Washington Gardener Magazine July 2023

WASHINGTON g a rdener

Dealing with Daylily Thrips

Meet KIMANI Anku, Founder of Gardening & Beats Heirloom Cucumbers

Using Coffee Grounds to Improve Soil and Kill Slugs

Zinnia: The Legacy of Mrs. K’s Toll House

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

Great Gardening Books Reviewed

DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar

The Return of the Hosta

Beautiful Bronze Fennel: Butterfly Host & Culinar y Herb

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out on the 15th of every month. Contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588-6894 for ad rates (starting from $200) The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

Garden Experts

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.

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR

Barry Glick

Sunshine Farm and Gardens 696 Glicks Road

Renick, WV 24966, USA

Email: barry@sunfarm.com www.sunfarm.com

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

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.

KIMANI Anku is a DMV native who found a love of farming/ gardening and producing his own food more than 12 years ago. Anku’s primary goal is to educate all people of color on how to grow their own food.

Got a Garden Question?

Got a gardening question you need answered? Send your questions to KathyJentz@gmail.com and use the subject line “Q&A.” Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.

Whether at flowers or feeders, Rubythroated Hummingbirds like this youngster don’t suck the nectar. Their long, forked tongues, like mops, lap it up.

ON THE COVER

The caterpillar stage of the Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) butterfly feasting on Bronze Fennel.

Restaurateur Chris Brown, Executive Chef Danny Wells, and the rest of the Zinnia team bring a modern American menu to the iconic Mrs. K’s Toll House.

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

Taylor Edwards

Marissa Yelenik

Intern

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AI vs. the Old-Fashioned Way

I’m usually an early adopter of technology, but the recent artificial intelligence (AI) programs have given me pause. The fact that it can imitate an author’s voice and style is, frankly, frightening. But the results I have seen have not been up to par, so I won’t be using it—at least not until more of the bugs are worked out, Those “bugs” include making up quotes and sources that the application thinks you want. One funny meme I saw recently equated AI to machine-generated “mansplaining”—in other words, talking down to you and spouting off on a topic they know little about with the ultimate of confidence.

The most troubling aspect of AI for me is that it steals the work of millions of writers and does not compensate them for it. The Authors Guild’s “Open Letter to Generative AI Leaders” asks the creators of all AI systems to stop using and exploiting these illegally sourced works. I signed and shared it immediately.

Could AI have some beneficial use in the garden? I did a little research and found out that the Chicago Botanic Garden is using an AI system called Cognitive Gardens, Inc., that placed sensors throughout the garden and reports back to a main computer to let the staff know when a planting needs attention. The plants’ messages have been described as “whiney and demanding.” I’m not sure I’m ready to handle a cranky crocus in my own home landscape. However, using AI for growing food crops could be an incredible asset to farmers.

Meanwhile, I designed a graphic that says “100% human-made” that I debated using on our website and social media. I still might. For now, you can rest assured that Washington Gardener content is made by actual living beings—flaws and all.

Sincerely,

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener KathyJentz@gmail.com

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

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Volume 18, Number 5

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.

The Takoma Horticultural Club’s marching unit in the Takoma Park Independence Day parade. We won an award for our democracy theme. Your editor is third from the left.

Reader Contest

For our July 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a 2024 calendar from Workman Publishing (value $16, workman.com). Workman 2024 calendars are the perfect gift for the green thumbs and nature enthusiasts in your life.

The Cottage Love calendar celebrates cottage living all year long: cozy, relaxed, and filled with natural beauty. Cottage Love celebrates the cottagecore aesthetic with a year of transportive, full-color photographs and quotes that embody its simpler, back to nature ideals. A rustic wood cabin is almost swallowed up by exuberantly overgrown greenery. A quirky potting shed jumbled with tools and supplies promises a beautiful garden ahead. Freshly picked vegetables and a bouquet of sunflowers make for a cheerful, pastoral still life. And a hammock slung under a cherry tree is just the invitation you need for an alfresco nap. With every glance, escape to the countryside and a life of pure tranquility. Printed on responsibly sourced paper.

To enter to win a Cottage Love calendar from Workman Publishing, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on July 31 with “Garden Calendar” 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. Winners will be announced and notified on August 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.

June 2023 Issue

My favorite article was “Pole Beans” by Barbara Melera. I have two kids, an 8 and 6 year old who love to help me in the garden…but don’t always love to eat their veggies. One they do love? Green beans! The tips and information in this article will help us grow better beans, which is great because my kids treat our bean plants like a snack drawer. Nothing better than crispy, crunchy, and right off the vine!

~ Cassie Weaver, Silver Spring, MD

I enjoyed the article about beans. They are my favorite vegetable to grow every summer and pole beans are the best.

~ Kathy May, Kensington, MD

May 2023 Issue

My favorite article was “Bearded Iris.” I have several varieties in my garden and the picture showed one that I do not have. So beautiful!

~ Carol Yemola, Drums, PA o

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.

The National Garden Bureau is a nonprofit organization that exists to educate, inspire, and motivate people to increase the use of garden seed, plants, and products in homes, gardens, and workplaces by being the marketing arm of the gardening industry. Our members are experts in the field of horticulture and our information comes directly from these sources.

“Inspire. Connect. Grow.”

KIMANI Anku, a DMV native, discovered his passion for farming and gardening more than 12 years ago. Anku has transformed his love for gardening into a thriving garden coaching service where he empowers others to cultivate their own food.

Despite a hectic schedule, he devotes himself to youth programming and leads initiatives to combat food insecurity in Prince George’s County, MD. He also teaches individuals the art of self-sustainability and growing their own food. He has acquired land in Virginia and elevated his gardening practice by starting a farm. Anku’s vision is to create a world where everyone has the ability to nourish themselves and their communities.

What is the main mission of Gardening and Beats?

The primary mission of Gardening and Beats is to inspire and educate aspiring gardeners and farmers worldwide. I believe in the transformative power of growing one’s own food, connecting with nature, and promoting sustainability. Our coaching services encompass a holistic approach encouraging individuals to cultivate a deeper connection with the earth and harness their innate creativity. With Gardening and Beats, individuals are growing gardens, nurturing a harmonious bond

KIMANI Anku Founder of Gardening & Beats

By Taylor Edwards

with nature, and reaping the countless rewards of a bountiful harvest.

Gardening and Beats is not just your ordinary gardening coaching service—it is a dynamic and global enterprise that thrives on empowering individuals to create new gardens and cultivate their own food. With a unique blend of organic techniques and a spiritual approach to gardening, this business has garnered a reputation for its exceptional results.

Having had the opportunity to travel extensively, especially across Africa, Gardening and Beats has allowed me to explore different landscapes and meet remarkable individuals. Through these encounters and the recognition I have gained, I’ve been honored with the title of a global celebrity garden coach.

What kind of programs and workshops do you provide?

In addition to providing comprehensive coaching services for individuals looking to grow their own food, Gardening and Beats offer various engaging programs and workshops. These initiatives are designed to foster environmental stewardship, promote sustainable living, and empower participants to embrace a healthier lifestyle enriched with the joys of gardening and the beauty of music.

The workshops cover a diverse range of topics, whether it’s a beginner’s guide to starting a garden or learning how to maximize growth in small spaces. Gardening and Beats equips attendees with practical knowledge and techniques. Beekeeping workshops educate participants about pollinators’ vital role and inspire them to create bee-friendly environments.

The “garden-to-table” series of workshops demonstrates how to transform garden produce into delectable dishes, showcasing the joys of cooking with homegrown ingredients. Focusing on herbs and their versatile uses also gives participants insights into creating flavorful mocktail drinks and enhancing culinary experiences.

To spread the message of gardening’s transformative power, I have been actively engaged in speaking engagements throughout 2022 and 2023. These presentations occur at various venues such as colleges and churches. By sharing my personal journey of how gardening saved my life, these speaking engagements bring the business full circle, inspiring others to embrace the healing and empowering aspects of cultivating their own green spaces.

Through our diverse programs and workshops, we aim to ignite a passion for nature, foster environmental consciousness, and promote the joy and satisfaction of growing one’s own food.

What led you to become a garden coach?

I became a garden coach after experiencing a life-changing transformation through gardening. When I hit rockbottom, dealing with depression and health issues, my mom encouraged me to start a garden. Reluctantly, I began with strawberries and chives, not expecting much. However, as I witnessed their growth and saw my depression gradually fade away, I realized the healing power of gardening. I changed my lifestyle significantly by adopting a raw food diet and researching my growing zone.

The positive results led me to share my story and establish a mission of changing lives through gardening. From there, I embarked on coaching others

to grow their gardens for selfsufficiency and personal transformation. The journey has been extraordinary, with various brands, networks, and organizations recognizing my work and the power of my story. As an introvert, I’m ready to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead and make a lasting impact.

What is your podcast Nu-Soul Thursdays about?

Nu-Soul Thursdays is a dynamic weekly live podcast that takes place on Instagram. Beyond just gardening, it incorporates the “Beats’’ aspect of Gardening and Beats. Hosted by me and Darrelynne Strother, the show delves into the world of music, art, fashion, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and gardening. We engage with emerging and established Nu-Soul artists, creating an immersive experience for listeners. Alongside Nu-Soul Thursdays, I also host the acclaimed BLAK Gardener Talk podcast, which features interviews with Black and brown gardeners, farmers, and enthusiasts. These podcasts have garnered recognition and opened doors for expanding the programming nationally. Exciting things are on the horizon, so stay tuned for more!

Who are your personal heroes and who has influenced your career?

My first and foremost hero is my late mother, whose unwavering support and encouragement led me to discover the transformative power of gardening. Her belief in me and her passion for nurturing plants planted the seeds of my own journey. I am also grateful for the guidance and mentorship of experienced/novice gardeners and environmental activists who have shaped my perspective and provided invaluable knowledge. Their dedication and commitment to sustainability and the well-being of our planet have profoundly influenced my career path and continue to inspire me every day.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part is witnessing the joy that fills people’s faces when they witness the growth of a plant from seeds. Hearing how my personal story

resonates with others and inspires them in their journeys is gratifying. While I may sometimes get caught up in my work, I have learned to appreciate and savor these moments, just as I imagine my late mother would be proud of me for having a positive impact on people’s lives.

What lessons have you learned about gardening over the years?

Over the years, gardening has taught me invaluable lessons. I’ve learned the importance of patience and persistence, because plants take time to grow and flourish. It has shown me the beauty of nurturing and caring for living things, teaching me to appreciate the delicate balance of nature. Gardening has also highlighted the significance of adaptability and resilience, as I’ve encountered various challenges and learned to adapt my approach accordingly. Most importantly, it has reinforced the notion of interconnectedness, reminding me of the profound connection between humans and the natural world.

What plans do you have for the future that you can share with us?

I will be organizing a youth camp called Melanated Earthling Explorers for children aged 5 to 13. This camp will provide a week of immersive and enjoyable gardening experiences, including activities such as beekeeping, hydroponic gardening, forging, farm-to-table practices, and beat-making sessions at Mel ‘n Nem Farms in PG County. For more information, you can visit www.melanatedearthlingexplorers. com.

I will also release an ebook titled “Herbalicious: Mocktail Recipes for a Refreshing Twist.” This book will feature a collection of delicious mocktail recipes made with herbs. I will also be hosting workshops where participants can learn how to create these drinks

using herbs they can grow in their own homes or backyards.

I also plan to offer adult beekeeping workshops in the fall. These workshops will provide individuals with the knowledge and skills to start their own beekeeping journey on their own property. The goal is to empower and educate adults in the art of beekeeping.

I’m thrilled about these future endeavors and can’t wait to bring them to life!

Other than garden coaching, what do you like to do for fun?

I find enjoyment in simple and peaceful activities. I cherish moments of quiet relaxation, indulging in reading books that expand my knowledge and perspective. I prioritize getting enough restful sleep, because it rejuvenates me and enables me to serve others effectively. Balancing self-care and personal interests is crucial in maintaining my well-being and ensuring I can continue to dedicate myself to serving the community.

Readers can find Anku on these networks and platforms:

Iinstagram: @gardeningandbeats

Website: www.gardeningandbeats.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ @gardeningandbeats. o

Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener

Sitting on Colesville Road (Rt. 29) just north of downtown Silver Spring, MD, and below the Beltway, is an all-daystyle restaurant, Zinnia, which combines the charm of the early to mid 20th century with a modern menu and accessibility. Zinnia offers multiple dining options: The Gardens, The Tavern, The Cafe, and dining rooms.

Zinnia, which first opened in 2021, was previously Mrs. K’s Toll House before its closure in 2020 after 90 years in business.

Restaurant History

Zinnia has connections deep in American history with the building working as a functioning toll house from the late19th century into the early-20th century before being bought by the Kreuzburg family and transformed into a tavern in 1930.

Zinnia: The Legacy of Mrs. K’s Toll House

By Marissa Yelenik

Mrs. K’s initially had the twin challenges of attracting folks from downtown Washington to their then-rural Silver Spring location and dealing with the hardships of the Great Depression.

Originally, Mrs. K’s emphasized fine dining. Over time, the restaurant grew in popularity, attracting famous clientele, including Eleanor Roosevelt, who would drive out from the White House to spend time at Mrs. K’s.

Given the rural setting of the building, the Kreuzburgs’ property included farmland where they were able to maintain and harvest produce that they used in the restaurant.

Generations of Kreuzburgs kept the restaurant running until the ownership switched hands to the Margas family in 1996.

Mrs. K’s struggled at the start of the pandemic, as many other businesses

in the service industry did, prompting its 2020 closure. The Margas family searched for a new owner who would keep the restaurant and its beautiful gardens going and found a promising future in Chris Brown.

Changing Hands

Brown, owner of Takoma Bev. Co., was not new to the industry or the area. Brown had previously worked as a teacher at Blair High School and felt a connection to his community.

“I really love the community, and having the coffee shop was just something I felt really passionate about—being part of the community and providing a service to the community that was needed at the time—and it was super-rewarding for me to do that in Takoma Park,” Brown said.

As Brown looked for a space to lease

around Silver Spring, he saw Mrs. K’s was available.

At first, Brown was intimidated, but after walking through the property and speaking to the owner, he knew he couldn’t pass up the chance.

Brown and Margas had much in common—from their love of restaurants to each having two daughters. Eventually, Margas checked out Brown’s Takoma Park café and decided he was the right fit.

Zinnia’s Opening

When Brown took over, he had to balance keeping the charm and aesthetics of Mrs. K’s with revamping the menu into something more appealing for the modern era.

The restaurant, Brown said, had become more of a “special occasion” spot than an everyday menu. “We wanted to make it more of not just a culinary destination, but also keep the uniqueness and the history of the building and try to bring those together.”

The restaurant focuses less on large events and weddings, and continues to welcome families and groups. The garden in the back provides a perfect place for them to gather.

When Zinnia first opened in 2021, it had a focus on outside dining, given many customers were still apprehensive about inside dining due to COVID-19. The gardens provided the community with a safe space to socialize and engage with friends and family.

“People love to be in the garden for family gatherings,” Brown said, “A lot of graduation parties, receptions, memorial services. I think it’s the nature of the garden and the location in the DMV.

“We had tons of families because it’s such a stress-reliever for parents to be able to come and know that they’re in a very safe, contained area. If their kid gets up from the table, they have room to explore, and there’s all this natural beauty around.”

While Brown had a lot to learn, the employees worked to grow and build the company together. Now, Zinnia is appreciated by the community. “The positive reception from the neighborhood has exceeded my expectations,” Brown said.

As for future plans, Brown intends to refine what they have and improve the efficiency of how everything runs.

The Garden

One of the largest draws to Zinnia is the beautiful garden that surrounds the property and has been kept up for decades. Zinnia has retained the same gardener who has tended to the grounds for 25 years.

While past practices have been less focused on sustainability and more on appearance, Brown said he wants to promote biodiversity in the garden.

Much of their plants are perennials now, but it used to be “more of a classic English garden,” Brown said, with rose bushes, trimmed hedges, and annual flowers. They have since moved to a more native-focused garden, including plenty of the Maryland state flower, Black-Eyed Susans.

One new addition to the garden is the vegetable garden, which was added in 2021 by Garden to Table Coordinator Rhiannon Smith and friends. Everything grown in the vegetable garden is sent straight to the kitchen, Smith said, giving the restaurant an even more intimate feeling—customers can watch their food grow throughout the season.

Smith coordinates exactly what she wants to grow with the chef each season. Edibles in the garden include sugar snap peas, salad greens, kale, flowers, and fresh herbs.

For Brown, the practice of growing their own food and being able to watch it go to the plate is an incredible experience. “My whole life, I’ve been really into sustainability and horticulture and how plants interact with our lives. I think it’s a passion that just makes everything better, especially a dining experience,” Brown said. o

Marissa Yelenik is a rising junior journalism and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is a Savage, MD, native and amateur gardener

The Return of the Hosta

With their beautiful leaves and ease of care, these perennials are very popular right now. There is plenty of choice in colors and patterns available. Hostas are versatile and will bring you months of joy, year after year.

Hostas originate from northeast Asia. In 1784, the first seeds were brought from the Chinese port of Macau to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Initially a true collector’s plant, today this perennial is loved by gardeners everywhere. This is hardly surprising, given the beautiful leaves in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and color variations, from blue-gray to variegated white-green. What’s more, in summer, graceful stalks bearing white, blue, or lilac flowers also make an appearance. (Some hosta flowers are also highly fragrant.)

Hostas like moist soil and organic fertilizer. Most hosta species thrive in a semi-shaded spot. The guideline here is that blue-leaved hostas do well in the shade and that yellow-leaved ones can handle a little more sun. The more variegated the leaves, the less sun they will tolerate. Hostas with thicker leaves can tolerate more sun.

They look great in ornamental pots, in a mixed border, on water banks, and as solitary plants. The shortest variety will grow to about 4 inches, while the tallest can grow higher than 3 feet.

Many hostas suffer from slug infestations. Fortunately, there are plenty of environmentally friendly methods to protect hostas against snails. A regular snail-catching session at dusk will go a long way. Setting up a wide circle with broken shells around the plant (or pot) can also work. o

Coffee Grounds Improve Soil and Kill Slugs

Between 400 billion and 1 trillion cups of coffee are consumed around the world every year. No matter the number, that’s a lot of coffee, which means a lot of spent coffee grounds. Using coffee grounds in the garden keeps them out of the waste stream and gives gardeners another option for caring for plants and dealing with slugs.

Linda Brewer, Oregon State University Extension Service soil scientist, said coffee grounds can be worked into the soil or added to a compost pile but should be used with some restraint.

“The big message is that generally, people are too enthusiastic,” Brewer said. “You really need to take the recommended dosages to heart. I’ve visited a site where a raised bed was ruined by too much coffee grounds. Like most kitchen waste, it is a fine amendment for the garden, but like anything else, coffee grounds can be overdone.”

Contrary to popular belief, it’s a myth that coffee grounds are acidic and will lower the pH of the soil. After brewing, the grounds are close to pH-neutral, between 6.5 and 6.8. Research shows that whatever change coffee grounds bring to the soil is short-lived, Brewer said, so don’t depend on them to keep a lower soil pH. Some plants—like rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries, gardenias, and blue-flowering hydrangeas—require a lower soil pH to thrive and coffee grounds won’t provide that.

Although coffee grounds provide some nitrogen (1% to 2%) and micronutrients, they aren’t a major source of plant nutrition, Brewer said. As coffee grounds break down, nitrogen is tied up by soil microorganisms using it to grow and reproduce. To adjust, add a nitrogen fertilizer or other source of nitrogen, like composted animal manure, alfalfa meal, or grass clippings, when the uncomposted coffee grounds are incorporated.

Even though coffee grounds provide minor amounts of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium and very minor amounts of iron, copper, manganese, and zinc, these nutrients aren’t supplied in sufficient quantity to satisfy plant needs. Coffee grounds are best at improving soil. As the coffee grounds

feed the soil microbes, microbial glues are released that promote good soil structure and improve drainage.

When using coffee grounds as a soil amendment, Brewer recommends working from a half inch to a depth of 4 inches. If used as a mulch on top of the soil, a layer of leaves or bark mulch helps keep the grounds from drying out and repelling water.

When using grounds in the compost bin or pile, layer 3 parts leaves to 1 part fresh grass clippings to 1 part coffee grounds by volume. Coffee filters can be thrown in, too. Turn once a week and monitor for moisture; the compost will be ready in three to six months. The composition of the compost pile should not exceed 20% coffee grounds by volume, or it can be toxic to plants.

Excess coffee grounds, if applied to the soil before composting, have multiple effects on the soil system. In addition to microorganisms tying up nitrogen temporarily, the caffeine residues in the spent coffee grounds can suppress germination and slow the growth of some plants.

If you get coffee grounds from coffee shops, you can store them tightly covered until ready for use. Mold may grow on the grounds, but these can still be composted—the mold will contribute to decomposition.

Perhaps more exciting than the positive effect of coffee grounds as a compost and soil amendment is its potential as a slug killer, Brewer said. Research shows that using a 1% to 2% solution mixed with water as a soil drench caused 100% of slugs to leave the treated soil and subsequently die of caffeine poisoning. A 2% solution of caffeine applied to the growing medium of orchids killed 95% of orchid snails and gave better control than a liquid metaldehyde product—the common slug bait.

To make a 1% to 2% soil drench, add 1 part water to 2 parts strong brewed coffee. For example, use 1 cup water to 2 cups of coffee. To reduce slug feeding on foliage, add 9 parts water to 1 part brewed coffee and apply as a spray.

“A sensible approach would be to apply diluted coffee to a sample of leaves and wait for a few hot and sunny days to watch for leaf burn or other damage,” Brewer said. “If there’s no damage, go ahead with spraying.” o

New Plant Spotlight

‘Toucan Fuchsia’ Purslane

Portulaca oleracea

This plant is easy-care, heat-loving, and drought-tolerant. Vibrant flowers add an exotic look to mixed containers, baskets, and garden beds, as well as a groundcover.

It has large, cup-shaped flowers and attractive, succulent-like foliage.

Plant Facts:

• Common Name: Moss Rose, Portulaca

• Foliage Color: Gray Green

• Hardiness Degree: 45°F (7.2°C)

Blooming Season: Late Spring, Summer, Late Summer

• Plant Habit: Spreading

• Characteristics: Attracts Bees, Drought-Tolerant, Heat-Tolerant, Low Maintenance

• Water: Light

• Fertilize: Once a month

• Spacing: 12–14" (30–36 cm)

• Height: 3–4" (8–10 cm)

• Width: 14–16" (36–41 cm)

• Exposure: Full Sun o

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• Baptisia Plant Profile

• Gardening for Wild Bees

• Borage Bounty

• All About Yarrow

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

July–August Garden To-Do List

• 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 daylilies.

• Pinch back any annuals that may be growing leggy.

• Divide and cut back Bearded Iris.

• Check your pond pump for any debris—clean it out every few weeks.

• Weed.

• Cut off any yellowed foliage at the bottom of 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 seven days.

• Take cuttings from azaleas, boxwoods, and camellias to start new plants.

• Check your local garden center for mid-summer bargains.

• Hand-pick Japanese Beetles or shake them off 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 below the root flare.

• 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.

• Hold 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 garden bench for enjoying 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 birdbaths, downspouts, plant saucers, and gutters.

• Gather roses to enjoy indoors—be sure to make the cut just above a five-leaf unit.

• Harvest onions when tops die back.

• Sow seeds of fall crops such as broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, etc., in late July. o

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Every Tuesday until August 29.

Twilight Tuesdays

Enjoy Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, MD, in the magical early evening hours during Twilight Tuesday. Guests can enter the gardens any time and stay through the evening to enjoy sunset views, blooms, music, and specialty cafe offerings. See details at https:// ladewgardens.com/.

• July 15–July 22

2023 Lotus & Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

The theme of the eight-day festival is “Ethnobotany” and programming and activities will explore people’s use of plants in various cultures. See https:// kenaqgardens.org for a list of festival hours, daily themes, and schedule of events.

• Saturday July 22, 10am–1pm

Botanical Tile Casting

Capture the lush textures of summer in a tile with Sue Fierston, teaching artist and president of the Nature Printing Society. Students can create botanical tiles with flowers, grasses, and leaves collected at home or select options while touring Brookside Gardens with the instructor. Through this fun process, you will cast two 8 x 8-inch tiles during the class. Since tiles need at least 24 hours to cure, you will be given easy instructions to unmold them at home. Experiment with finishing techniques such as adding color and polishing on samples provided in class. This event will be held at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. Fee $65. Register at https://activemontgomery.org/.

• Saturday July 22, and Sunday, July 23

Annual Farm Tour & Harvest Sale

This is a self-guided tour of several farms in Montgomery County, MD. The Agriculture Reserve or “Ag Reserve” is heralded as one of the best examples of land conservation policies in the country. The Agricultural Reserve encompasses 93,000 acres, almost a third of the county’s land resources. This year, the Montgomery County

Office of Agriculture has partnered with 21 farms, orchards, and vineyards. See https://visitmontgomery.com/blog/seedo/montgomery-county-farm-tour/.

• Tuesday, July 25, 7:30–8:45pm

Biological Control of Invasive Plants

Using Insects

Speaker: Ellen Lake. Hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. The program is free and open to the public. It is held via Zoom. Register at https://www. mdflora.org/event-5207881.

• Thursday, July 27, 10–11:30am

Virtual Floral Workshop: Grab a Bunch Have you ever bought a flower bunch at a grocery store (or received one as a gift)? Don’t just chop and plop these in a vase! Learn how to make an attractive design in a variety of vase shapes and sizes with a multitude of techniques, demonstrated by certified floral designer Betty Ann Galway. Your supplies will be available for pickup at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, VA, the day before or day of the program, and a Zoom link will be emailed before the class. Register for $42 program and $30 supply fee. Use code T97.IJ7K at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes.

• Friday, July 28, 10–10:30am Ladybug Release

Join experts from Smithsonian Gardens outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall to learn how to identify a ladybug and other fun insect and garden facts. Then place a few ladybugs on plants yourself. Free. This program is for visitors of all ages. Children should be accompanied by adult caregivers. Program subject to cancellation in case of inclement weather.

• Sunday, July 30, 2–3pm Garden Photo Show Opening

Washington Gardener invites you to the opening reception of our 2023 garden photo show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. The reception is open to the public and free to attend. You may also come by and view the photos any time during the normal Visitor Center hours through August 30.

• Wednesday, August 2, 7pm

Vegetables for Fall & Winter Harvest

You can grow vegetables nearly yearround. Learn what to plant to enjoy this fall; and even through to the spring. Part of the weekly Garden Talks sponsored by Friends of Urban Agriculture and Master Gardeners at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Free, no registration required. See https://arlingtonurbanag. org/garden-talks-2023/.

• Thursday, August 3, 6–8pm

Back-to-School Tomato Jam!

Summer is the perfect season to enjoy fresh tomatoes. This is a great time to get together and learn about how to incorporate this nutritious food in your own dishes. Held at Common Good City Farm, 300 V St NW, Washington, DC. This event is free but donations will go toward school supplies for students. In the case of severe weather, this event will be postponed to August 10. Details at www.commongoodcityfarm. org.

• Friday, August 4, 12n–1pm

Battling Bugs at the USBG Pests can plague gardens big and small, including the collections of the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG). Join Chelsea McKinley, USBG Plant Health Specialist, for a fascinating lecture about how and why the USBG uses a process called Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to battle the bugs and diseases that attack the collection. IPM uses ecological relationships—like predator and prey, or parasite and host—to target and take care of those pesky pests. Free. Online program. Register at https:// www.usbg.gov/.

• Wednesday: August 9, 6:30–8:00pm

Groundcover Revolution Online Talk Hosted by Politics & Prose bookstore. Reducing the lawn is among the biggest trends in homeownership, with an endless stream of homeowners looking for an eco-friendly alternative to a traditional turfgrass lawn. In the last few years alone, more than 23 million American adults converted parts of their lawns to a natural landscape, and now they’re looking to do even more. Kathy Jentz,

author of Groundcover Revolution, will provide all the answers you need (and some you didn’t even know you needed!).Register at https://www.politics-prose.com/classes.

• Thursday, August 10, 10–11:30am

Biodiversity: The Value of Variety

Explore Virginia habitats with a naturalist at the Blandy Experimental Farm in Boyce, VA. This program takes a closer look at how forest wildlife depends on the variety, number, and distribution of species in a habitat. Registration required. Fees: FOSA members/UVa Alumni, $10; nonmembers $15 Member/UVa family $20; nonmember family $25. Details at blandy.virginia. edu.

•Thursday, August 10, 6:30–8pm

Washington Gardener Magazine

Garden Book Club Summer Meeting

For our next Garden Book Club selection, we will discuss A Way to Garden: A Hands-On Primer for Every Season by Margaret Roach. (2019 updated edition). You can order it new or used at our Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3qbBku3 or at our Bookshop store: https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781604698770.

The Summer 2023 club meeting will be held via Zoom. To join us, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqf-GgrDouHNazm_heaAAxP2EDXkZ7EDg.

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

• Saturday, August 12, 9:30–11:30am

Art in the Garden

Attend a colored pencil sketching workshop in the garden at Tudor Place in Washington, DC. Participants will explore summer flora, incorporating brilliant hues by using hatching, crosshatching, and subtraction techniques. Afterward, impress your friends with your own unique creation. All materials will be provided. Fees: Members: $45 | Non-members: $55. Register at https:// tudorplace.org/.

Looking Ahead

• Saturday, August 26, 10am–12n

Tomato Tasting

Join Washington Gardener Magazine at the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD, for a celebration of everything tomato. Free.

• Sunday, September 10

DC State Fair

Held at Franklin Park in downtown Washington, DC. See dcstatefair.org.

• September 12–15

Urban Tree Summit 2023

Montgomery Parks and Casey Trees hosts the summit, showcasing work by leading experts in the diverse field of urban forestry. Sign up to learn virtually about the need for increased tree protections in our built environment, how public gardens play a key role in urban forests, best practices for climbing arborists, and more. Or meet outside for expert-led tree tours through the US Capitol Grounds and the Accredited Arboretum Arlington National Cemetery, and learn about historic champion trees in the Montgomery County area. See schedule and register at https://caseytrees.org/urban-tree-summit-2023/.

• Saturday, September 23

AHS 50th Gala at River Farm

The Gala will be the perfect opportunity to show your support for the American Horticultural Society and River Farm: visit the treasured headquarters; connect with fellow supporters; and enjoy a magical evening of good food, drink, entertainment and conversation. See https://ahsgardening.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 August 5 for the August 2023 issue, for events taking place after August 15. o

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City is all about small-space gardening solutions!

By Kathy Jentz and Teresa Speight

Published by Cool Springs Press/Quarto Homes

Order it today at:

https://amzn.to/3yiLPKU

GardenDC Podcast

The GardenDC podcast is all about gardening in the greater Washington, DC, and Mid-Atlantic area. The program is hosted by Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine, and features guest experts in local and national horticulture. The latest episodes include interviews with experts on Wild Bees, Planting by the Signs, and Townhouse Gardening. You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o

Bronze Fennel

By Kathy Jentz

Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an ornamental perennial herb whose ferny, soft foliage and brightyellow flowers make it a favorite background plant for many gardeners.

Its wispy, tall stems look great in combination with other plants such as rose bushes. The cultivar ‘Purpureum’ is especially attractive with a darker, smokyplum coloring to its foliage.

Plant it in full sun and it will grow to up to 6 feet high. It does not need staking or fertilizing. It is hardy to USDA Zones 5 to 9 and is native to the Mediterranean and southwest Asia.

It is not the kind of fennel that produces a large edible bulb at its base. Instead, it looks and grows more similarly to dill or anise.

Bronze Fennel is also a great addition to the pollinator garden. The flowers attract many kinds of bees and hoverflies. It is also a host plant that supports the Black Swallowtail butterfly’s caterpillars.

You can collect the fragrant fresh leaves to use in fish dishes and the dried seeds in a variety of savory or sweet recipes.

Bronze Fennel is deer-resistant and it has no serious diseases issues.

It will self-seed around, if you let it, but it is easy to pull and transplant when it is at the seedling stage to another place in your garden. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2023

By Taylor Edwards

The 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival took place on the National Mall in Washington, DC, from June 29–July 9 (with a day off on July 5). The festival featured two programs that focused on the country’s diverse cultural landscape: “The Ozarks: Faces and Facets of a Region” and “Creative Encounters: Living Religions in the U.S.”

Each day was packed with presentations from musicians, storytellers, cooks, gardeners, artists, and more. The Ozarks’ origins go back to how the Native Illini peoples referred to their southern neighbors who lived in portions of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Illinois. The educational displays reflected the music, food, and dance interactions between longestablished communities and new immigrants.

“The Ozarks program is an ode to a particular and unique geographic area, but it reflects a larger American story—one that is complicated, compelling, and constantly changing,” said Cristina Díaz-Carrera, lead curator for the program.

The program featured food and cooking demonstrations throughout the day. “Hmong Foodways in the Ozarks” was presented by mother-and-daughter poultry breeders Shou Vue and Xue Lee-Vang. As Vue cooked pork belly, Lee-Vang answered questions about their farm in northwest Arkansas. They have a 40-acre farm with two chicken houses and greenhouses that they use to grow vegetables to sell at their local farmers’ market. Vue also grows herbal plants in the greenhouse so she can make herbal medicine.

The “Creative Encounters” program took place on the opposite side of the Mall. The program focused on how religion, faith, spirituality, and ethical humanism shape people’s everyday practices.

Wild Bearies, a nonprofit organization located in Wisconsin, explained the importance of different Indigenous traditional techniques and foods. There were different types of corn on display. Rita Peters, a member of the Ho-Chunk

tribe, talked about the importance of the “four sisters’” plants (squash, corn, beans, and sunflowers) in Indigenous culture and how they’re trying out cover cropping.

Peters explained that cover cropping is a more sustainable way of farming because it’s a more gentle way of reusing soil. Instead of ripping up roots that have clumps of dirt, they let the roots be exposed to sunlight to die by gently turning them over.

“We’re putting those nutrients back into the soil. We’re putting in intentional weeds intentionally putting a cover crop on a bed that’s actually in the soil will allow over the winter for all of those nutrients to build up,” said Peters.

Kayla Stuart of BattleField Farm made seed bombs for guests who stopped by. There were a variety of seeds to choose from, such as spinach, pumpkin, and wildflowers. Stuart said that seed bombs are a fail-proof activity because they’re easy to use for people with different ability levels. BattleField Farm creates seed bombs to fight against food disparity and promote the idea of not asking permission to be a gardener.

The festival also had concessions selling food inspired by the Ozarks and the country’s diverse spiritual traditions. In the evening and throughout the day, there were also music performances to attend. o

Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener.

Pause for Pollinators at Homestead Gardens

By Marissa Yelenik

Homestead Gardens held its firstever “Pause for Pollinators” event on June 21 at their main location in Davidsonville, MD, to celebrate National Pollinator Month. The nursery also displayed its revamped “Pollinator Garden,” which provides a multitude of pollinator-friendly plants for sale.

The event’s speakers educated attendees about local pollinators and native plants, and what they could do

to help the environment from their own backyards.

Dozens of community members attended the event as speakers provided vital information for plant lovers and free plants and seed packets to the audience. The main event was followed by a luncheon presentation by wildlife biologist Sam Droege.

Hayley Ross, marketing manager at Homestead Gardens, started off the event with words of encouragement and thankfulness for the communit. Ross said that every little change a person makes results in a large difference in the community around them.

Wendy Brister, marketing director at Cavano’s Perennials, advised attendees to only go as far as they feel comfortable at first to avoid getting overwhelmed. Brister encouraged the audience to focus on keystone species in their garden, plant densely to prevent weed growth and help pollinators navigate to the garden, and be active gardeners by taking note of what pollinators like and sharing with friends and neighbors.

Droege shared his expertise on pollinators and bees by explaining the differences between wild bees, how to help them, what to do in your own yard, and other information.

“You’re going to save the planet by planting native plants,” Droege said. A diversity of native plants means a diversity of native bees, he said, so plant a diversity of plants by color, shape, and species. Every yard has access to 100 species of bees, so working to attract a multitude of bees can make all the difference.

Executive Director of the Arundel Rivers Federation Matt Johnson explained the danger of nitrogen, the number one water pollutant along the Chesapeake Bay. Johnson gave a visual demonstration of how native plants can assist with this figure, explaining that while turf grass gives off 9 pounds of nitrogen per acre, native grass gives off only 2 pounds of nitrogen per acre. o

Marissa Yelenik is a rising junior journalism and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is a Savage, MD, gardener

Heirloom Cucumber s

By Barbara Melera

Cucumbers are an ancient fruit that has been enjoyed by humanity for millennia. The fruits are low in calories and high in many important nutrients, such as magnesium, manganese, and potassium. They are also high in antioxidants and contain a significant amount of water, which aids in hydration. They have been an integral part of American home gardens for hundreds of years.

It is generally agreed that cucumbers originated in India and have been under cultivation for at least 3,000 years. From India, the plant was introduced to China and then to the West. Both the Greeks and the Romans knew and grew the cucumber. With the possible exception of some gherkins grown in the West Indies, they were not indigenous to the New World, but they quickly became popular after European explorers introduced them.

Benjamin Watson, in his book Heirloom Vegetables, said, “In 1535 Jacques Cartier mentioned seeing large cucumbers being grown in what is now Montreal, and in 1539 DeSoto found Indians in Florida growing cucumbers that were ‘better than those of Spain.’”

In his 1848 catalogue, David Landreth II described three cucumber varieties, two principally used for pickling (then the most popular use for cucumbers) and one for slicing. Cucumbers are usually classified as either pickling or slicing varieties, but many varieties can be used as both. The fruits vary

enormously in size and shape, but the color is usually a shade of green—from dark to the palest greenish-white.

In the world of gardening today, gardeners make some very important mistakes when it comes to cucumbers.

First, we plant seedlings rather than direct-seed. Cucumbers do not transplant well. They should always be seeded directly, not transplanted.

Second, we plant cucumbers way too early! In USDA Zones 3–7, cucumber seeds should be planted around June 15. If you wait this long, your seeds will sprout much faster, your plants will be much stronger, and you will get cucumbers in the same amount of time as if you had planted seedlings in late May. Also, your plants may not be subjected to cucumber wilt.

Third, all cucumbers can be trellised and should be trellised.

Fourth, gherkins must be harvested when the fruit is no more than 2—3 inches long. If you wait, the gherkins become mis-shapen and ugly.

Heirloom Cucumber Top Picks

These are the 10 best pickling and slicing heirloom cucumbers of all time.

•Parisian Pickling

Introduced around 1892, this rare French heirloom is a true gherkin or cornichon. ‘Parisian Pickling’ can be harvested when the cucumber is tiny (2 in.). This cucumber has unusual sweet-

ness, and therefore an excellent choice for pickling. From seed to mature fruit takes no more than 65 days.

• Bush Pickler

A late 20th-century introduction, ‘Bush Pickler’ is prized as a home garden favorite. The plant takes up little room and produces an abundance of 4 in. fruit excellent for pickling. Fruit matures the fastest of all the cucumbers—50 days from seed to mature fruit.

• Chicago Pickling

‘Chicago Pickling’ was introduced in 1888 and remains one of the most popular pickling cucumbers. The 5 to 6 in. fruit are thin-skinned, blunt-ended, and medium-green. Plants are prolific and disease-resistant. ‘Chicago Pickling’ is outstanding for dill pickles. Plants mature in 55 days from seed.

• Straight 8

The ‘Straight 8’ cucumber is perhaps the most famous of all cucumbers, It is considered to be a slicing cucumber, but many people also make bread-andbutter pickles with it. It was introduced in 1935. The fruits are about 8 inches long (hence the name) with dark-green, smooth skin. The vines are extraordinarily disease-resistant and the fruits ripen quickly in 52–75 days depending on the weather.

• Muncher Burpless

The science behind what makes a burpless cucumber burpless is nothing less than astonishing. Understanding this science can only arouse an amazing respect for the awesome organization of Mother Nature.

The group of cucumbers that are known for their inability to cause indigestion in human beings is known as burpless cucumbers. All of these cultivars share one common trait: The stems, leaves, and fruit do not possess the naturally occurring biochemical compounds known as cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins are biochemical compounds belonging to the steroid group. In cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins, they cause the stems, leaves, and fruit to have a bitter taste. Wild cucumbers, squash, and pumpkin plants all possess, to varying degrees, the cucurbitacin compounds. Because of their bitter taste, it is believed that cucurbitacins

help protect the plants and their fruit from pests, both insect and animal.

The burpless cucumbers are naturally occurring mutations (sometimes known as sports) that did not produce cucurbitacins, but they also could not protect themselves from herbivores. These plants have prevailed because human beings have protected them and have developed the cultivars through natural breeding programs. The result has been that a plant that would not have survived in the wild has been cultivated and protected by mankind because of its flavor and its inability to cause indigestion.

Of all the burpless cucumbers available today, the most famous and maybe the best-flavored is ‘Muncher Burpless’. This cultivar was developed in Wisconsin decades ago the result of natural breeding programs. You can save the seeds for planting in future seasons. The fruit is best when picked at around 9 inches. Some liken the flavor to that of an apple, but I don’t think so. If you are concerned about indigestion, this is the cucumber to grow, and even if indigestion is not an issue, ‘Muncher’ is a great cucumber.

‘Lemon Cucumber’ was brought to the U.S. from India in the late 1800s, but was little known in this country except among certain Asian cultures, where they were an important part of curries, chutneys, etc.

The yellow, lemon-sized fruit is slightly sweeter than most cucumbers and has a mild citrus zing. It should be harvested when pale yellow. Fruit that has become golden in color will be bitter.

The plants are incredibly (I mean incredibly) prolific, so fruits must be harvested daily.

Lemon cucumbers are great in salads, but they also make terrific pickles. A family of four (who loves cucumbers and makes lots of pickles) should never, ever, plant more than four vines (if you are not going to make pickles, plant two vines).

The plants are not as susceptible to cucumber wilt and powdery mildew and produce over a long growing season—only a frost stops their production…sometimes.

• Spacemaster Bush

‘Spacemaster Bush’ is a very small, 36 in. plant that produces high yields of 8 in. fruit. It is adaptable to most climates. This cultivar was introduced in the late-20th century and immediately became very popular. The fruit matures in 60 days.

• English Seedless

The ‘English Seedless Slicing’ cucumber is a pre-1900 hybrid that produces fruit up to 2 ft. long, but fruit is best harvested when it is about 1 ft. long. The fruit is almost seedless and significantly less bitter than other cucumbers. These cucumbers mature in approximately 70 days.

• White Wonder

The ‘White Wonder’ cucumber is truly and totally creamy-white. It is both beautiful and exotic to behold in the garden. This cucumber was introduced before 1890 and was originally developed in western New York State. The 6-9 inch fruits tolerate heat very well. This cucumber can be used for pickling or slicing.

The crisp, creamy flesh is mild-tasting, and although it is not listed as a ‘burpless’ variety, ‘White Wonder’ is easier to digest. The plants are very prolific. This is a lovely, striking heirloom worthy of any salad, crudité plate, or pickle jar.

•

Long Green

Introduced in 1842, ‘Long Green’ is an improved variety of a 1700s cuke known as ‘Long Green Turkey’. The plants are vigorous, productive, and reliable. The fruit is plump, 10–12 in., with tapered ends and few seeds. These cucumbers are good for pickling and

slicing. The fruit matures in approximately 66 days.

Cucumber Growing Tips

Cucumbers will not tolerate any frost. Seeds can be direct-seeded once the soil temperature has warmed to 70 degrees. Seed should be planted ½ inch deep. Cucumbers do best when planted in hills, four plants to a hill, with hills 4–6 feet apart. If direct-seeding plant 8 seeds per hill and thin to 4 plants 12 inches apart. Cucumbers can be grown on fences or in containers with trellises.

Cucumbers require lots of water, but are very susceptible to root rot when young. It is best to water in the morning. Cucumbers do best in rich soil that is fertilized when the plants are still young and upright.

Once vines have reached 4 feet, the size of the vine can be controlled and fruiting encouraged by pinching off the fuzzy growing tip. It will not hurt the plant and will increase the number of fruits produced.

Cucumbers should be harvested as soon as they reach the recommended size. Giant cucumbers, white cucumbers that have yellowed, and green cucumbers that have turned pale will all have a bitter taste. The sweet taste of cucumbers occurs only when they have just ripened.

Cucumbers can be grown in containers—ideally, 14-inch diameter containers. File the pot with a soil mix that is 60% topsoil, 20% dehydrated manure, and 20% peat moss.

Plant four to six seeds in a 14-inch pot once the soil temperature has risen into the 70s. Plant the seeds 1 inch deep and water thoroughly. Once the seeds have sprouted, choose the three strongest seedlings and remove the rest. Fertilize every two weeks with a fertilizer that is strong in potassium and phosphorus and low in nitrogen. Put a 3–4 foot high trellis in the pot and allow the plants to crawl up the trellis. Stop fertilizing when the fruit has begun to mature. o

Barbara Melera is president of Harvesting History (www.harvesting-history.com), a company that sells horticultural and agricultural products, largely of the heirloom variety, along with garden tools and equipment.

• Lemon Cucumber

Thrips and Daylily Flowers

comes with controlling them. Often daylilies are displayed in a mixed perennial border. The use of a generalist pesticide in this environment will have disastrous consequences: Generalist pesticides kill beneficial insects. Pesticides such as organophosphates (Acephate), pyrethrins, and pyrethroids (resmethrin, cyfluthrin, or as the natural form, pyrethrum), or systemic pesticides such as imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced) should not be used.

Cultural controls will start with removing weeds because thrips often feed on a broad range of host plants. They have been found on morning glory, dandelion, wood sorrel, and clover flowers. Daylily debris should be cleaned up in the fall to reduce harborage for overwintering females.

By Carol Allen

You anticipate for weeks that magic moment when those extra-fancy and expensive daylilies finally bloom and……what’s that? The flowers’ colors are marred with streaks and patches of a paler color or silvery discoloration. That is the damage from a tiny, sapsucking insect called thrips.*

Thrips are minute insects that rasp the plant tissue, causing sap to well up to the surface. The tiny insects then suck it up. It is the rasping damage that we see as pale stripes and splotches on our flowers. Thrips’ feeding damage on daylilies can cause buds to distort and blast as well.

There are several species of thrips we may see on our plants: flower thrips (Frankliniella tritici), western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), and daylily thrips (Frankliniella hemerocallis). F. tritici and F. occidentalis are native to North America. F. hemerocallis is believed to have originated in Japan and eastern Asia. It has been found in New York, Maryland, and Florida as well as the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Japan, and Hungary.

The adults of all three species are about the size of this exclamation point (!) or 1/20 of an inch. They start life as an egg; go through two larval stages, a prepupal stage, and a pupal stage; and finally emerge as an adult. Populations are predominantly females. Eggs are laid in plant tissue and can be quite

numerous, depending on the species. The life cycle is heavily influenced by temperature and from egg to adult can happen in about two to three weeks under optimum conditions. Feeding damage occurs during the larval and adult stages. The prepupal and pupal stages occur in the soil where no feeding takes place. There are multiple generations per year. Studies in England found adult females (F. occidentalis) overwintering in weeds such as common chickweed (Stellaria media), groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).

Naturally, those gardens where daylilies are few may not see much damage. However, the adults can fly on their long, slender, fringed wings and start new colonies. Also, thrips can come into a garden on new plants.

How do you tell if you have thrips? A 10x jeweler’s loupe is a handy device to use for examining buds, flowers, and tender new foliage for the insects. They are highly mobile and will rapidly retreat into the deep recesses of the plants. Look for their fecal droppings left behind.

Another technique is the “beat test.” Hold a white piece of paper a few inches under the flowers or buds. Tap smartly and the insects and their debris will fall onto the sheet, where they can be examined and identified.

The challenge in the daylily garden

Many natural predators feed on thrips. Minute pirate bug (Orius insidiosus) has been used successfully in agriculture to reduce thrips populations. They will find their homes in gardens with a broad range of nectar, and pollen-rich flowers (perennial, annual, or shrub) that bloom from early spring to fall. Some suggested flowers include: goldenrod, daisies, yarrow, cosmos, crimson clover, willows, and the agricultural crops corn and alfalfa.

Most importantly, do not use chemical pesticides. A more proactive approach would be to use some of the “soft” pesticides such as insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, and Spinosad. Biopesticides containing Beauveria bassiana have also been used with success. Spray before the flowers open because the thrips will be feeding in the buds as they develop. Avoid spraying when bees or other beneficials are gathering nectar nearby. Read and heed label directions.

*Thrips with the “s” on the end of the word is both singular and plural. One thrips, two thrips, three thrips, etc. 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 First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening

Author: Pam Farley

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $26.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/44tzLHp and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760378137

Reviewer: Marissa Yelenik

The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening is a great resource for its intended audience of beginner gardeners. With charts to hammer down exactly the ideal conditions for each edible plant and photo resources to explain how to go about certain tasks, the book works to truly simplify edible container gardening for those who have never touched a plant before.

Author Pam Farley answers seemingly basic questions that more advanced gardeners may not consider. While certain aspects of this book may feel oversimplified for experienced gardeners, it is a great resource for those of us who have no plant-focused friends or family to answer these questions.

The book contains eight chapters so readers can prioritize exactly what they need to know about.

Chapter One, “Why Grow Your Own Food?,” focuses on persuading readers to grow their own edible plants. It explains Farley’s choice of growing her own food in containers and gives a quick review of whether buying a seed-start is right for you, how to buy seedling starts from the store, and instructions on when and how to grow it from seed. It provides a rundown on

seed types as well as how (with photo guidance) to plant or replant a seed/ seedling.

Chapter Two, “Decide What to Grow,” gives a comprehensive chart of the different requirements of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. It also includes Farley’s top vegetable plants for a container garden, as well as different combinations of plants in containers with a “recipe” of what to include in which planter.

Chapter Three, “Choose Your Containers,” focuses on the container itself, telling the readers to remember “BFG: Big Enough, Food Safe, and Good Drainage.” Farley then breaks down each of these tenets, specifying differences for certain plant types, container materials, how to add your own drainage holes, and more.

Chapter Four, “Container Gardening Soil,” breaks down what makes some soil better, the different types, how to determine what good packaged soil is, and how to make your own soil.

Chapter Five, “Sun & Location,” is a simple chapter about a complex topic. It expands on the types of sun really are and explains what a microclimate is and how to create one.

Chapter Six, “Watering,” helps readers understand what may be changing the needs of their plants, and how they can adapt to this. It also explains how to best water plants (“low and slow”) and what equipment might be best. The chapter also expands on pollinators in the garden, and how to attract them.

Chapter Seven, “Fertilizing & Soil Amendments,” digs into the different types of fertilizers and what might be best for your needs. It explains the role of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in fertilizers; how to apply them; and different soil amendments.

Chapter Eight, “Troubleshooting,” helps readers get out of a bad situation, emphasizing not to panic. The chapter has three main sections: plants, insects, and animals. Each section includes pictures of the issue, symptoms, and solutions (or preventive measures).

This book is a good resource for those in need of the basic, but comprehensive, foundational knowledge of

edible container gardening. The charts and photos help readers get a good understanding of daunting topics, and the clear differentiation between chapters helps separate the complexity for those who may be afraid to approach a full-scale gardening book. o

Marissa Yelenik is a rising junior journalism and psychology major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is a Savage, MD, native and amateur gardener

Field Guide to Outside Style: Design & Plant Your Perfect Outdoor Space

Author: Ryan McEnaney

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $30.00

Order Link:https://amzn.to/46U76wA and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760372999

Reviewer: Taylor Edwards

The Field Guide to Outside Style is an easygoing guide to decorating any outdoor space. The author invites readers to think about what the ideal garden looks like to them by exploring personal choice and style. This book has a good balance of instructions and pictures throughout to provide some inspiration. Take your time reading through it, because it has a lot of information to digest.

The author cleverly divides the book into sections so it can be referenced in the process of designing an outdoor space. It covers what you might not think of when designing a space, such as high expectations from social media or maintaining it throughout the seasons. Reading the book felt like someone was carefully guiding me through this detailed process.

The book is divided into five parts where the author explains the many steps of designing a yard. The first section, “Polka Dots or Stripes,” is about using your personal sense of style as a starting point to determine what your garden style is. The author wants the reader to consider fashion, furniture, and architecture. I was surprised to see how much thought can be put into each category so you can have the layout you want.

The second section, “Date Night with Your Space,” encourages readers to get acquainted with their home through

“dating” it. I liked the cleverness of having ideas like coffee and brunch dates with particular tasks attached to them. It made the planning process less daunting and more fun. The brunch date, for example, talked about the different types of soil you might use in your garden.

In the third section, “Guardrails,” the author encourages readers to think about why they’re designing an outdoor space in the first place. By doing this, you can find a theme such as beauty, function, or activity to center the space around. This was a good section to include in the book because it also talks about considering the seasonality of the space and maintaining it. The chapter warns readers about potential maintenance, budget, materials, and labor. The author’s balance of both the fun and serious parts of planning was a nice touch.

The fourth section, “Designing Your Space,” goes into three styles that you could follow. “Martha” refers to a classic style, “Tommy” refers to a minimalist style, and “Kelly” refers to a naturalist style. The author gives examples of how various spaces could look if you follow one of the styles, with graphics to demonstrate what a space would look like if you followed one of the styles. I found that the graphics of the different sites were extremely helpful for visual learners.

The last section, “Recipe Cards,” gives readers plant combinations that coincide with the three styles mentioned in the previous chapter. Each

card has the region, style, and goal of each combination. It was a unique way to categorize the plants into different styles.

Overall, this is a comprehensive book that covers all aspects of outdoor space planning. It goes into great detail about each step and provides more references at the end that people can look into beyond this book. I liked how the author focused on creating a safe space for friends and family to come over and enjoy themselves while honoring your tastes. It has diverse options for how to design an outdoor space, which are insightful. o

Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener.

The Green Gardening Handbook: Grow, Eat and Enjoy

Author: Nancy Birtwhistle

Publisher: One Boat/Pan Macmillan List Price: $24.99

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3NYlJ9w and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781035003716

In The Green Gardening Handbook: Grow, Eat and Enjoy, Nancy Birtwhistle—yes, the winner in 2014 of “The Great British Bake Off” and author of two other green-friendly books—combines gardening environmentally with recipes for cooking with one’s harvest, helpful tips, personal experiences, and more.

All of this makes for a rounded look at cultivating a food-producing garden and eating the fruits—and veggies and herbs—of one’s labor. Birtwhistle’s delight in gardening comes through. Especially helpful is the organization, which flows with the seasons, including early, mid and late for each season, and nature’s cycle. With the author living in England while having followers globally, using seasons rather than months is good for all readers and immensely helpful in planning. The result is that readers know what’s coming up and can focus at the appropriate time on such things as how and when to prepare for a new growing season, preserve a variety of herbs for use in the colder weather, and learn when to

harvest seeds and beans to save for future gardens.

No single space or section is dedicated to recipes. Rather, they are placed with the seasons and the seasonal foods they feature. This may be disconcerting to readers who prefer to find all recipes in one area. But consider the gardener trying to expand their diet who doesn’t know how to cook with an unfamiliar vegetable and who now has a recipe at the ready. Besides, it does flow with the organization of the book. Recipes also can be found using the index.

I grow zucchini largely because it’s an excuse to make chocolate chip zucchini loaf. After reading Birtwhistle’s straightforward how-to for growing and harvesting parsnips, and her easy recipe for chocolate chip parsnip loaf to be baked in cooler weather, I think that homegrown parsnips and homemade chocolate chip parsnip loaf are in my future.

The book is an easy, chatty read. It offers practical, down-to-earth advice and common-sense ideas. Birtwhistle uses personal experiences as cautionary tales and success stories. They remind us that we should learn from our mistakes—after her black currant bushes died, she’s been careful to clean her garden tools to reduce the risk of spreading diseases among plants—as well as from our successes.

Its breadth is a reminder that green gardening includes many aspects. The author addresses ways to be environmentally friendly, save money, and reduce waste, including how to upcycle plastic milk jugs, make use of torn rubber garden gloves, save seeds, and preserve herbs. It includes details about companion planting, beneficial insects, and pollinators.

The book may not offer up enough new ideas for experienced gardeners. Still, it makes information very accessible, and has it in one place. That’s a huge help for people starting out who want to eat foods they’ve grown in environmentally conscious ways. o

Andrea Siegel is a master gardener in Maryland.

The Color of Roses: A Curated Spectrum of 300 Blooms

Author: Danielle Dall’armi Hahn

Photographer: Victoria Pearson

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

List Price: $35.00

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3rsWnZU and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781984861160

Reviewer: Teri Speight

This carefully curated book about roses is written as a guide for learning what roses to choose from when looking for specific characteristics. It would also be quite useful as a non-intimidating resource for the care and use of one of the world’s most-loved flowers.

Author Danielle Dall’Armi Hahn demonstrates her personal knowledge of roses. She is the owner of Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria, CA, which has over 40,000 rose bushes. She is an active member of the American Rose Society.

The experienced rosarian understands the challenges of selecting roses. Each rose doesn’t just have physical beauty, but may have a specific scent that can affect the mood of the garden. Other roses might have a specific bloom type or petal count, which can reflect a specific theme in the garden. Roses, when used properly, can play a large role in the garden of any homeowner.

The photos were selected to show the beauty and color of each rose that Hahn features in this book. What I found wonderful was some of the pho-

tos show roses with blemishes and yet they are still imperfectly beautiful. This was intentional: The author wanted to make certain the expectation of a perfect rose is a myth. Each photo captures a rose and has useful information with it such as the name, breeder, year of introduction, and type of rose.

There are two charts that are quite useful. The first is about scent. When describing the scent, the author rates them by their intensity. Some roses can range from slightly scented to strong. The level of scent can be important when choosing a location such as under a window or beside a door. The second helps with plant height. Noting the plant height is useful when choosing the right rose for the proper place. Both of these simple charts should prove useful as rose aficionados select which plant will work in their landscapes.

Selected as a Great Rosarian of the World, Hahn has used her experience to help others become knowledgable in rose selection and expectation for their landscapes. She also guides readers in selecting the ideal color(s) of rose(s) for special events or floral arrangement. This is a great book to keep on hand for anyone who loves roses. o

Teresa J. Speight is a garden speaker, podcaster, blogger, and author. You can find her work and links at Cottage in the Court, https://cottageinthecourt.com/.

GROUNDCOVER REVOLUTION IS OUT NOW!

By Kathy Jentz

https://amzn.to/3IlYHYL

“Groundcover Revolution is must-have book for anyone who is interested in having less lawn, fewer weeds, and reduced mulching. The properties charts will save the reader time and money, the pictures provide inspiration, while the detailed plant portraits give the focused information needed for creating beautiful, functional landscapes.”

―C.L. Fornari, GardenLady.com

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.

Love Reading?

The book reviews in this issue are by volunteer members of the Washington Gardener Reader Panel. To join the Washington Gardener Volunteer Reader Panel, send an email with your name and address to: KathyJentz@gmail.com. We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local publication and its gardening mission. o

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

By Cecily Nabors

All flash and dash, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) packs a gallon of energy into a teaspoon of bird. Standing less than 4 inches tall and weighing a mere tenth of an ounce, these flying jewels are among the world’s smallest birds.

Only adult males have those beautiful ruby-colored throats, or gorgets; the red may just look dark unless light hits it directly. The color of the birds’ throats is structural: Air bubbles trapped in the feathers refract and reflect light into shimmery iridescence. Females have pale throats, while juvenile males have some splotchy dark streaks.

Marvels of aviation engineering, hummingbirds are the only birds that can truly hover, fly backward, and even fly upside-down. These aerobatics are possible because their wings move forward and back, not up and down, in a figure-8 pattern with a beat of about 60 times a second. That beat is the hummingbirds’ hum.

Ruby-throats are the only hummers that breed in the eastern United States. They winter in Mexico and Central America. During spring migration, many fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico, while

others fly along the Gulf Coast, coming north as flowers begin to bloom.

Males arrive first, seeking territories with rich nectar sources—flowers and/or feeders—and will aggressively defend their chosen areas. These tiny birds are never far from starvation, so their zeal is understandable.

Hummingbirds form pairs only briefly. After mating, the male may stay in his territory or go find a new food source, while the female finds her own territory and builds her nest. Rubythroats never use birdhouses but place their nests on top of a branch. The nests are charming constructions of plant down and bud scales, stitched with spiderweb and decorated with lichens. The female does all the incubation of the eggs (the size of mini-jellybeans) and feeds her hatchlings. The spongy nests, less than 2 inches across, stretch as the youngsters grow.

Feeders and flowers are great ways to attract hummers to your garden. Rubythroated Hummingbirds insert their long bills to feed on the nectar of red or orange tubular flowers such as trumpet

creeper, cardinal flower, honeysuckle, jewelweed, bee-balm (pictured below), and red morning glory. Ruby-throats are major pollinators of many of these flowers. Hummingbirds also catch insects in midair or pull them out of spider webs. Their diet includes mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies, and small bees; they also eat spiders.

Ruby-throats come readily to feeders, where they’re famous for feisty behavior. They don’t play well with others! One dominant bird may claim a feeder (or a blooming shrub) and drive away all comers. If you have two feeders, it’s a good idea to keep them separated, with one out of the line of sight of the other, for the sake of peace.

To make hummingbird “nectar” for the feeders, add one part table sugar to four parts boiling water, stir, and cool. Do not add red food coloring. Real nectar is usually clear and most feeders are red to attract the birds’ attention.

Adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually start heading south in mid-August. Females and juveniles often hang around for another month or six weeks before migrating to their winter quarters. They’re quite likely to visit feeders during that pre-migration time to gain the weight needed for their long flights.

Want to see the route(s) these intrepid travelers take? The National Audubon Society recently released a new interactive tool that tracks birds’ migration schedules and paths. Sign onto www. birdmigrationexplorer.org and find a tab labeled “Take a tour” to get a quick overview of the site. You can choose a bird and see where it goes, or choose a location and see which birds live there and which ones flies in and out. Population data, conservation status, and related stories paint a picture of birds’ journeys and challenges.

When Ruby-throated Hummingbirds zip around our gardens, hovering, feeding, and zooming away, wings a-blur, we are visited by one of nature’s wonders. So fearless, so fragile, so amazing! o

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

A male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Photo by Diane Ford.

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MARCH/APRIL 2005

• Landscape DIY vs. Pro

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MAY/JUNE 2005

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006

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MARCH/APRIL 2006

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MAY/JUNE 2006

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JULY/AUGUST 2006

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

• Shade Gardening

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

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MARCH/APRIL 2007

• Stormwater Management

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MAY/JUNE 2007

• Roses: Easy Care Tips

• Native Roses & Heirloom Roses

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JULY/AUGUST 2007

• Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass

• How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head

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• Hardy Geraniums

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

• Succulents: Hardy to our Region

• Drought-Tolerant Natives

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007

• Gardening with Children

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• National Museum of the American Indian

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

• Dealing with Deer

• Our Favorite Garden Tools

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MARCH/APRIL 2008

• Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens

• Our Favorite Garden Tools

• Coral Bells (Heuchera)

MAY/JUNE 2008

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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

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• Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum

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MARCH/APRIL 2009

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Jentz Prints

Antique Botanical Prints for the decorator, collector, connoisseur, and art lover.

Jentz Prints can be purchased most weekends (weather-dependent) at the world-famous Eastern Market

Antique prints are affordable—most in the $10-$30 range—and they are the perfect gift idea for that plant lover in your life. And don’t forget to buy a few for yourself!

For more information or to get a detailed show schedule, please contact Jentz Prints by email at UllrichJ@aol.com.