunus americana, P. serotina, and a few others) are sources for spore spread for black knot, and several other native plants are sources for spores of rust, which alternates between host plants to complete its life cycle. (Part of the cycle takes place in juniper, and part in rose-family trees and shrubs. Eastern Redcedar is the wild juniper in our region, and serviceberry is a member of the rose family.)
Our native Prunus, Juniperus, and Amelanchier have great wildlife value and are worth having in the landscape,
Bladdernut flowers. Photo by Miri Talabac.
Sporulating (above) and dried (below) rust galls on serviceberry twigs. Photos by Miri Talabac.
and vulnerability to these two diseases is just a fact of life for them. Variations in weather and individual plant genetics influence how rampant or limited each disease may be from year to year in your garden. 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.
“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/
Prizes
Washington Gardener Magazine presents the 20th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges on Saturday, January 25, 2025, 12:30–4:00PM National Seed Swap Day! at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/20th-annual-washington-gardener-seed-exchangeon-saturday-jan-25-2025-tickets-1117021353939?aff=oddtdtcreator and on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 12:30–4:00PM at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wg-seed-exchange-212025-invirginia-tickets-1117024784199?aff=oddtdtcreator
Overview
Washington Gardener magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 20th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in person and face to face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.
When
Two Seed Exchanges will be held: Saturday, January 25, 2025, in MD and Saturday, February 1, 2025, in VA from 12:30–4:00PM (Foul weather that day? Call 240-603-1461, for updates about possible snow/ice delay.)
Where
We are holding a duo of Seed Exchanges one week apart on opposite sides of the Washington Beltway. We urge you to attend the one closest to you.
One exchange will be held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The other will be at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA.
How to Register
You can easily register online at Eventbrite.com. Be sure to select the correct date and location for the Seed Exchange you are going to be attending. You can also fill out the form on the opposite page. Send the form, along with payment, to Washington Gardener, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910, Attn: SE Registration. Please make checks out to “Washington Gardener.” Registration fee is $20 per person. Friends of Brookside members, Friends of Green Spring members, and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $15 per person. We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limit of 100 participants at each location!
We are GREEN!!!
Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange
Seed Exchange attendees are encouraged to bring their used or new garden books and seed catalogs to swap and share at this year’s event. We also ask you to bring your own water bottle or reusable mug and a home-made nametag. We will have a “best nametag” contest, so get crafty!
Hashtags #GardenDC and #SeedSwapDay
Seed Exchange Details
If You Have Seeds to Bring and Swap
Please package them in resealable plastic zipper or wax sandwich baggies. Put an average of 20 seeds per baggy—more for small seeds like lettuce, fewer for large seeds like acorns. Label each baggy with a white sticker (such as Avery standard 5160 address label sheets) giving all the information you have about the seeds. If known, include the plant’s common and scientific names; its soil, sun, and watering needs; and its origins—where and when you collected the seeds. If you don't know all the information, that is okay; just provide as much as you can.
Yes, you can bring unused or opened commercial seed packs.
If You Don’t Have Any Seeds to Swap
Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend. We’ll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year’s seed collecting.
Education Program
Expert speakers from the local gardening community will give short talks about seed collection and propagation tips. There will be ample time for individual Q&A throughout the program with the featured speakers and invited experts as well.
As you check in, staff will collect your seeds and place them at the appropriate seed category tables.
You will be assigned a random seed swap number. There will be a short period for attendees to preview all the seeds brought in and available for swapping. You will be called in by your number to pick a seed pack from each of the category tables (if desired).
After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the leftover seeds and to trade seeds with each other. Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.
What Types of Seeds?
Seed swap categories will include natives, edibles, herbs, exotics, annuals, perennials, and woodies (trees/shrubs). If you can pre-sort your seeds in advance into the seven major categories that fit the best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.
Door Prizes! Goody Bags!
Each attendee will receive a goody bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners.
If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goody bags and door prizes, contact KathyJentz@gmail.com by January 20.
*See photo contest details on page 24.
20th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange Advance Registration Form
Please fill out this form and mail with your check/money order to:
Washington Gardener Magazine, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910
Name:
Street Address:
Email:
Seed Exchange Date and Location: January 25 at Brookside Gardens February 1 at Green Spring Gardens (We will only use your email address for Seed Exchange notices and will never share them with anyone else.)
*The following groups are eligible to pay the discount attendee rate of $15.00; please CIRCLE if one applies to you:
• Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers
• Friends of Brookside Gardens members
• Friends of Green Spring Gardens members
A portion of the event proceeds will go to benefit Native Seeds/SEARCH for conserving crop genetic resources.
An Accidental Discovery: Rosy Twisted Stalk
By Barry Glick
I remember the day it happened, almost 50 years ago. It was during the creation of my first native plant garden. My 60-acre mountain has just about every type of growing condition and microclimate in its steep and rapid rise from 2,800 feet elevation to 3,650 feet. There are dry hollows (the space or valley between two high points) or as the local inhabitants like to call them, hollers. There are moist, rich, humusy areas, and there are boggy areas, dry areas, sunny areas, deeply shaded woodland areas, Well, you get the idea.
My new, native plant garden was to be in a rich, shady part of the mountain, close to the house, so I started searching for plant material in similar locations on the farm. I had my copy in hand of The Flora Of West Virginia, a 1,089-page reference penned by the legendary Earl Core and PD Strausbaugh. I was also seeking information about medicinal plants to transplant to my new garden. The buzz was that Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) was being investigated by herbalists for its medicinal properties so the plant would be a perfect candidate for a woodland, native, medicinal plant garden.
I knew it grew on the farm and since in the year 1972, there was no way to Google it, I had to rely on the very accurate line drawings in The Flora. It was pretty easy to find and transplanted
very well. Imagine my surprise the following spring when the cream-colored flowers that it was supposed to have, turned out to be a lovely pink!
I mentioned this curiosity to one of my local neighbors, a fellow whom I knew to be knowledgeable about native plants—he supplemented his meager income by wildcrafting these mountains for Ginseng every autumn. His response was a hearty laughing spell! When it was over, he told me, “What you have here is Rosy Twisted Stalk.”
Now, maybe 300,000 years ago, Streptopus roseus was the same plant as Polygonatum biflorum or vice versa, and one went one way and one stayed the same on the great path of evolution.
It does turn out that both have been used medicinally. Here’s what the Chinese medicine folks say about Polygonatum biflorum:
“Based on the available evidence, the active ingredients of Polygonatum, including polysaccharides, flavonoids, and saponins, have shown potential cardioprotective effects through various mechanisms such as anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis, lipid regulation, and anti-atherosclerosis.”
And here’s what they say about say about Streptopus roseus:
“Streptopus roseus, also known as the rose twisted stalk, has been used
for medicinal purposes in the past. The root has been used to make a cough syrup. A poultice made from the steeped root has been applied to the eyes... The plant has been used as a tonic. Treatment of medical conditions: Native American groups used the plant to treat a variety of medical conditions, including coughs and eye problems.”
As an ornamental addition to any shade garden, be it a native plant garden, perennial shade garden, or medicinal garden, Streptopus roseus is a very welcome and long-lived plant. In the very early spring, it produces an array of pendulous, bell-shaped, deep-pink flowers that become green berries that slowly turn a deep, glossy-red over the growing season. If you’re fortunate to keep moles, voles, squirrels, etc. away from them, perhaps with a small cage made from ¼" hardware cloth, you’ll have seeds to plant in the fall so you can create a beautiful colony, since they are slow to produce new divisions. 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.
All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition: The World’s Most Popular Growing Method to Harvest More Food from Less Space
Author: Square Foot Gardening Foundation
Publisher: Cool Springs Press List Price: $26.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/3ZBbcXM and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760388938
Reviewer: Zachary Intrater
In All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition, the authors go over the ins and outs of square foot gardening—a gardening method where the growing areas are divided into a grid in an effort to maximize efficiency.
The book covers a number of different aspects and steps of square foot gardening, such as choosing your site, planning your squares, building your garden, and more. Each section includes tutorials, explanations, and an abundance of helpful information for anyone who is looking to start a square foot garden (SFG) or already has one.
In the introduction, the authors share some of the ways that square foot gardening increases efficiency. One way is that you conserve water by directly delivering water only to the plants that need it, and not in the unused areas in between planting areas like you may accidentally do in a row garden. Another way is that you save time and energy by reducing the amount of weeding, tilling, and other maintenance that is necessary with row gardens.
The authors also discuss the “SFG Principles” which include: “Plant densely,” “Be sparing with your seeds,” “Garden where it’s most convenient,” and more. This section does a great job of explaining the benefits of square foot gardening and could convince some people to start.
The next section goes over a very important step, which is choosing a site for your garden. The authors explain some of the things to look for when choosing the perfect location for your square foot garden, such as proximity to your house, tree and shrub competition, and water sources.
There are many obvious benefits to keeping your garden close to your house, such as convenience, the abil-
ity to constantly witness the beautiful changes in your garden, and keeping your garden at the front of your mind. The authors also point out that a garden close to your house is less likely to attract wildlife. Tree and shrub competition is also an important factor to consider, since trees and shrubs can cast shade and take water and nutrients from your garden plants. Trees can even seed themselves into your garden bed, according to the authors.
Close water sources are also very important: “nearby access to water is key to successfully establishing seedlings and growing maturing plants throughout the season,” according to the authors.
This section is super-helpful for understanding the importance of choosing a good location for their square foot garden, and helping readers do so.
Another important section is about building your square foot garden. They note that while building things can often be intimidating, building your SFG box should not be. The authors get very in-depth in this section, discussing the different types of materials that you can use to construct your square foot garden. They provide step-by-step instructions for constructing different types of square foot garden boxes, such as basic boxes, elevated boxes, boxes with oldcastle blocks, and boxes with prefab corners. The reason that this section is so helpful is that the authors are incredibly thorough, offering detailed descriptions and explana-
tions about different types of materials and garden styles, which make it so much easier for readers who may not have experience with SFGs.
Once you’ve done the things discussed in these previous chapters and installed your plantings, it’s important to know how to maintain your SFG, which the authors discuss in a section near the end. They first point out that maintenance is much easier with square foot gardens, because the need for many tasks such as weeding and tilling are either greatly reduced, or completely eradicated.
One maintenance task discussed that you will need to do, though, is mulching. The authors share some of the benefits of mulch, such as retaining soil moisture, acting as an insulating layer between the air and the growing medium, and preventing the growing medium from splashing back onto the plants when it rains. They offer tips on mulching, such as when not to mulch, as well as mulches to avoid, such as wood chips and shredded newspaper. The section also goes over watering, discussing things like how much to water, and even providing a step-bystep tutorial for installing a soaker hose system.
In the final chapter, the authors discuss some challenges and solutions of square foot gardening, listing commonly asked questions and providing the answers. The questions cover topics such as pests and diseases, maintenance, and garden beds and add-ons. This section is very helpful, directly addressing some of the most common concerns and questions about SFGs and potentially alleviating some worries for readers who were on the fence about starting such a garden.
Overall, this updated edition is an awesome guide and resource for anyone with a square foot garden, or looking to start one. The authors provide thorough and in-depth analyses on so many different topics related to square foot gardening, and make the process so much easier for anyone who has this book along with them for the ride.o
Zachary Intrater is a senior in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. This fall semester, he is an intern at Washington Gardener Magazine
Making Bird-Friendly Birdhouses: Instructions and Plans for 15 Specific Birds, Including Bluebirds, Wrens, Robins & Owls
Authors: Melvin “Bird Man Mel” Toellner and Matt Maguire
Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing Order Link: https://amzn.to/4fgINfj and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781497104280
List Price: $19.99
Reviewer: Nancy Eyl
Making Bird-Friendly Birdhouses: Instructions and Plans for 15 Specific Birds, Including Bluebirds, Wrens, Robins & Owls is a 168-page project book for those who like to make things themselves. “Bird Man Mel” Toellner and woodworker Matthew Maguire explain the basics of building a birdhouse suitable for the bird you’d like to attract. They also cover basic information about different bird species, such as habitat.
Each chapter covers a different birdhouse designed for a particular bird. Some chapters include information about the birds that are the intended occupants and the birds that might also visit, as well as ways to discourage non-native aggressive birds that might compete for the space. Each chapter includes a list of tools and materials, a “cut list” with precise measurements for where to cut the wood, and step-bystep illustrated instructions about how to put the pieces together. Each chapter also includes a pattern with precise measurements.
Even though I have no woodworking
experience, I felt that I could take these instructions and build something based on one of the plans. This is because the authors address people like me. For example, they include a colorful, illustrated glossary of tools. I appreciated seeing what different clamps, bits, pliers, and hooks look like, among other materials that birdhouse construction might require. I also appreciated learning about the different types of cuts that can be made with different saws.
This book is not just for inexperienced woodworkers or tinkerers, however. Someone with experience could ignore the glossary and just use the instructions and plans. In addition, anyone can use tips about how to mount or hang a birdhouse, how big to drill an entrance hole (depending on the bird species), how to prepare a nest box for “winter roosting,” and how to avoid being a bad purple martin landlord.
It’s easy to buy a birdhouse, but it’s more fun and rewarding to make a birdhouse from a kit. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment if you started the project from scratch. This book gives me the confidence to try. o
Nancy Eyl is a lawyer by day and avid gardener on the weekends. She lives in Takoma Park, MD, and works in Washington, DC.
Kitchen Garden Living: Seasonal Growing and Eating from a Beautiful, Bountiful Food Garden
Author: Bailey Van Tassel
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
List Price: $30
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4geNJTn and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760388990
Reviewer: Andrea Siegel
In Kitchen Garden Living: Seasonal Growing and Eating from a Beautiful, Bountiful Food Garden, gardenerauthor-social media influencerentrepreneur Bailey Van Tassel encourages us to make our kitchen gardens the backbone of a satisfying, simpler, and purposeful lifestyle.
Her 184-page book, rooted in her experiences, goes beyond being a howto volume about designing, cultivating, and harvesting one’s own food.
In it, Van Tassel advocates taking cues from one’s garden to inspire
a lifestyle that offers some of the sustainability of modern homesteading and fosters living in harmony with the seasons, nature, and the land. She has an online gardening and gardencentered lifestyle business.
Divided into eight chapters, the book leads readers through planning and designing a kitchen garden—the sketches of garden beds are very helpful—to harvest and beyond. Van Tassel explains, using her experiences, that what gardeners draw from it is a way of life that goes with the flow of the seasons: connecting with the land, family, community engaging senses; delight and satisfaction in the growth of the garden that the gardener knows will provide nourishment; mindfulness; teaching children; appreciating life and much more.
A garden-enriched lifestyle can be a multifaceted step away from a hectic world; the gardener can choose the steps that suits them, Van Tassel writes, among them are cooking and crafting. Recipes for such things as herbed salt and tea mixes make good use of a garden’s bounty. Suggestions for engaging children in the garden can help parents.
As in similar books, there’s a list of the number of plants needed to feed one person (varieties do make a difference), and it’s a significant amount of plants. Van Tassel discusses making plant choices, plant spacing, and vertical growing.
The book is full of illustrations, many of the author and her family in Van
Tassel’s garden. For most DC-area likely readers, a sizeable, beautiful garden landscape would be beyond their available space and/or wherewithal and/or time to cultivate it—but it is inspiring to look at these gardens, learn, and take away good ideas. Van Tassel promotes small-space gardens—including container gardening.
The author advises readers that the garden itself is an opening for personal expression and development of useful skills, as well as for encouraging more shared time with family of all ages. Adding a wider rim to a raised bed provides a place to sit in the garden. Preserving homegrown foods offers perspectives on the growing cycle. The summer’s dried flowers are used to make gift tags sharing the seasonal beauty of the preserved flowers.
It all feeds the family, the heart, and the soul. o
Andrea Siegel is a master gardener in Maryland.
Simple Country Living: Techniques, Recipes, and Wisdom for the Garden, Kitchen, and Beyond
Author: Annette Thurmon
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
List Price: $25.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4fjzwTC and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760385401
Reviewer: Marsha Douma
Simple Country Living is a visually appealing book full of beautiful photographs of the author and her family, showing life on their farm. The aim of the book is to encourage its readers to consider expanding their existing lifestyles to include some elements of homesteading for the peace of mind and pleasures that “simple living” offers. This book is therefore both a telling of the author’s personal journey as well as a way to encourage others to consider this life by reminding them of all the worthwhile, delicious, and fun family activities that can be done without having to go out to eat at a restaurant or look for the closest petting zoo for a family activity.
She explains, “I firmly believe in the power of our actions to effect change in the world. When we wholeheartedly pursue our passion and live the princi-
ples that we advocate, we can rally others into becoming part of our journey.”
She further offers, “This book is an extension of my heart…Don’t be afraid to live differently, my friend. I’m here to debunk that notion in a world that incessantly tells us we need more. True joy can be found in listening to the birds sing as the sun rises, gently tugging carrots from the earth, and making meals together in the kitchen. These things bring about the utmost joy and infuse life with true meaning.”
Simple Country Living is not a “how to” homestead book, except to suggest careful planning, going slowly, and accomplishing one aspect of one’s plans before adding more. Instead, the book is a potpourri of suggestions. There are instructions for DIY projects for everyday use you can make with easy-to-assemble basic items to make cleaning products for the kitchen and laundry—what the author calls natural cleaning.
The book gives basic suggestions about how to decorate the garden for a picnic and the house for the holidays using items from your garden. There are fun picnic menus, including roasted berry campfire s’mores, lemonade, and sun tea. The food recipe section is the largest, including instructions for preparing root vegetables in the spring; watermelon salad in the summer, arugula, spinach, and fig salad in the fall, and a lovely recipe for baking pears with cranberries and pecans in the winter.
She has a section about safe canning
and pickling, and charts for eating seasonable foods all year. There are also recipes for vegetable broth, seasoning mixes, granola, waffles, pie crusts, bread, pizza, and even a fun way to set a table.
My favorite recipe is how to freeze fresh basil to prevent it from turning black. Thurmon recommends 2 cups packed fresh basil mixed with ½ to 1 tablespoon of olive oil, or enough to coat each leaf evenly. This mixture gets placed in a zip-lock bag with the air removed, then placed in the freezer. Then just break off a piece when you need fresh basil. Unfortunately, I read this too late to try it for this year, but it makes sense and I will definitely try it next summer.
In addition to this book, the author has an Instagram account, a blog, and a website where she offers courses, all to nudge readers to try living a bit closer to nature by giving them the skills to do it successfully. o
Marsha Douma is a retired dentist and lifelong gardener who also enjoys swimming, tennis, and playing the piano. She lives in Rockville, MD.
Note: The books for these reviews were provided free from their publishers. 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
Carolina Horsenettle
By Rick Borchelt
If your holiday decorating tastes run to fancy golden globe ornaments, you might have noticed your garden or roadside naturally decked out with a few of these yellow spheres, now that the leaves have fallen. These bright-gold globes are the mature fruit of Carolina horsenettle (Solanum carolinense), but don’t let their golden good looks beguile you—they’re giving you a flashy reminder to remove them from the garden before they seed themselves in.
Horsenettle is a warm-season perennial and usually goes unnoticed through the growing season unless you inadvertently grab it or step on it—there are vicious spines along its stems and the underside of the leaves’ midribs. These spines serve the important function of discouraging livestock and other herbivores from eating it.
And a good thing they do such a good job of waving away would-be diners: Every part of this plant is poisonous, especially the fruit.
Horsenettles belong to the nightshade family, which includes other potently poisonous plants, as well as familiar garden staples like tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Petunias also belong to this tribe, as do daturas and brugmansias. Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) is a close cousin that has been a fixture in both poisoners’ and the pharmacist’s tool kits for centuries. The genus name Solanum may derive from a Latin word meaning soothing, presumably a reference to the sedative effects of drugs made from belladonna.
Horsenettle’s close relationship to garden nightshades is well illustrated by its insect associations: It’s a favored host of Colorado potato beetles and tomato hornworms.
Carolina horsenettle is a common native weed of the Eastern U.S. up into lower New England and is known as an invasive pest throughout most of the rest of the country. It probably owes its widespread distribution to hay baled in the southern states and transported elsewhere as feed or bedding for horses. Vernacular names for Carolina horsenettle across the South are legion, including Sodom’s apple, bull nettle, devil’s tomato, and wild tomato (the latter owing to the small, greenstriped unripe fruit).
Mature plants can be almost woody and shrub-like at 3 feet tall, although they prefer to sprawl or clamber among lower-growing plants.
discard the plants with berries, which stick out like a sore thumb in the cold, bare landscape. Wear heavy-duty gloves when you do, and bag the yellow fruit for disposal with trash rather than composting them—each fruit can contain up to 200 seeds, which require winter’s cold to germinate.
Horsenettle is hard to eradicate, even with standard commercial herbicides like glyphosate, which have to be applied several years in a row to be effective. And unfortunately, removing the berries only prevents the spread of Carolina horsenettle; it doesn’t kill the original plant. Mark the location of the plants and their wide-spreading, creeping rhizomes when you pull the dead stalks so you can find them in the spring.
Like many weeds, horsenettles don’t tolerate much competition, so cutting them off at the base several times during the growing season and allowing other plants to flourish on top of them can often control them. They also prefer poor, friable soils, so maintaining high fertility and amending the soil with organic matter is also helpful, as is liberal, deep mulching. Don’t till up or hoe up the mature plant, though, because it regrows readily and abundantly from fragments of the rhizome left behind.
The poisonous traits of Carolina horsenettle come from solanine, a toxic glycoalkaloid—the same toxin that makes us avoid green potatoes. Horsenettle berries have the highest concentration of solanine. Livestock are especially prone to poisoning if they eat the plant, although human poisoning is not uncommon, because curious kids sometimes pop the pretty berries in their mouths. While solanine is toxic to mammals, quail and wild turkeys eat the berries with no apparent ill effect.
Early winter is a great time to pull and
Seedlings can bloom as early as 30 days after they germinate, but they’re easily pulled: Do grab your gloves and mind the spines, even on young plants. The flowers are beautiful combinations of cream, mauve, and yellow but are seldom noticed because they are rather small; about the same size as potato flowers and generally similar in appearance. Horsenettle nectar is a favorite of bumblebees, which are the plant’s major pollinator.
Luckily for procrastinating types like me, horsenettle berries hang on the withered, sprawling plants through the holidays until late in the cold season, giving winter gardeners a good outdoor task for a mild, sunny day. 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 golden globes of horsenettle in winter.
Photo by Matthew Beziat.
The flower of Carolina horsenettle is small but colorful and a favorite of bumblebees. Photo by Tyler Bell.
BACK ISSUE SALE!
YOU CAN REQUEST A SINGLE COPY OF PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR $6 EACH OR ANY 6 BACK ISSUES FOR $24, OR ALL 40+ PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR JUST $100. PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE AND HANDLING. PLEASE SPECIFY THE ISSUE DATE(S). ORDER MUST BE PREPAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. SEND ORDERS TO: WASHINGTON GARDENER, 826 PHILADELPHIA AVE., SILVER SPRING, MD 20910
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• Cherry
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
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
Got a Garden Question?
Got a gardening question you need answered? Send your questions to KathyJentz@gmail. com and use the subject line “Q&A.”
Please also include your first name, last initial, and what city and state you are writing from. Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.
SOLDOUT!SOLDOUT!SOLDOUT!
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
SOLDOUT!SOLDOUT!SOLDOUT!
• 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
19TH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST
You’ve seen those gorgeous garden photos published in magazines and newspapers. Enter this year’s competition and have a chance of getting your images published, too. Whether you take the photos in your own backyard, a nearby public garden, or while visiting friends and family in their local gardens, there are so many photographic opportunities to be found. Let’s show off the best in DC-area gardening!
This contest offers an opportunity for all photographers to present their best shots of gardens in the greater Washington, DC, area. Contest entries will be judged on technical quality, composition, originality, and artistic merit.
More than $500 in prizes will be awarded. Winning images will be published in Washington Gardener Magazine, displayed during the Washington Gardener Seed Exchange, and appear in a local photo exhibit.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Each entrant is limited to a total of 10 images. Each electronic file must be identified with your last name and the entry category. For example, BeeJonesGC1.jpg or JoeSmith-SW2.jpg.
All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared in the viewfinder. Nothing should be added to an image and, aside from dust spots, nothing should be removed. Cropping and minor adjustments to electronic images to convert RAW files are acceptable.
If an image is selected as a finalist, a high-resolution digital file might be required before finalizing our results. Digitally captured images should be taken at the camera’s highest resolution (3 megapixels or larger). For preliminary judging, digital files must be submitted in JPEG format sized to 1,000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi. If photos are taken with a film camera, they must be scanned and submitted in JPEG format sized to 1,000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi.
Contest entries can be submitted via email to DCGardenPhotos@aol. com. Use the subject line “WG Photo Contest” and include an entry form for each image in your email’s text field.
Entries can also be sent in on a CDROMs. Please verify their integrity by making sure they are readable and not damaged. We reserve the right to disqualify any disk that is unreadable or defective. Please check your CDs with the latest virus-detection software. We will disqualify any disk that appears to contain a virus or a suspicious file. Label each CD and case with your full name. We strongly suggest mailing CDs in protective cases. We are not responsible for disks damaged during shipping. No CDs will be returned, but they can be picked up after judging. Send your entries and entry fee to: Washington Gardener Photo Contest, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. Mailed entries must be received by January 20, 2025. You can print out blank entry forms from the Washington Gardener blog (WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com) or from our Facebook page
We will verify all entries, so please ensure your email address is included on all items.
Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other photographer, landowner, or other person. Photos involving willful harassment of wildlife or destruction of any property are unacceptable.
The entrant must have personally taken the photo. By entering, you state this is your work and it is free of copyright elsewhere.
Failure to comply with any contest guidelines will lead to disqualification.
COPYRIGHT NOTE
Your entry in this contest constitutes your agreement to allow your photographs and your name, city, state, and photo description texts to be published in upcoming issues of Washington Gardener and used for other related purposes including, but not limited to, Washington Gardener Photo Contest promotions and online, live presentations, and gallery exhibits. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their photographs.
CATEGORIES
Each entrant is limited to a total of 10 images. You may submit a few in each
category or submit all 10 in one category.
Photos must have been taken during the 2024 calendar year in a garden within a 150-mile radius of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.
• Garden Views (GV): Beautiful, dramatic, or unusual perspectives of a garden landscape, including wide shots showing the setting. Subject can be a private or public garden.
• Garden Vignettes (Vig): Groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color or texture combinations, garden focal points, and still scenes. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden.
• Small Wonders (SW): Tight close-up images or macro shots of single flowers, plant parts, fruits, vegetables, etc. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden.
• Garden Creatures (GC): Images of insects, birds, frogs, pets, etc., in a private or public garden setting.
PRIZES
Prizes include gift certificates to area camera stores, gardening tools, new plant introductions, and much more. If you would like to be a prize donor or sponsor, contact us today.
WINNERS’ OBLIGATION
Photo contest winners will need to provide high-resolution versions of their images for publication and an 11x14 print suitable for framing. Winners may be asked to provide additional information for press and media coverage.
CONTEST ENTRY FEE
The entry fee is $20.00 or $15.00 for current Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers. The fee includes up to 10 total image submissions per entrant. Please send a check or money order made out to “Washington Gardener” or a payment via www.PayPal.com to DCGardenPhotos@aol.com.
