Washington Gardener Magazine January 2023

ooo o o o

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.

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.

Winter Warmth in Washington

When the gray Washington winter starts to wear on, I seek out solace in various warm indoor gardens across the city. Here are a few of my favorite oases. All are free, Metro-accessible, and open to the general public.

• The Kogod Courtyard is situated between the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. The enclosed courtyard with its elegant glass canopy, designed by world-renowned architects at Foster + Partners, and four water scrims (each one-quarter inch deep) are a feast for the senses. Plantings include lush greenery and ficus and black olive trees. Plus, you can purchase food from the Courtyard Café to enjoy in the courtyard.

• The Mercury Fountain in the Rotunda of the West Building of the National Gallery of Art is always surrounded by beautiful plants—orchids in late winter give way to azaleas in early spring.

• The U.S. Botanic Garden’s Conservatory is a breath of fresh air, when the winter winds blow. I especially like going into “The Tropics,” which is the center of the building. It is a tropical forest, with a dome that rises to 93 feet and also has a raised walkway level from which to view the forest canopy.

•The National Zoo’s Bird House is a terrific series of smaller exhibits that encircle a large indoor jungle, complete with free-flying tropical birds. Alas, it is closed this winter for renovation, but it will reopen soon and promises to be an immersive ecosytem that I cannot wait to experience.

Did I miss any of your favorite indoor jungle spaces in the District? Drop me a line and let me know.

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

Subscription: $20.00

• Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com

• Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener

• Washington Gardener Discussion Group: https://groups.google.com/g/ washingtongardener/

• Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener

• Washington Gardener Instagram: www.instagram.com/wdcgardener

• Washington Gardener Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine/

• Washington Gardener YouTube: www.youtube.com/ washingtongardenermagazine

• Washington Gardener Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/wdcgardener

• Washington Gardener BookShop: bookshop.org/shop/WDCgardener

• Washington Gardener Podcast: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/

• Washington Gardener is a woman-owned business We are proud to be members of:

· GardenComm (GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators)

· Green America Business Network

· National Garden Bureau

· One Montgomery Green

· Ladies in the Landscape

· Potomac Rose Society

Volume 17, Number 11

ISSN 1555-8959

© 2023 Washington Gardener

All rights reserved. Published monthly.

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

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

Your editor posing with the orchid plants and Mercury Fountain in the Rotunda of the National Gallery of Art’s West Building in Washington, DC.

Reader Contest

For our January 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away passes to the GreenScapes Symposium (value $55).

The GreenScapes Symposium is an annual program sponsored by Brookside Gardens since 2004. This year’s theme is “Designing With Purpose” and it is held live via Zoom on Friday, February 17, from 9:30am—4pm. Take advantage of this learning opportunity to make positive environmental change, whether in your home garden or through professional work. Explore the latest advancements in landscape design strategies to achieve a range of goals, from public gardens that engage diverse audiences to landscapes that reduce carbon footprints and are resilient to climate change. Speakers will also explore innovative design and maintenance practices that bring visual order to naturalistic gardens, making them recognizable assets to neighbors and HOAs. Although these landscape goals may seem unrelated, they can all be achieved by selecting the right building materials, understanding plant communities, and leveraging creative plant combinations. Learn more at https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/greenscapes/.

To enter to win passes to the GreenScapes Symposium, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on January 31 with “GreenScapes” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced and notified on January 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.

December 2022 Issue

I enjoyed the article on the paperbush shrub as we have one. I had seen it at Norfolk Botanical Garden and fell in love. Thanks for your magazine—lots of good advice. Maybe an article about best plants for winter sowing? We moved to Virginia Beach from Alexandria, VA, and your magazine is just as relevant down here. Happy New Year!

~ Alice M Weisz, Virginia Beach, VA

Although there were a lot of good articles in the December 2022 edition of Washington Gardener Magazine, I would have to say that my favorite article was the book reviews and I looked several of them up on Amazon to find additional information.

~ Laurie Collins, Kensington, MD

My favorite article in the December 2022 Washington Gardener Magazine was the December-January Garden ToDo list, because I just bought my first house and I’m very excited to start my home gardening journey come spring, and this article gave me a lot of helpful tips to do before I can start actively planting seeds for the coming season. This was my first monthly magazine on my subscription and I’m very excited for 2023. Thank you,

~ Ashleah Younker

Favorite part of December was about the Seed Exchange 2023. It means a lot to me because my family used to hold an annual Seed Swap.

~ Ben Adams, Watkinsville, GA

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 December 2022 issue of Washington Gardener was the very informative and well written “Simply Ferntastic” by Barry Glick. Before reading it, I had never known how Christmas fern, osmunda, grape ferns, and walking ferns had earned their monikers. I also enjoyed learning about the trick for collecting spores for planting or making a frond-shaped design. Ferns have a fascinating lifecycle that was described in the article.

~ Eric Hyman, Silver Spring, MD

The sentinel tree article [in the December 2022 issue of Washington Gardener] was an eye opener.

~ Cindy W. o

Seed Swapping Planting Tips

Speakers

Overview

Washington Gardener magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 17th 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 28, 2023, in MD and Saturday, February 4, 2023, 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 WGSeedEx.brownpapertickets.com

Be sure to select the correct date and location for the Seed Exchange you are going to be attending.

OR you can 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 limited enrollment of 100 participants at each location!

Seed Exchange attendees

bring

so get crafty!

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.

What 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 on 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.

Schedule

(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)

12:00-12:30 Registration check-in 12:30-12:40 Introductions

12:40-1:20 Gardening talk

1:20-1:55 Gardening talk

2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset

2:15-2:30 Seed Swap preview time

2:30-3:00 Seed Swap

3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners*

3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk

How Do We Swap?

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 which of these seven major categories fits best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.

Door Prizes! Goodie Bags!

Each attendee will receive a goodie 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 goodie bags and door prizes, contact KathyJentz@gmail.com by January 25.

*See photo contest details on page 12.

Plant Lust New and Notable Plants

By Stephanie Cohen

• New? Exciting, different, “plant lust.”

• Old? Still a great plant, not trendy, dependable, and perhaps underused?

• Never heard of that, never publicized, but it could be a winner.

I am going to tell you about a few in each of these categories and my opinion on each.

New and Notable

I love Alliums, also known as ornamental onion. Allium ‘Millenium’ is a Perennial Plant of the Year pick. However, some said ‘Windy City’ should have been the winner because it has a longer flowering time. Both are of similar stature, both the same rosy-purple, but ‘Windy’, if cut back and if conditions are right, may rebloom. However, here comes ‘Avatar’, a dynamic sport from ‘Summer Beauty’ with a larger flower. In other words, an Allium on steroids. It is smaller, shorter, more compact, and loves to show off in containers. So many choices and all are good ones.

I have loved Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’ since I saw it in England over 25 years ago. The common name is Betony. I have grown Stachys ‘Summer Romance’, which has longer spikes of pinker-purple flowers on 24" plants, and ‘Summer Crush’, a combination of pink and white colors.

Deer are not in love with any of these plants and usually leave them alone. All of them grow in full sun in average garden soil. They don’t have to be used as an edger. All of them are a good bet for sprucing up an herb garden.

Have you heard of Persicaria recently? I bet you haven’t. The common name is knotweed or smartweed, and they can be aggressive. They like sun or shade and are not bothered about the type of soil they are grown in. What does it sound like to you? A weed, yes, but a prolific summer bloomer that flowers right into autumn. Give them room and they flourish. Some of you may have tried ‘Fat Domino’. New ones are ‘Flamingo Feathers’, ‘Orangefield’, and ‘Blackfield’. I have not started to grow them, but I plan to get one of each. I shall put them in containers and then make a decision. I don’t like to chase plants with a machete, so I’m proceeding cautiously.

Last, but not least, the gardening public seems to have decided no more flopsy and mopsy Nepetas (Catmint). They want cats that sit up and grow straight and not lollygag around splayed across their neighbors. These new Nepetas are the cat’s meow as ‘Neptune’ is only 8 to 12" tall—a real shortie. I love short plants! It not only doesn’t get tall, but it doesn’t get too

fat and spread out. The color is an intense blue. Let’s review the names: ’The Cat’s Meow’, ‘Purrsian Blue’, ‘Kit Kat’, ‘Kitten Around’ for all those feline lovers, and try ‘Blue Prelude’ or ‘Summer Magic’—just to break up the feline trend. Who knows, maybe they are dog lovers?

Watch for: Solidago x ‘Sugar Kisses’ a bicolor Goldenrod), Little Blue Stem (Schizachyrium scoparium) with all that ‘Jazz’, Echinacea (Coneflower) ‘The Price is White’ (punny), Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum superbum) ‘Ice Cream Dream’ is a daisy that makes my day. I’m an ice cream freak.

My plant lust special is Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium pulcherrimum) ‘Golden Feathers’ because whether it’s in flower or just foliage, it will light up your garden. I want this! (Hint, hint to whoever has it.)

Underused

My underused selection is one of those plants I love while some gardeners turn up their noses and despise. It is a hardy Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides): ‘Lumen Gold’. It is a true golden color with a fine-textured blade and arching habit. It is about a foot and a half tall and a full 2 feet with plumes. It starts gold and transitions to lemon in summer, but in more shade, it is more like a lemon-lime. It clumps, it grows fast, and it needs no maintenance. I have no patience to wait for some gold grasses that take three years to develop. If it is not your cup of tea, there are many other choices o

Stephanie Cohen, “The Perennial Diva,” has received numerous awards, including being name Fine Gardening magazine’s Editor Emeritus, a Perennial Plant Association Honor Award, and induction in the GardenComm Hall of Fame. Cohen founded the arboretum at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and served as director for five years. She has written a number of books and articles for many gardening publications.

A version of this story appeared previously in the Mid-Atlantic Hardy Plant Society’s publication.

Pictured: Color Coded® ‘The Price is White’ Coneflower. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners, www.provenwinners.com.

Why Do I Have to Share My Milkweed?

By Carol Allen

Many folks have enthusiastically embraced planting gardens for butterflies or as monarch way stations. Those folks understand that they are providing larval food as well as nectar sources for their intended guests and may be resigned to seeing just how much of their milkweed hungry caterpillars can consume before pupation. However, it is when other insects start to consume those precious milkweed plants that folks can become alarmed.

In our perfect world, there would be sufficient habitat to provide food and cover for an entire complex network of insects and other organisms to support not only the butterflies, but also the birds we like to see. But that is not the reality we live in.

Although your target “guest” might be swallowtail or monarch butterflies, there are less glamorous insects that find your garden a haven. One such unwanted guest is the milkweed tussock moth, Euchaetes egle.

As any grade-school student can tell you, an insect’s black and orange color combination warns birds that it tastes

bad or worse. Like the monarch, the milkweed tussock moth larva is colored black and orange, warning birds to stay away. The cardiac glycosides in the milkweed the moth feeds on can cause vomiting in the bird that unwittingly samples it.

If the milkweed tussock moth larva does not support song birds, what creature eats it? Bats have been known to feed on the adult moth, although the moths give off an ultrasonic signal that can warn bats away. Beetles, stink bugs, and spiders don’t seem to be bothered by the cardiac glycosides and can provide some population balance. Perhaps the most alarming characteristic of this caterpillar is its gregarious behavior. The female moth lays her eggs in rafts and the young larvae stay together in packs through the third instar (about ¼ inch). As they grow up, they become less gregarious and can be found in fewer numbers.

The larvae favor older leaves of milkweed or dogbane, completely skeletonizing the leaf. By leaving the main vein alone, they can avoid being trapped by

the milkweed latex. Larger, older larvae sever the midvein to prevent the latex from entangling them as they feed. In general, monarch larvae prefer younger leaves so it is possible for one very robust plant to support both predators for a while.

What do you do if you find your carefully reared milkweeds being devoured by these gate crashers? You can sweep them off with gloved fingers into a bowl of soapy water and flush them. Or you can just plant more milkweed.

Oh, did I mention gloved fingers? Yup, these guys have more than one defense mechanism. There are irritating spines hidden in all that pretty fluff so do not handle them with your bare hands! o

Carol Allen describes herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, with a special interest in plant pests and diseases; is a Licensed Pesticide Applicator in the state of Maryland; and is an ISACertified Arborist. She can be contacted at carolallen@erols.com.

Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) Mason Neck, Virginia. Photo by Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.

Crocuses and Snowdrops Bring Color Under Trees and Shrubs

Winter gardens: boring? No way! Naturalizing bulbs, like crocuses and snowdrops, can brighten things up in places where other plants won’t grow.

Snowdrops and crocuses often grow in wooded areas and around old country houses. Both are naturalizing bulbs that grow beautifully under deciduous trees and shrubs. They get less rain and light there in winter because of fallen leaves. Flower bulbs like it this way during the cold season. This is why they bloom abundantly and profusely in these spots. After flowering, the bulbs draw nutrition from the leaves to prepare for the next season. This is why the foliage needs time to die off properly. Once the trees and shrubs grow their leaves again, the foliage of the snowdrops and crocuses disappears and the bulbs go dormant. The leaves of the trees and shrubs then keep the bulbs nice and cool during the hot summer months.

Crocuses bring a real riot of color to the garden in February and March. These early-flowering color bombs symbolize spring and joy. If you take a closer look at them, you will discover there are some spectacular varieties. The colors vary from intensely deep to cheerful pastels.

The most popular varieties are blue and purple, but they also come in white, yellow, and lilac tones, as well

as striped. Both the frivolous largeflowered and delicate small-flowered crocuses are like little gifts growing out of the soil.

After initial planting, an ever-increasing carpet of flowers develops each year thanks to naturalization. Not many flowers will flower in February during the long cold winter, but crocuses are one of the first varieties to start flowering at that time.

They are a wonderful source of nectar and pollen. This makes them a favorite among bumblebees, honeybees, and some solitary bees. While enjoying these flowers, you also help these important insects.

Snowdrops (Galanthus) arrive on the winter scene very early. They put their bell-shaped white flowers on display in January and February—they even grow above the snow. The petals of snowdrops appear white, but are in fact colorless. When you squeeze a petal, it becomes transparent. This is because the air bubbles that reflect the light are then gone.

Snowdrops are available in several varieties, including double flowers, with green or yellow dots or markings on the petals, and with small or large flowers

Did you know that snowdrops can produce heat, up to 50°F? As a result, the snow around these flowers melts. They also spread a delicious scent of honey.

Would you like to know more about flower bulbs? Take a look at www.flowerbulbs.com o

Crocus ‘Golden Yellow’ photo courtesy of FlowerBulbs.com.

Pennycress plants come out of their dormant stage after the snow melts and enter their reproductive phase where they will first flower, and then set seed. Photo by Zenith Tandukar.

Pennycress Serves as Viable Alternative to Traditional Cover Crops

To help protect the health of soil, one of the first methods farmers might turn to is planting cover crops in their fields. A recent post to the Sustainable, Secure Food Blog identifies several ways pennycress is a great alternative to traditional cover crops.

The benefits of the use of cover crops on agricultural land have been known for decades. However, the total acreage using these crops is extremely small. The main reason is that cover crops generally don’t turn a financial profit, so it is costly for farms to implement this great resource.

According to blogger Zenith Tandukar, pennycress bridges the gap between harvest for one year through to planting in the second year. While it grows, it actively provides benefits like other cover crops. It protects the soil against erosion, nutrient leaching, and early season weeds. It also acts as an attractive option for pollinators in early spring when other flowers are rare.

While pennycress serves as a living cover on otherwise fallow croplands, it also produces oil-rich seeds. The crops also can be used to make bioplastics and are an inexpensive source of plantbased proteins. With proper infrastructure and supply chain optimization, using pennycress as a cover crop followed by harvesting can substantially increase farm profits for U.S. farmers.

Pennycress has enormous potential in sustainable agricultural intensification because farmers use the same amount of land for more output, while helping the farm profits, protecting the environment, and promoting soil health.

To read Tandukar’s full blog post, visit https://sustainable-secure-food-blog. com/2022/10/07/why-is-pennycress-agood-cover-crop/. o

New Plant Spotlight

Starflower Paper Moon

Starflower Paper Moon (Scabiosa stellata) is a winner of a 2023 Green Thumb Award. The novelty of this annual is what makes it a winner. Small, pale-blue blossoms on wiry stems transform into highly decorative, bronze-colored geometric and globe-shaped seed heads. Plants are grown primarily for the papery seed pods, which are useful for both fresh and dried bouquets. This variety is from Sahin/Takii EU.

Plant Facts:

Type: Annual

Full Sun: Yes

Upright Habit: Yes

Plant Height: 24–36”

Bloom Color: Blue/Purple

Use in Planting Beds: Yes

Pollinator Friendly: Yes

Winners of the 2022 Green Thumb Awards were chosen based on four criteria: uniqueness, technological innovation, ability to solve a gardening problem or provide a gardening opportunity, and appeal to gardeners. Winners were selected by a panel of National Garden Bureau members. The Green Thumb Awards program was created in 1998 to recognize the most innovative new plants and gardening products available each year. o

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• New Plants and Products for 2023

• Moss Gardening

• Top Garden Books of 2022

• Top GardenDC Podcast Episodes of 2022

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

January–February Garden To-Do List

• Prune any dead or diseased wood from your small trees and shrubs.

• If you purchased a live Christmas tree, plant it now.

• Cut off the flower stalk on your amaryllis once flowers fade. Leave foliage to grow.

• Keep poinsettias in a well-lit area, but out of direct sun and away from drafts.

• Buy a few new houseplants.

• Fertilize only your winter-blooming houseplants, such as violets.

• Give your houseplants a quarter turn every few weeks.

• Build a compost bin.

• Repair your shed and repair/paint your fences.

• Clean out your cold frame or build a new one.

• Collect large plastic soda bottles to use as cloches. (A cloche is a clear, bellshaped cover used to protect tender plants from frost.)

• Clean and refill bird feeders.

• Wash and refill the birdbath or set out a shallow bowl of water in icy weather.

• Check on stored summer bulbs and seeds. Discard any that have rotted.

• Buy seeds and order plants from the new garden catalogs.

• Prune summer bloomers such as Hydrangeas, Rose of Sharon, Crape Myrtles, and Butterfly Bushes.

• Till and add organic matter to annual/vegetable beds.

• Weed—especially check fast-growing vines such as honeysuckle, autumn clematis, bittersweet, wild grape, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy.

• Place a floating ball or small plastic soda bottle filled two-thirds with water and a tablespoon of salt in your pond to stop it from icing over entirely, especially if you have fish. If ice does form, remove the ball by pouring hot water on it.

• Insulate outdoor containers with bubble wrap or landscape fabric.

• Check that newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials have not been heaved out of the ground due to freeze-and-thaw cycles.

• Take hardwood cuttings from willow and dogwood to propagate them.

• Look for evidence of pest or fungal damage throughout your garden.

• Clean out your greenhouse and wash those windows.

• Set out your live potted evergreens from holiday decorating in a protected outdoor space to harden them off before planting them.

• If we get more snow in the DC area, gently dislodge snow from trees and shrubs with a broom to prevent damage to branches.

• Start hardy herbs, onions, cabbage, pansies, and perennials.

• Clean and tidy up pots and seed trays to get a good start in February.

• Use leftover holiday greens and cut-up tree branches to mulch beds and create windbreaks.

• Do not step on frozen soil in flower beds or lawns.

• Keep all houseplants out of drafts and away from heat vents.

• Use de-icer sparingly or a nonchemical substitute such as sand, grit, fireplace ashes, or non-clumping kitty litter.

• Volunteer at a local public or historic garden.

• Paint a few terracotta pots in spring-like colors.

• Pot up any leftover bulbs that did not make it into the ground by now and force them for indoor blooms. o

The

Annual Washington Gardener Philadelphia Flower Show Tour

Organized by Washington Gardener Magazine

Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 10:00AM-10:00PM

Leaving and returning from downtown Silver Spring, MD

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the oldest and largest indoor flower show in the world. The theme for 2023 is “The Garden Electric!” That spark of joy that comes while giving or receiving flowers—this is the moment captured by this year’s PHS Philadelphia Flower Show.

The Flower Show attracts non-gardeners as well as die-hard green-thumbed people of all ages. First-time and returning riders will enjoy the welcoming, custom details of our coach ser vice.

Schedule for the day:

• 10:00AM Coach leaves downtown Silver Spring with lunch, games, and DVD viewing en route

• 12:45-7:15PM Explore Philadelphia Flower Show ~ dinner on your own

• 7:30PM Coach departs Philadelphia Convention Center with snacks, games, and DVD showing onboard

• 10:00PM Coach arrives at downtown Silver Spring

This tour package includes:

1. Charter Passenger Coach ~ reserved seating, storage under the bus

2. Choice of Gourmet Box Lunch on the way up to the show

3. Snacks for the return trip

4. Suggestions of restaurants near the show for dinner on your own 5. Information package on the show to assist in prioritizing your day 6. Two Garden DVD showings 7. Admission to the show & driver tip 8. Convenient drop-off and pick-up at downtown Silver Spring, MD 9. Lively show and garden discussions led by Washington Gardener ’s Kathy Jentz 10. Surprises and prizes. • If inclement weather occurs and our coach bus service determines it is unsafe to travel on March 8, our snow date is Friday, March 10th. To register, please use the form below. (One form per person.)

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Saturday, January 28, and Saturday, February 4, 12:30–4pm

Washington Gardener

18th 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 face-to-face seed swaps. 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 6–7.

• Monday, January 30, 7–8:30pm

Urban Trees 101

Join Casey Trees with the City of Hyattsville for a free online forum to discuss the importance of trees in our city spaces. Register at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/urban-trees-101tickets-492637651477?_eboga=178 6269877.1672180989&_ga=2.156 430139.1849534960.16739775671786269877.1672180989.

• Friday, February 3, 8am–4:30pm

Today’s Horticulture Symposium

Held at Longwood Gardens. Leaders in the fields of conservation, ornamental horticulture, and more guide attendees through the day-long conference hosted by the Professional Gardener Alumni Association (PGAA). Designed for horticulture professionals, landscape designers and architects, passionate gardeners, and horticulture students. Registration for the symposium is now open at longwoodgardens.org/todayshorticulture.

• Saturday, February 4, 10am–12pm

Introduction to Plant Propagation— Tropical Houseplants

From root cuttings to division, learn the basics of plant propagation in stateof-the-art greenhouse facilities from Nathan Roehrich, greenhouse manager. This class focuses on a variety of tropical houseplants and the most appropriate propagation methods for

them. Bring your burning plant propagation questions for our horticultural expert and take a few offshoots to practice with at home. Inclement weather makeup date: February 11. Fee: $40. Register at the Active Montgomery website #PBG0016 400001. Held at the Brookside Gardens’ Greenhouse in Wheaton, MD.

• Thursday, February 9, 6:30–8pm

Winter Garden Book Club Meeting

We will discuss The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants by Jennifer Jewell. You can order it new or used at our Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3Y8nxRE or at our Bookshop store: https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781604699029 Register at https://us02web.zoom. us/meeting/register/tZUkdOuspzwtHdzK8_VkBgXSThn6rZ5IguKQ.

The Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club meets quarterly via Zoom and is free and open to all.

• Thursday, February 9, 5:30–8:30pm America’s Eden: Newport Landscapes through the Ages with John Tschirch This is the first program in the Great Homes and Gardens lecture series, presented in the theater of the Ellen MacNeille Charles Visitor Center at Hillwood Estate. It will be livestreamed via Zoom. Register at https://hillwoodmuseum. org/.

• Saturday, February 11, 1–2:30pm From the Archives with Love Sending a card is often the simplest way to show someone you care. How long has this tradition existed and how did etiquette around St. Valentine’s Day evolved? In this hour-and-a-half program, explore the history of Valentine’s Day cards through Tudor Place’s collection. Discover how common symbols such as hearts and birds became popular and learn the proper way to format a card. Then, put your new knowledge into action and design your own Valentine’s Day cards to share with friends, family and loved ones. Fees: members: $25 | nonmembers: $30. Register at https://tudorplace.org/.

• Saturday, February 11, 1–2:30pm

Garden Terrarium Workshop

Enjoy the outdoors inside by creating a beautiful terrarium. Begonia enthusiast Johanna Zinn provides information on this versatile genus and teaches you techniques for creating the perfect terrarium. A terrarium, plants, soil, and care instructions are provided. $40 per person (register for both the class and the $30 supply fee). Register online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ parktakes or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173. Code 9C2.K3LC.

Looking Ahead

• Friday, March 3, & Saturday, March 4 Galanthus Gala 2023

This year, the event is a hybrid event with options for attending in person at the Downingtown Friends Meetinghouse, Downingtown, PA, and online. Register for all or parts of the program for $29–$99. Details at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/galanthus-gala-2023-march-3-4-tickets513133565307?aff=efb.

• Saturday, March 25

Lahr Native Plant Symposium & Native Plant Sale

The Symposium is hosted by the U.S. National Arboretum. The Native Plant Sale is hosted by FONA. See details at https://www.fona.org/.

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 February 5 for the February 2023 issue, for events taking place after February 15. o

Top Gardening Trends of 2023

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) list of the top trends gardeners can expect to see in 2023 reflects the growing popularity of climate-wise gardening practices, new gardening ideas for the fall season, and the continued popularity of houseplants. PHS, known as a national leader for gardening and the producer of the world-renowned PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, is routinely tapped as a source for inspiration and trendsetting in gardening and horticulture.

“These 2023 gardening trends offer a great way for gardeners to get inspired and get a feel for what professionals at the forefront of this industry are doing in their own gardens. Whether you’re a beginner gardener or a seasoned expert, these trends can breathe new life into your space, in an approachable way,” said PHS’s Vice President of Horticulture, Andrew Bunting.

Here is the PHS’s full list of expected gardening trends in 2023.

• Gardens with ecological functions People are continuing to see their gardens as part of a larger ecosystem. Through incorporating native and pollinator plants, gardeners are creating habitats for insects and birds with special attention being paid to the endangered Monarch butterfly by planting native butterfly milkweed, especially Asclepias tuberosa

• “Leave the leaves”

This movement encourages people to leave their leaves on the property and convert them into compost, mulch, or fertilizer to reduce landfill waste.

• Reducing dependence on fossil fuels

Many natural gas-powered garden machines, such as mowers, weed whips, chainsaws, and leaf blowers, are being phased out for battery-operated options that help to reduce carbon footprint.

•

Water-wise gardens and plants

With global climate events and increasingly erratic weather patterns, including extended periods of drought, there is an increased need to consider water-wise gardens, xeriscaping, gravel gardens, and drought-tolerant plants. Great drought-tolerant plants include cacti and succulents, Yucca, many droughttolerant grasses, Baptisia, and the thread-leaf bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii).

•

The houseplant craze continues

Houseplants have become an essential part of home décor, health and wellness planning, and social activities. With an increasing number and diversity of houseplants widely available through garden centers, specialty houseplant shops, online vendors, and via social outlets such as plant swaps and Facebook groups, the love and community for “plant parenting” continues to grow.

Andre w B unting’s gravel garden in spring . P hoto courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

• “Fall is for planting”

Fall has been promoted for the last 20 years as a favorable time in the gardening season to plant perennials, shrubs, and trees. Now, fall is being promoted as a time to add color to the garden, too. Garden centers now offer a wide selection of annuals and seasonal plants for fall visual interest, all featuring cold tolerance, beautiful foliage, or interesting fruits and berries. These include colorful flowering Salvias, Celosias, Asters, Ornamental Kales, and several plants with ornamental fruits, berries, or peppers.

• Amazing Aroids

These popular houseplants, which, feature distinctive, tropical, and often uniquely patterned foliage, continue to grow in popularity, such as Philodendron, Scindapsus, Anthurium, Alocasia, and Colocasia. Some rare species like ‘Pharaoh’s Mask’ have sold for hun-

dreds of dollars. Caladiums, plants known for their lush, multi-colored leaves and popularity in Victorian times, have also seen an amazing renaissance with new introductions like ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Crimson Sky’.

•

Food gardening thrives

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a dramatic increase in food insecurity and the need to grow food. People are discovering that even with minimal space, such as a back patio or a front stoop, they can grow produce throughout many months of the year; feeding themselves, donating to food pantries, and sharing with neighbors. Look for more information coming out about how to grow food in both large and small spaces.

For more great ideas about gardening, visit PHSOnline.org o

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization founded in 1827.

T hread-leaf bluestar ( A msonia hub richtii ) . P hoto

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City IS OUT NOW!

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 Carex, Moss Gardening, and New Plants for 2023.

You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc o

courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Boxwood

By Kathy Jentz

Boxwood (Buxus species) is an evergreen shrub that has been grown ornamentally for thousands of years. It is used in the landscape as an edging, in containers, in mass groupings, and as a single specimen plant.

Boxwood varieties can be fast-growing or slow. They also come in many different shapes, from upright and columnar to round and full. There are varieties that have longer leaves or variegated foliage, and there areeven miniature versions.

Avoid English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’) if your nose objects to the strong boxwood scent. The other boxwood species are fairly scent-free.

The best time to plant boxwood is in the early spring or early fall. It prefers a neutral soil with a pH between 6.5–7.0. After planting, make sure to water the shrub consistently. However, boxwood hate soggy roots, so don’t plant them in wet areas or near downspouts.

Don’t plant boxwood too close to your home’s foundation or right next to sidewalk and driveway edges. They will need room to spread and grow. They also have shallow root systems and do not like anything planted under them. It is best to mulch lightly and never use stone or marble chips around them.

Boxwood is fairly deer-resistant, but has some disease and insect pressures. For a healthier planting, choose a boxwood variety from the newer blight-resistant introductions. You will also need to periodically thin the plant’s interior growth to assure good air circulation and that sunlight gets inside.

You can see extensive boxwood collections at public gardens in the Mid-Atlantic region such as the National Boxwood Collection at the U.S. National Arboretum and the more than 160 boxwood cultivars on display at the Virginia State Arboretum at Blandy. You can find out more about boxwood at the American Boxwood Society’s website: boxwoodsociety.org. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener

DESIGNING WITH PURPOSE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023 | 9:30 AM–4 PM

Speakers will share their design strategies to achieve a range of sustainability goals in the landscape, from gardens resilient to climate change to those that have reduced carbon footprints. Explore innovative design and maintenance practices that bring visual order to naturalistic gardens that make them make them more palatable to neighbors and HOAs. Though these landscape goals may seem unrelated, they can all be achieved by selecting the right building materials, understanding plant communities, and leveraging creative plant combinations. Join us to learn how!

SEMINAR TOPICS

� Quest for Climate Resiliency: Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Plant Design

Laura Hansplant, landscape architect and co-owner at Studio Sustena

� Soak it up: Carbon Sequestering Sites

Pamela Conrad, landscape architect, founder of Climate Positive Design, and current Loeb Fellow, Harvard Graduate School of Design

� On This Land: Connecting Minority Communities to the Natural World Veronica Tyson-Strait, landscape designer, educator, artist, and Horticulture Manager at Randall’s Island Park Alliance

� Unlawning Suburbia: Lessons in the Design and Management of Nature-Inspired Landscapes

Benjamin Vogt, Author & Owner, Monarch Gardens

GreenScapes will be offered as a series of live online lectures using Zoom with audience Q&A incorporated into the program. Each session will be recorded and a link to watch the symposium will be emailed to all participants. Registration includes access to watch recordings of each session after the event.

BrooksideGreen.org 301-962-1470

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

EARLY BIRD FEE: STANDARD FEE: $45/person until Jan 13, 2023 $55/person after Jan 14, 2023

Register using this link ActiveMontgomery.org (Course PBG0057) or call 301-962-1470.

• Baby broccoli (sometimes called stem or sprouting) has gained popularity in recent years. This type has small heads and long, tender stems.

Broccoli Varieties

Year of the Broccoli

Broccoli hails from the Mediterranean region and has been enjoyed there since Roman times. Other European regions eventually caught on and broccoli was popularized in France as “Italian Asparagus” in about 1650. The English adopted it about 70 years later.

We have been broccoli fans across the U.S. since the 1920s, when icepacked broccoli heads rode the rails from California to the eastern US. In 2011, the United States produced more than 2 billion pounds on more than 130,000 acres, with a value of over $750 million.

Broccoli is good for you! It is high in antioxidants, amino acids, folate, and vitamin C. This edible is also an immunity booster thanks to its zinc and vitamin content.

Basic Broccoli Types

• Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) and a form of cabbage grown for its edible flower buds and stalk. All parts of the plant are edible. It is related to cauliflower, cabbage, pak choi, kohlrabi, and turnip. These veggies may look very different, but close your eyes and think about how alike they taste.

• Broccoli Raab has long, slender stems with small heads and lots of leaves. Raab is likely to be what the Romans and early Europeans thought of as broccoli.

• Heading broccoli with its large crowns and sturdy stalks is what is grown most widely today. You can find it in green or purple. Americans eat seven pounds each per year.

• ‘Spring Rapini Broccoli Raab’ is an heirloom option. When planted in early spring, it yields a harvest of tender, flavorful heads and leaves. Broccoli Raab has a unique flavor, stronger than other types.

• ‘Marathon’ is a heading type widely adapted to most growing regions.

• ‘Green Magic’ is popular with home gardeners for yield, early maturity, and being an easy-to-grow plant.

• ‘Artwork’ is an All-American Selections (AAS) winner. It is a baby broccoli, grown for its long stems and petite heads.

How to Grow Broccoli

Broccoli prefers cooler seasons like early spring and fall in most regions. Choose a growing area that has not held broccoli or cabbage (or other close relatives) in the past year or two if possible. This will decrease the buildup of insect and disease pests in that area. Broccoli likes good drainage and air circulation.

Full sun is nice, but partial shade will work. Six plants in a 4 x 6-foot area will be very happy.

Broccoli prefers soil high in nitrogen, so work in a balanced fertilizer or some compost while planting.

Many gardeners plant transplants they purchased. When shopping for transplants, look for healthy but small plants that have not outgrown their pots; they will transplant better and grow more quickly than their root-bound neighbors.

If starting from seed, start seeds about 4–6 weeks before planting. Seed should be started indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost date in the spring. Check your seed catalog or seed packet, or with a local extension office, for more information about the best time to plant. For a fall crop, start seeds indoors in August or September.

Spread mulch around the plants to hold soil moisture in and prevent weeds.

Container-grown plants should be planted in a large container that is at

Waltham 29 Heirloom from Park Seed, photos courtesy of National Garden Bureau.

least 2 gallons in size with one plant per pot. Water well and regularly.

Remove any worms or aphids you find on the plant with a strong stream of water or pick them off.

How to Harvest Broccoli

Remove central heads first when they reach the desired size, are a deep green, and are firm with tightly clustered florets. Homegrown broccoli heads may be smaller than what you find in the market.

Harvest in the morning, before hot midday temperatures arrive.

Use a sharp knife when harvesting, and cut just above where the stalk joins the leaves with approximately 5 inches of stem.

Once the primary head is harvested, your plant will send side shoots out and supply smaller broccoli heads for as long as cool weather holds.

Harvest often to prevent bolting. Once a plant sets yellow flowers, it is finished for the year.

Cooking Tips

Sauté chopped broccoli and shallot with butter, add cubed baby potatoes and your favorite broth, and simmer until soft.

Broccoli stems and leaves are yummy, too. Make your own broccoli slaw mix by peeling and grating larger stems.

Baby broccoli is a fun pizza topping, best paired with a slightly sweet tomato sauce and lots of garlic.

If you have an abundance of broccoli, it freezes well and also makes a lovely soup. o

This fact sheet is provided as an educational service of the National Garden Bureau, https://ngb.org/.

Broccoli Spring Raab from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Origami Orchids Kit: 20 Beautiful Die-Cut Paper Models

Authors: Dennis Whigham, Jay O’Neill, and Maarten Janssens

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing List Price: $19.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3Wso3rw and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780804854931

Reviewer: Carol Allen

If you are crafty, this publication may initially appeal to you. After all, origami is sublimely beautiful and a satisfying way to while away an afternoon. But wait, this is not traditional origami, but the more contemporary craft of creating three-dimensional sculptures from a flat, pre-printed piece of paper through folding, sometimes gluing, and curling a punch-out form. The box contains 20 richly colored, die-cut paper models. A perfect way to spend a wintery day.

Fearing a lightweight in the realm of accurate, teachable information, I first opened the accompanying booklet to the author information in the back. Ah, there were some familiar and very respectable names and supporting organizations. When it comes to accurate information about native orchids, the North American Orchid Conservation Center, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and the U.S. Botanic Garden are my favorites and local too!

The learning begins with introductory articles about the North American Orchid Conservation Center (NAOCC), orchid ecology—and most important—

instructions for how to assemble the models.

Each of the 20 orchids has a fullpage description, including its range, habitat, conservation status, and pollination mechanisms. A QR code at the bottom of the page links the reader to more in-depth information on the NAOCC web site.

The second half of the two-page spread gives the assembly directions, including a one-to-five-star rating of assembly difficulty and whether glue is needed.

There is no age range limiting the difficulty of assembly and the orchid information provided is college level and beyond. I would suggest the degree of difficulty in assembly would be teen to adult. I might just be able to manage the easy ones! o

Carol Allen describes herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, with a special interest in plant pests and diseases; is a Licensed Pesticide Applicator in the state of Maryland; and is an ISACertified Arborist. She can be contacted at carolallen@erols.com.

The Science of Compost: Life, Death + Decay in the Garden

Author: Dr. Julian Doberski

Publisher: Pimpernel Press List Price: $14.95

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3HhH1gh and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781914902932

Reviewer: Marsha Douma

What makes it possible for all manner of garden and kitchen waste that has been casually and randomly piled one on top of another to be dependably transformed into a beautiful dark, moist and rich soil is the subject of this book.

The author explains that composting is essentially nutrient matter recycling—without it, there would be no soil, no plants, no animals, no us. The author details the nutritional content in our unwanted leaves, twigs, branches, weeds, house and garden plants, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, etc., and explains that this material is the essential food source for microbes, fungi, and invertebrates. The complex story of what these organisms need to do to

consume, in an orderly succession, all this plant matter and sometimes each other to derive as much nutrition as possible to ensure their own survival is a focus of this book.

The author explains, to the extent known, how the amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, calcium, phosphorus, etc., in the soil affect the nutrient quality of the organic matter these creatures consume. He also discusses the effects of moisture, temperature, and soil ph. This book is a complete discussion of what makes compost compost.

I highly recommend this book for those who want a better understanding of the marvelous alchemy that is compost. I, for sure, will now tend to my pile and all its unseen subterranean creatures with even greater enthusiasm and respect. 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: These book reviews include links to Amazon.com and BookShop. org for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine may receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links.

Boost the Health and Beauty of Your Houseplants

By Melinda Myers

Fight the post-holiday blues with a bit of indoor gardening. Keeping your houseplants healthy and looking their best with a bit of grooming this winter is sure to lift your spirits.

Clip off any dead leaves as they appear. Use a sharp snips or bypass pruner to make a clean cut that looks tidy and closes up quickly. An occasional brown leaf is not usually a problem but if browning continues, it might be time to take action. Evaluate the growing conditions and make needed adjustments.

Brown leaves are often caused by low humidity, which is common in many homes during winter.

Boost the humidity in your home by grouping plants together. As one plant loses moisture through its leaves through transpiration, the neighboring plants benefit. Add pebbles or marbles to the saucers or trays beneath the plants. Allow excess water to collect in the pebbles under the pot. As the water evaporates, it increases the humidity right around the plant. Move plants that require moist soil and high humidity into a terrarium. These are attractive living decorations and make caring for high-maintenance plants easier.

Over- and under-watering can also result in brown leaves, leaf edges, and tips. Water thoroughly when needed. Base frequency on the plants you are growing, room temperature, and humidity. Tropical plants need more

consistently moist soil while cacti and succulents like it drier. With lower light conditions in many homes, plants grow slower and may need less frequent watering in winter. Pour off any excess water that collects in the saucer which can lead to root rot.

or two in the pot with the sticky side exposed. The yellow attracts fungus gnats, aphids, thrips, leaf miners, and other harmful pests to feed on your plants. The sticky surface traps the insects, causing them to die without the use of pesticides. Replace the trap once it is covered with insects or every three months.

Boost indoor plant resilience by providing the right amount of light. Move plants to a sunnier window or add artificial lights as needed. Then give plants a quarter turn every time you water. This promotes more balanced growth by exposing all parts of the plant to the light source.

Stop fertilizing indoor plants in winter unless they are actively growing. Applying fertilizer that plants don’t need can cause root damage, leading to leaf discoloration.

Trim off brown tips that are common on spider plants, dracaenas, Ti plants, and prayer plants sensitive to the chlorine and fluoride in indoor water. Avoid the problem by using chemical-free water.

Wipe dust off the leaves with a damp cloth. Use a cosmetic brush to clean the fuzzy leaves of plants like African violets. Keeping your plants clean and well-groomed also helps reduce insect and disease problems.

Further protect plants from pests with Summit Sticky Traps (SummitRespo nsibleSolutions.com). Just place one

Taking time to tend to your plants improves their health and beauty while elevating your mood and helping you fight stress. 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” TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www.MelindaMyers. com.

Pictured: Sticky traps attract insects to their yellow surface and trap them on the sticky surface to prevent damage to plants. Photo courtesy of Summit Responsible Solutions.

Downy Woodpecker

By Cecily Nabors

Inspectors of trees, with bounding flight and rat-a-tat racket: We’re talking about woodpeckers! The Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is our smallest and most common woodpecker. Downies have white backs and undersides, with black-and-white wings and tail. Their white outer tail-feathers have black dots on them. Males have a splash of red on the backs of their heads.

Why “downy”? Colonial naturalist Mark Catesby gave the species its common name, referring to the soft white feathers of the white stripe on the back.

Since Downies don’t migrate, winter is a good time to check out these little guys. The absence of leaves makes it easy to see them as they forage along tree trunks in open woodlands or in our backyards. They often travel in small flocks with other birds, such as nuthatches and titmice. Listen for the Downies’ short “pik” calls, or the call that sounds like a descending whinny. They’re light enough to hang upsidedown on tiny branches or sycamore seed balls. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, studies have shown that males tend to forage more on smaller branches, females more on larger branches and trunks of trees.

Although feeders are particularly helpful for Downies in winter, insects are their primary food source all year. Downies dig under tree bark with their stubby bills, capturing beetle larvae, or pierce the galls on weeds and branches to feed on wasp larvae. Their diet includes caterpillars and ants, as well as insect pests such as corn earworms and apple borers. In season, they’ll also eat berries, seeds, and grains.

Starting in late fall, Downies carve roosting holes, one per bird, with a close-fitting entrance and cavity. They will sometimes use a birdhouse as a roost. Whether human- or Downy-made, this winter dwelling not only keeps them snug and cozy but also provides good protection from predators like owls.

In late winter, Downies start drumming, rapid-fire pecking on a resonant tree. Why do they raise such a rumpus? They establish a wide territory, perhaps even overlapping with other Downies, then narrow their focus when they find a desirable nest site. Both male and female Downy Woodpeckers drum, each picking a favorite sounding board. Soon, the loud, staccato drumming may be

supplemented by the tap-tapping of a mated pair, who alternate their taps in a ritual of communication.

Downy Woodpeckers nest in dead trees or dead branches on living trees. One good-size tree or tall stub may eventually sport three or more holes: a woodpecker apartment house. This is a good reason to leave dead trees standing if they aren’t a danger to anything—your local woodpeckers and other species that may opportunistically use their holes the next year will thank you!

Male and female Downies cooperate to dig round holes in the soft wood. Nesting cavities are wide at the bottom to accommodate the incubating bird and a growing family. The male does much of the excavation; the female does most of the incubation. The average brood, one per year, has four or five chicks. Youngsters are fed insects and fledge at about three weeks old. Fledglings stay near their parents for many weeks.

Downies are frequent visitors to bird feeders, much more so than their larger look-alike cousins, the Hairy Woodpeckers. How does one tell them apart? The big Hairies are dressed in the same natty black-and-white, but have a much larger beak and no black dots on the tail feathers. (In the photo below, the Hairy is left of the Downy and more distant.)

This January, I’ve made a new New Year’s resolution. The head markings of Downy Woodpeckers are said to be unique. I’m going to watch our trees and suet feeders to see if I can learn to identify individual Downies. How many different birds are really bellying up to our backyard bounty? Stay tuned! o

Cecily Nabors is a retired software manager who has been watching and counting birds for much of her life. She publishes the GoodNatured Observations blog at cecilynabors.com.

MARCH/APRIL

SUMMER 2009

MAY/JUNE 2007

• Roses: Easy Care Tips

• Native Roses & Heirloom Roses

• Edible Flowers

• How to Plant a Bare-root Rose

MAY/JUNE

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

• 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

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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

• Flavorful Fruiting Natives

& 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

• Layer/Lasagna Gardening

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

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 •

•

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

MAY/JUNE 2009

•

•

•

•

Advertising Index

FALL 2010

• Vines and Climbers

• Battling Stink Bugs

• Russian Sage

• Garlic

WINTER 2010

• Paths and Walkways

• Edgeworthia • Kohlrabi

SPRING 2011

• Cutting-Edge Gardens • Final Frost Dates and When to Plant • Bleeding Hearts • Onions

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

• Squash Vine Borer

SUMMER/FALL 2013 • Miniature/Faerie Gardens • Beguiling Abelias • Growing Great Carrots

WINTER/EARLY SPRING 2014 • Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic • Chanticleer Gardens

• Beet Growing Basics

Audubon Naturalist Society 2

GardenDC Podcast 15

GreenScapes Symposium 17

Green Spring Gardens 2

Jentz Prints 24

MD HGIC MG Handbook 2

Plant-a-Row GWA 5

Summer Creek Farm 2

Sunshine Farm & Gardens 2

Washington Gardener Back Issues 23

Washington Gardener Speakers 2 White’s Nursery

Jentz