Washington Gardener Enews July 2012

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ENEWSLETTER

JULY 2012

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Welcome to the Washington Gardener Enewsletter!

This enewsletter is the sister publication of Washington Gardener Magazine. Both the print magazine and online enewsletter share the same mission and focus — helping DC-MD-VA region gardens grow — but our content is different. In this monthly enewsletter, we address timely seasonal topics and projects; post local garden events; and, a monthly list of what you can be doing now in your garden. We encourage you to subscribe to Washington Gardener Magazine as well for indepth articles, inspirational photos, and great garden resources for the Washington DC area gardener.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This enewsletter is only sent out as a PDF via email to current subscribers. Without your support, we cannot continue publishing this enewsletter nor Washington Gardener Magazine! Our magazine subscription information is on page 9 of this enewsletter. If you know of any other gardeners in the greater Washington, DC-area, please forward this issue to them so that they can subscribe to our print magazine using the form on page 9 of this enewsletter. You can also connect with Washington Gardener online at: • Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Pinterest boards: http://pinterest.com/wdcgardener/ • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Web Site: www.washingtongardener.com Sincerely, Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener Magazine

Reader Contest

For our July 2012 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away a copy of Homegrown Harvest (a $20 value). Homegrown Harvest: A Season-by-Season Guide to a Sustainable Kitchen Garden (Mitchell Beazley/ Octopus Books USA; November 2010; Paperback May 2012; $19.99) is the perfect resource to help you do so. Compiled by noted gardening expert Rita Pelczar, with the assistance of the editorial staff at the American Horticultural Society, this book has something for everyone—whether your garden consists of hundreds of square feet, or simply a few containers on the patio. To enter to win the book, send an email with “Homegrown Harvest” in the subject line to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on Monday, July 30. In the body of the email please include your full name, email, mailing address, and tell us: What is your favorite gardening book(s) and why? The book winner will be announced and notified by August 2. Some of the entry responses may be used in future Washington Gardener online or print articles.

�� Summer 2012 Issue

Our Summer 2012 magazine issue is now in production. To subscribe today and make sure you start with this issue, see page 9 of the enewsletter. The cover story is on Tropical Gardens — from hardy exotic plants to native look-a-likes. You can create a cool paradise in your own yard. You’ll also find in this issue: • Watermelon Growing Tips • A DayTrip to an Historic Treasure: Gunston Hall in Virginia • How to Simplify in the Garden • Columbine Leaf Miner • Spring Garden Tour Wrap-Up • Local Gardening Events Round-Up • Before-After of a Plant Collector’s Garden Sale • And much, much more... To subscribe, see the page 9 of this newsletter for a form to mail in or go to www.washingtongardener.com/index_ files/subscribe.htm and use our PayPal credit card link.

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day: Contained • Mini-Harvest at Community Garden Plot • How To Water A Tree video • Gardening and Immediacy • Red, White, and Blue Container Garden: You Can Grow That! See more Washington Gardener Blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

July Garden To-Do List

Spotlight Special GERANIUM-HYBRID Calliope® Pelargoniun Interspecific • Calliope Burgundy • Calliope Hot Pink • Calliope Lavender Rose

Syngenta Flowers, Inc., based in Greensboro, NC, announced the release of its 2012-2013 new varieties catalog including three new colors in the market-leading Calliope® geranium series. From the innovators of Hybrid geraniums offering Best-in-Class garden performance. The series was introduced with ‘Dark Red’ and ‘Scarlet Fire.’ The three new colors are ‘Burgundy,’ ‘Hot Pink,’ and ‘Lavender Rose.’ This geranium is unmatched for flower color brilliance. Calliope has large, semi-double flowers bloom under full-sun or part-shade conditions. It is heat-loving and drought-tolerant for season extending sales. It has superior branching that fills baskets and planters quickly for a premium, mounding finish. Calliope is part of the “Blooms all summer™” guarantee program. It has been recognized with 16 awards in the past two years including Best Geranium at 2011 Colorado State University; Greenhouse Grower’s Medal of Excellence — Reader’s Choice award; Classic City garden award, Best of the Best — University of Georgia; Best of Breed — North Carolina State University. “We are thrilled about the number of new varieties we have for growers this year and the quality of plants they will be able to produce through the genetics,” said Keelan Pulliam, head of Syngenta Flowers, Inc. “In developing the new varieties, we really focused on our customers’ core needs within the growing seasons to maximize their profitability.” For more information, visit www.syngenta.com. 2

Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for July 16-August 15. Your suggestions and additions to this list are most welcome: • The heat of summer is here. Time to start doing chores during early morning or evening. Take a break during the hottest parts of the day. • Prune Wisteria. •If your pond water gets low from prolonged drought, top it off with tap water and add a dechlorinator according to package instructions. • Cut back spent stalks on common daylily. • Pinch back any annuals that may be growing leggy. • Divide and cut back bearded iris. • Check your pond pump of any debris and continue to clean it out every few weeks. • Weed. • Cut off bottom, yellowed foliage on tomato plants. • Stake and tie-up any tall-growing perennials such as phlox or delphiniums. • Wash out birdbaths weekly with diluted bleach solution. • Water thoroughly especially if you receive no rain for more than 5-7 days. • Take cuttings from azaleas, boxwoods, and camellias to start new plants to share. • Check your local garden center for mid-summer bargains. • Hand-pick Japanese Beetles or shake a branch over a bucket of dishwater. Early morning is a good time to catch them while they are still drowsy. • Re-pot the houseplants you’ve moved outdoors for the summer. • Pick blueberries at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market. • Pinch back any straying strawberry runners. • Deadhead perennials for a second flush of blooms later this summer. • Thin out small trees and cut off any suckering branches growing from the bottom root ball. • Inspect your garden for powdery mildew. If seen, prune back perennials to create needed circulation. • Annuals are now hitting their peak. Keep them well-watered and add a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them going through September. • Check your plants at night with a flashlight for any night-feeding insects like slugs. • If you find slug damage, set out beer traps or Sluggo pellets. • Pinch back mums so they grow bushier and won’t flower until autumn. • Holding off on planting new trees and shrubs until the summer heat has passed. • Caulk and seal your outside walls to prevent insect entry into your home. • Harvest regularly from your vegetable garden to prevent rot and waste. • Put up a hammock or a garden bench to enjoy your views. • Turn compost pile. • Check out gardening books from your local library to read on vacation. • Check for any stagnant water mosquito breeding grounds, especially your gutters. Dump out any water that sits stagnant for more than three days. • Add Mosquito Dunks to any standing water in your yard such as birdbath, downspouts, plant saucers, and gutters. • Gather roses to enjoy indoors and make sure to make the cut just above a fiveleaf unit. • Harvest onions when tops die back. • Sow seeds of fall crops such as broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, etc. in late July. • Have a wonderful 2012 growing season!

Parade of Ponds

July 28-29, 2012

Spend the weekend, a day, or a few hours touring water gardens in Montgomery, Frederick, and Howard Counties in Maryland, as well as Washington, DC. Please join Premier Ponds as we celebrate our 5th annual Parade of Ponds. Pond owners and enthusiasts are invited to tour the beautiful ponds and water features designed and constructed by Premier Ponds, with all proceeds benefitting Shepard’s Table. Donations to this worthy organization that provides food and other necessities for those less fortunate in our community will be accepted at designated tour stops. Over 30 unique and awe inspiring ponds, streams, waterfalls, fountains and water gardens will be available for a self-guided tour at your leisure. The majority of these stops include gardens at private residences with a few of commercial properties also offering their fountains for viewing. The tour includes properties in wooded settings, large scale properties, and even small water garden features for the intimate setting.

For further details, visit Premier Ponds’ web site www.premierpond.com and click on “Parade of Ponds” page or call 434-981-0259.

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Sourcing Locally Grown Plants By Kathy Jentz We hear a lot these days about locally grown food to help the environment and buying the works of local businesses to keep our dollars in the community. Have you given any thought to not only buying locally grown tomatoes, but also to purchasing locally grown tomato seedling plants as well? Do you know where your garden plants are coming from? Many of you may be surprised to find just how much of the plantings in your yard have traveled over a thousand miles to get here. A few gardeners are starting to look at just that issue. John Laumer on Treehugger.com used the term LEG’D to describe this trend. It stands for locally evolved, grown, and distributed plants. LEG’D plants are adapted to the local eco-system and are by definition pre-Columbian natives to our area. While locally sourced can include native plants, it is not necessarily limited to them. Many of us planta-holic home gardeners are not ready or willing to go all-native with our gardens. However, we can educate ourselves on where our plant purchases originate and make a point of buying local. Why should we add that extra layer of complexity to our plant purchases? Here are five key reasons: 1. Plants grown here are accustomed to native soils and conditions. They are generally superior in their adaptation to the local DC-area weather patterns of a usual rainy spring followed by a mid-summer drought period. 2. By purchasing locally grown plants you are supporting local farmers and nurseries. Their growing fields will stay in business and stay green. Helping all of us breathe cleaner air and keeping the land out of sprawl developers hands. 3. Plants that are grown locally save on fuel and transportation costs. They are not shipped from overseas or across the country. Why buy dogwoods or roses grown in Oregon and trucked out here, when you can get the same exact variety grown in the Mid-Atlantic by local nurseries and wholesalers? 4. Local plants are “fresher.” In general, locally grown plants come to the marketplace right when they are about to hit their peak bloom. Local growers can time their offerings better and adjust their inventory to the marketplace swifter than those who need to transport their plant products over a long distance. You are also not risking introducing foreign bug and disease problems to your garden. 5. Growers in our area are a great source of local plant knowledge. You can visit a local tree nurseryman and pick out a tree right from his farm after consulting with him on the best one for your needs. Local wholesale planting fields are great daytrips to see what is thriving and what new varieties are doing well in our climate. Where can you buy locally grown plants? Almost everywhere you shop. Some local nurseries and garden centers are known for growing much of their own plant inventories in-house and sourcing locally. The Mid-Atlantic Home Depot stores are stocked by Bell Nursery, a local Maryland wholesale grower. Whole Foods Market has many seasonal, local offerings in its plants department such as fig trees, basil plants, and blueberry bushes. Also, shop at your local farmers’ market for edible plant seedlings and herbs. You can talk directly to the farmer about the plant’s origin and growing needs. 4

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16-August 15, 2012

Magazine’s 5th Annual

Tomato Tasting

at the Silver Spring FreshFarm Market It’s ‘Big Boy’ vs. ‘Mortgage Lifter,’ hybrid vs. heirloom, the tomato wars have just begun. Everyone is sure that their tomato pick is the tastiest. Join Washington Gardener Magazine at the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD, on Saturday, August 25 from 10AM-12NOON for a Tomato Tasting. Best of all, this event is FREE! Farmers at the market will contribute their locally grown selections — from super-sweet ‘Sungold’ to notso-pretty ‘Cherokee Purple’ — and we’ll explore which tomatoes make the short list of favorites. We’ll have tomato growing tips, tomato recipes, tomato activities for kids, and much more — all to celebrate one of summer’s greatest indulgences — the juicy fresh tomato. 6

• June 28 through September 25 New Watercolor Exhibit at River Farm The paintings of Salon 8, a group of local watercolor artists, will be on display at the American Horticultural Society’s headquarters at River Farm this summer. The show includes a collection of paintings of magnolia blossoms and pods, each interpreted by one of the eight watercolorists. On display as well will be landscapes, and floral paintings inspired by the beauty of nature, and the play of light on plant forms. There also will be several paintings of views of River Farm itself. River Farm is located at 7931 East Boulevard Drive in Alexandria, VA. It is approximately 4 miles south of Old Town Alexandria. Just after passing under the stone bridge, turn left on to East Boulevard Drive, left at the T-junction, and right at the entrance gate to River Farm. The exhibit is open from 9 am to 5 pm weekdays, and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. All works are for sale. For further information, please contact Janet Daniels at (703) 768-5700 ext. 114 or visit: www.ahs.org. • Tuesday, July 17, 5-8PM Edible Urban Garden Tour 2012 Greening DC One Garden-at-a-Time is the theme for this year’s (second annual) Edible Urban Garden Tour hosted by Loulies.com and OLD CITY green plus After Party! Explore city spaces and residential gardens that will open their doors and gates for the public to see what growing good food in our own backyards, front yards, rooftops, and empty lots is all about. It’s a chance to ask questions, learn from and hear what inspires some of DC’s best gardeners. Plus, we will have an after-party at OLD CITY green with music by the Sligo Creek Stompers and garden-to-table food and drinks. The tour will start at the beautiful, plantfilled garden shop OLD CITY green (corner of 9th Street and N Street, NW) and stretch through the historic neighborhood of Shaw. A map of tour locations will be distributed on the day of the event at OLD CITY green. The tour is self-guided and will cover approximately two miles so a bike or walking is recommended. Tickets are $20 each, with a portion of the proceeds to support Eat Local First DC. See details at: eatlocalfirstdc.com. • Thursday, July 19, 7:30am-2:30pm 2012 Green Industry Field Day and Trade Show Whether you are an aborist, grounds manager, landscaper or designer, we have many

hands-on demonstrations for you. We are offering a tremendous number of CEUs so that you can renew your professional certifications. Held at American University, Washington, DC. Please look at the brochure: PGMSFieldDay2012_2 and go to the registration link: http://www.groupres.net/ zcom/groupRes/Conference.do?compid=12 00&groupid=742&zas=742. • Saturday, July 21, 11am-6pm Lotus and Water Lily Festival 2012 See a spectacular display of lotus and water lilies in full bloom! Marvel at the Pretoria canna, papyrus, Nile lotus, and other African aquatic plants. Enjoy gardening workshops & traditional African and Asian cultural performances. Tour the ponds, green houses and wetlands. Meet exhibitors from gardening, nature and cultural groups. Co-sponsored by the National Park Service and Modern Buddhism of America, Inc. FREE Activities for the whole family! Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is located at: 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE Washington, D.C. 20019 (Corner of Anacostia Avenue & Douglas Street N.E.) Close to Deanwood Metro Station For More information: 202-426-6905 or www.nps.gov/keaq. • Sunday, July 22, 1pm TALK: Water Management and Xeriscaping Location: Behnke Nurseries’ Beltsville Store Speaker: Carol Allen, Horticulturist Carol will show you how to save water in your garden through good water management techniques and planting drought tolerant plants. Cost: FREE. Details at behnkes. com. • Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 10:00am-4:00pm 2012 Farm Tour & Harvest Sale Montgomery County will celebrate its agricultural heritage, promote 15 local farms, and indulge in seasonally fresh food during the 23rd Annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale. Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants and other local products, and enjoy hayrides, pony rides, music, demonstrations and other fun and educational activities planned for the whole family. Details at: http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/ agstmpl.asp?url=/content/DED/AgServices/ agfarmtour.asp. • Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16-August 15, 2012 Washington Gardener Magazine is proud to be a sponsor of the annual Parade of Ponds weekend in the DC-MD. Participants can tour private gardens in the area that include ponds, water features, and water gardens for inspiration and enjoyment. They can visit all the gardens over the weekend in any order they desire or just visit a few. Donations are requested from tour-goers and all proceeds go to support Shepherd’s Table in Silver Spring, MD, which provides food and services to the needy. For more information, visit: http://www.premierpond. com/parade-of-ponds.html.

Tomato Festival The 1st Annual Tomato Festival will be held to celebrate the history and heritage of the tomato and the canning industry in Dorchester County at the Elks Lodge #1272, Cambridge, MD. This free, feel good, family festival will encourage locals and visitors alike to learn about Dorchester history through presentations and demonstrations on site. Attractions to this event include great food, vendors, musical entertainment throughout the day, a salsa cooking competition, a salsa dancing demonstration and the soonto-be-famous Tomato Wars. Free admission.

• Wednesday, July 25, 10:00am-12:00pm Concrete Leaf Sculpting Workshop Ann Baker, Brookside Gardens Staff A unique piece of sculpture adds a whimsical accent to any garden. If you’d like to learn to create your own masterpiece, then join Ann Baker to turn a live leaf into stone and add year-round interest to that perfect nook in your garden. Fee includes all materials to make one large or two small sculptures. Don’t forget to register for the next course on August 1 to paint your leaf. Course number 189249; Fee: $20, FOBG: $18; registration required at www.ParkPASS. org; for more information, call 301-9621400 or visit us online at www.brooksidegardens.org. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902.

• Saturday, August 11, 9:00am-12noon The Good, the Bad, the Tasty & Fall Vegetable Gardening & Extending the Season. Children’s Program: Weave It To Me! Weave some grasses! Taught by VCE - Prince William Master Gardener Volunteers at the Teaching Garden at St. Benedict Monastery, 9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow, 20136. All programs are free. Registration is requested. A children’s program is offered concurrently with each Saturday in the Garden program. Space is limited. A registration form is required to complete registration for children’s programs. Details at www.pwcgov. org/Grow or call 703-792-7747.

• Friday, August 3 and Saturday, August 4 Cactus & Succulent Show & Sale Sat.,9 am-5 pm; Sun.,9 am-4 pm, Brookside Gardens Visitors Center, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902. Details at 301.962.1400 or www.brooksidegardens. org. • Saturday, August 4, 10-11:30am Weed Patrol Weed identification and control assures your garden of showing its best face. Green Spring curator, Brenda Skarphol introduces you to a few of the worst weedy plants, including exotic invasives and focuses on their control in late summer and fall. The discussion includes controlling woody plants with herbicide and mechanical controls such as string trimming. Class takes place outside. Dress for the weather. Register on-line at www.greenspring.org or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173. Code: 290 387 4701 $15/person. Held at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road – Alexandria, Virginia 22312. • Saturday, August 4, 10am-6pm Dorchester County Historical Society

• Tuesday, August 14, 11:30am-1:30pm Dirty Secrets of Garden Writers. Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine, will moderate a panel of DCarea gardening communicators focusing on gardening issues in the Washington, D.C. tri-area; and, for writers: how to write books, articles and other materials about gardening. The panel will take place at the American Women Writers National Museum, 1275 K St NW, Washington, DC. For more information, visit: www.americanwomenwritersnationalmuseum.org.

SAVE THE DATE: • Open Garden August 17, 5-8pm Washington Gardener Magazine Silver Spring, Maryland • Tomato Taste August 26, 10am-12noon Washington Gardener Magazine FreshFarm Market Downtown Silver Spring Silver Spring, Maryland • GreenFest DC September 29-30 D.C. Convention Center

www.greenamerica.org www.greenfestivals.org

Still More Event Listings See even more event listings on the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo. com/group/WashingtonGardener/. Event Listing Submissions To submit an event for this listing, please contact: Wgardenermag@aol. com and put “Event” in the email subject head. Our next deadline is August 12 for the August 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events taking place from August 16-September 15.

Green Thumb to the Rescue

– offering inspiration and a lot of sweat to help with your garden! Located in Silver Spring and trained as a Master Gardener, I’ve got some savvy design ideas and I’ll do the tough work – planting, watering, weeding, pruning, general yard work. Reasonable rates. No job too small or bothersome! Choose a regular schedule, one-time gig or vacation back-up. Contact Kathy Parrent, kparrent@comcast. net or 301-244-5489. Also, follow and “like” Green Thumb to Rescue’s Facebook page, a source for gardening advice and green news. www.facebook.com/ GreenThumbToTheRescue. Display your garden or nature photos there!

Gardener’s Paradise: Beautifully restored 1837 manor house and separate guest house inhabit a worldclass horticultural site of 27+ acres in Northeastern Montgomery County. Includes stunning vistas, stone-walled English garden, majestic native trees, spectacular specimen plantings, historic spring house with modern garden water system. Horse field and trails. www.springdaleacres.com.

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MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Cherry Trees MAY/JUNE 2005 • Stunning Plant Combinations • Turning Clay into Rich Soil • Wild Garlic • Strawberries JULY/AUGUST 2005 • Water Gardens • Poison Ivy • Disguising a Sloping Yard • Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Bulb Planting Basics JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden MARCH/APRIL 2006 • Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs • Azaleas • Figs, Berries, & Persimmons • Basic Pruning Principles MAY/JUNE 2006 • Using Native Plants in Your Landscape • Crabgrass • Peppers • Secret Sources for Free Plants JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Hydrangeas • Theme Gardens • Agave • Find Garden Space by Growing Up SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Weed-free Beds with 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 • A Trip to the 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 • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • Delightful Daffodils MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, and Rooftop Container Gardens

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• Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras) MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed Starting Basics • 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) • The 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, and 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 Gorgeous Winter Color MARCH/APRIL 2009 • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips • Spring Edibles Planting Guide for the Mid-Atlantic • Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start • Redbud Tree Selection and Care • Best Local Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells MAY/JUNE 2009 • Top 12+ Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat • Salad Table Project • Grow and Enjoy Eggplant • How to Chuck a Woodchuck from Your Garden SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • What’s Bugging Your Tomatoes • 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 • Dwarf 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 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

Coming Soon!

Washington Gardener Magazine’s DayTrip columns compiled into one handy publication — available soon in both paper and e-book versions. Great gift idea!

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In Our Next Issue... SUMMER 2012 Tropical Gardens

A DayTrip to an Historic Treasure

How to Simplify in the Garden Columbine Leaf Miner

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by June 15 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication! oooooooooooooooooooooooo

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Send a check or money order for $20.00 payable to Washington Gardener magazine to: Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910

Magazine Excerpt: Carrot Rust Fly by Carol Allen

“They’ve gotten my Purple Dragon! …and my Red Cored Chantenay!” My neighbor has a flair for the dramatic. “What? I asked, “The bunnies?” “No, those worm things!” “Did you plant your carrots with the salsify seed I gave you?” “Well, no, I forgot!” My neighbor’s carrots had suffered from an attack of the Carrot Rust Fly. This diminutive pest can be devastating to not only carrots, but also fennel, parsley, parsnips, celery, and their relatives. Carrot Rust Fly (Psila rosae) was introduced from Europe over a century ago and is now found throughout North America. You may never see the adult flies as they emerge from their overwintering pupa. The flies are small, only a third of an inch in length, with a black body and yellow legs. They are weak fliers, but can be carried by the wind to new areas to feed and reproduce. The females lay their eggs in the soil near the crowns of susceptible plants and the larvae hatch 10-12 days later. The larvae are clear at first and then turn creamy white as they tunnel into the crowns and roots of the host plant. They are named for their rust-colored excrement, which colors the damage. There are two generations in our area, so a late crop of carrots planted in August can suffer, too. Our home-grown carrots can be protected by rotating crops and placing floating row covers over the young seedlings. The row covers will only work if you do not have an existing Carrot Rust Fly problem, as the adults overwinter in the soil where last year’s crop grew. If Carrot Rust Fly has been a yearly problem, don’t plant carrots or their kin for a year and you will starve it out. Put row covers over the seedlings before the adults come out. The exact timing will vary slightly from year to year. Their emergence depends on cumulative warm temperatures... Want to learn more combating Carrot Rust Fly? Read the rest of this InsectIndex column in the Spring 2012 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. See the subscription information below.

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