Washington Gardener Magazine June 2023

Traces of Spring Ephemerals in the Summer Garden Meet Darrelynne

Strother, owner of Châteaux Cocoa

Growing Pole Beans

The Ethics of Using Ladybugs as Pest Control A Visit to the Three Sisters Gardens

Diagnosing Plant Diseases and Issues

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.

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

ooo o o o

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.

According to the National Garden Bureau, Celosia is a unique annual for the garden with its brightly colored flowers and textures that beg to be touched. Read more about Celosia at https://ngb.org/ year-of-the-celosia/.

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.

The Three Sisters Gardens of Greenbelt, MD, are a trio of demonstration gardens that promote Chesapeake Bay-friendly edible and native plant landscaping. They are looking for volunteers. To help out, contact maggie@chears.org.

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) prefers to grow in rich, moist soils in woodland gardens. Birds and mice eat the fruits and disperse the seeds.

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

Subscription: $20.00

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

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

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

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

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

Always Learning in the Garden

One of the questions I’m frequently asked by non-gardeners who find out I’m the editor of this magazine is, “Don’t you run out of the things to write about?” Um, no. As a matter of fact, I have so many things yet to cover and so much still to learn. For instance, this month, I learned not to bother to dig out Dahlias from my garden to winter them over. The ones I didn’t get to did much better (and are blooming already!) than the ones I carefully dug up and stored inside. Add that to the list of Cannas and maybe soon Caladiums and Colocasia?

I keep a list of potential topics to cover in a composition book and also in a backlog of hundreds of emails that include potential places to visit, folks to interview, and products or plants to trial.

When we switched to an all-digital format, we were able to increase to monthly issues. That helped me add new bimonthly columns like BirdWatch and give more space to other recurring features.

The weekly GardenDC Podcast has just passed the 150-episode mark and we have not even touched the backlog of topics that can be discussed there. I love picking the brains of horticultural experts and learning the best way to build a Clematis trellis or the origins of purple Okra seeds.

Every day in the garden is one of discovery and delight. Sharing those with you, dear readers, is one of my greatest pleasures in life.

Sincerely,

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener

KathyJentz@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

· GardenComm (GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators)

· Green America Business Network

· National Garden Bureau

· One Montgomery Green

· Ladies in the Landscape

· Potomac Rose Society

Volume 18, Number 4

ISSN 1555-8959

© 2023 Washington Gardener

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

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

Your editor at home.

Reader Contest

For our June 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a seed collection from All-America Selections (AAS). AAS is an independent nonprofit organization that tests new, never-before-sold varieties for the home gardener. After a full season of anonymous trialing by volunteer horticulture professionals, only the top garden performers receive the AAS Winner award designation for their superior performance. Find out more at https://all-americaselections.org/.

The AAS Winner seed collection includes:

• Celosia ‘Flamma Orange’ (pictured)

• Sunflower ‘Concert Bell’

• Snapdragon ‘Doubleshot orange bicolor’

• Verbena bonariensis ‘Vanity’

• Zinnia “Queeny Lemon Peach”

• Torenia ‘Vertigo Deep Blue’

• Torenia ‘Summery Love Pure White’

• Coleus ‘Premium Sun Coral Candy’

To enter, send an email to WashingtonGardener Magazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on June 30 with “All-America Selections Seeds” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced and notified around July 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.

May 2023 Issue

I enjoyed the begonias article. They have always a reliable favorite.

~

Kathy May, Kensington, MD

My favorite article in this month’s magazine is “Growing Corn in Containers.” I bought corn seeds, but of course, my available space to grow veggies doesn’t nearly match my appetite for seeds. I wondered if I could grow it in a pot. Now I have detailed instructions. Thanks, Kathy, for the terrific magazine. I always find something of interest.

~ Jennifer Whalen, Silver Spring, MD

My favorite article was “Keep Plants Thriving Despite the Heat” because I am always on the lookout for ways to reduce the need for watering. The suggestion about adding wool pellets to soil seems interesting and I will test it out next year on my potted plants. I was also happy to hear about Plants Alive! I still haven’t recovered from Behnke’s closure!

~ John Rebstock, Cheverly, MD

It has been a hot and dry growing season so far this year so the “Keep Plants Thriving Despite the Heat” article had several great tips to help me.

~ Ed Yemola, Drums, PA

I liked “Keep Plants Thriving Despite the Heat.” it will be most helpful this summer as we face more dry conditions.

~

Ann Baker, Manassas, VA

My favorite article is about the Eastern Phoebe because we have had one next in our well house for the last two years. We love them. All the articles are interesting. Keep up the good work.

~

Joanna Protz, Lynch Station, VA.

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.

I always get a lot out of the magazine and will be heading to the Satsuki Bonsai exhibit later today because, until I read the “Classes, Events, and Shows,” I’d completely forgotten about it. My favorite article was “Growing Corn in a Container” because I’d never thought it possible. I grew up on a farm where we always had fields of corn, but in my tiny garden, it was always too much space for too little yield. Growing a few ears for fun in a pot will be great, and with this how-to article, I won’t go wrong.

~ Luann Korona, Silver Spring, MD o

Darrelynne Strother Owner of Châteaux Cocoa

By Marissa Yelenik

Darrelynne Strother, the owner of Châteaux Cocoa, is a first-year GAPcertified farmer in the DMV area with a focus on urban farming, gardening, beekeeping, and wellness.

Strother is also a volunteer for the Master Gardener Program at the University of Maryland Garden Extension and began gardening in elementary school. The Virginia native moved to Maryland three years ago, where she has since earned certifications, including a Biointensive Agriculture Certification from the University of the District of Columbia and a Natural Organic Gardening Certification through a SMART Majority online course.

Just at the beginning of her career, Strother plans to expand her farm into a wellness center where community members can do yoga and art, shop at a cafe, learn about farming, and so much more.

Did you grow up gardening?

No. In fact, I started growing seeds by disobeying my mom and throwing them over the balcony of our porch.

What is Châteaux Cocoa? Where did the name come from?

Châteaux Cocoa is the name of my house and farm. It translates to “cocoa castles.” The trim in the 1927 home is dark Jacobean and chocolate in color. I wanted a name to represent the house and farm in a classy way that aligned with the character of the home.

What do you grow at your farm and what products do you create from what you grow?

Currently, my focus is to sell seedlings only. I am looking to expand to selling vegetables later this summer, specifically, sunflowers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, rice, and corn. Eventually, I would like to sell the food that I grow and dried herbs as well.

Do you have a “day job” and how does that conflict with or complement your urban farming projects?

Yes, and my day job pays for the house and bills associated with the house. I

also have a second job that pays for current expenses of the farm as well as any renovations that happen in the house. This job consists of teaching children ages 3 to 13 about art and wellness during afterschool programs in the DC area.

My day job has been very supportive of my farming and gardening. In fact, I started a community garden at my day job to help alleviate stress within the workplace and I initiated having honey bees join us at the garden as well.

What kind of reactions and responses have you received when interacting with the local growing community? People have been really supportive of my endeavor to farm and support the local community.

Who are your heroes and inspirations?

My mom is an inspiration. I use the drive and determination I received from her to keep going and achieve my dreams. This

What advice would you give to any aspiring urban farmers?

I would recommend doing research first, then making a plan and following through. Also, don’t be ashamed to ask for help from volunteers to assist with your goals.

You’ve also branched out into art, yoga, and beekeeping. What about these topics interests you, and how do they fit into your role as a farmer? This is sort of a funny story, but I actually had a dream. At the time, I was not interested in becoming a yoga instructor, but I practiced daily and worked out approximately 10 times a week. In the dream, I was the owner of a run-down home and a small plot of land that hosted several garden boxes and an inground growing space. However, I was able to renovate the home into a café/ restaurant, serve people in the lush garden space I created, and provide space for art and yoga classes.

In the dream, I was also subbing for a yoga class. There was a center that mixed art and yoga as a practice taught in a modern bamboo structure straight from Thailand but located in the DMV area. The land was populated by lush plants and an edible landscape. That was the dream.

From there, I went to get my 200hour yoga certification on a scholarship and later my 500-hour certification along with a Trauma Informed certificate.

Next, I signed up for the Master Gardener program. It took the third application in Prince George’s County to stick due to scheduling conflicts of the program in Virginia and in DC. I’m happy to be a part of the University of Maryland’s Master Gardener Extension program.

I discovered the bee program on an app called Clubhouse where people were talking about “Beekeeping

While Black” and the lack of African American beekeepers in their area. The Clubhouse speaker said there are classes available in most states for a nominal fee. I was able to join a class virtually in the Bowie Upper Marlboro Beekeeping Association (BUMBA) and I participate with this association when I can.

I’m grateful to my beekeeping men-

tor, Monica Bussolati, who has assisted me with keeping my bees alive for the past two years.

My background is in art. I studied photography in high school and in college, I studied architecture and urban planning, and I have a minor in studio art.

What plans do you have for the future? When do you intend to implement them?

[I plan] to create a kid’s garden on the side of the house with at least five to eight garden beds, host additional children’s classes in growing food during the summer, install a hoop house for year-round growing, add a separate art space in the backyard for gallery viewings, and add a café complete with items made from the farm at the Châteaux Cocoa.

I’d like to own a more expansive farm and create a floating garden on the Patuxent or Potomac but, baby steps.

[I’d like to implement them] within six or seven years. I’m planning on paying my home off and finishing plans for the farm at Châteaux Cocoa.

How can readers contact you to find out more?

I am working on creating a website for Châteaux Cocoa. Once launched, the official website will be ChateauxCocoa. com, which will include information about not only the farm and garden but our other offerings as well, which are coming soon! I am also on Instagram as @ChâteauxCocoa. My email address is chateauxcocoa@gmail.com. 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, Maryland, native and amateur gardener

Photos courtesy of Darrelynne Strother, Châteaux Cocoa.

A Visit to the Three Sisters Gardens

By Taylor Edwards

Scattered around Greenbelt, Maryland, are the Three Sisters Gardens. Each garden has its own unique charm, but they all serve one purpose. I had the opportunity to visit two of the three of these gardens and see their charms.

History of the Three Sisters Gardens

The Three Sisters Gardens of Greenbelt (West, Center, and East) Demonstration Community Gardens Project was created by the Chesapeake Education, Arts, and Research Society (CHEARS) when the organization received a grant in 2010.

Although the gardens are in different places, they all share one common goal: community. All three gardens provide sustainable gardening opportunities; promote co-learning among volunteers; and offer opportunities for educational, artistic, and research proj-

ects. They also welcome members of all ages and promote permaculture.

Each year, the gardens have a theme. For the 2022–2023 year, the theme is “The Global Local Imperative for a Great Food Transition for Plant Survival and Climate Justice.” The three gardens also are based on Indigenous culture, including their structure and what produce is important there, such as corn, beans, and squash.

Each garden has its own coordinator. Their influences give each garden its own personality. Maggie Cahalan, the co-founder of CHEARS, is the coordinator of the Three Sisters Garden-Center at the Greenbelt Community Center. Effie Levner, an occupational therapist, is the coordinator of Three Sisters Garden-East at Schrom Hills Park. Carolyn Lambright-Davis is the coordinator of Three Sisters Garden-West at the Springhill Lake Recreation Center.

Three Sisters Gardens–West

After walking behind the Springhill Lake Recreation Center, you’ll find a circular garden with a statue in the middle. The center is also home to the Food Forest surrounding it. Three Sisters GardenWest is unique because of its primarily young volunteers. The Earth Squad is a co-learning and tutoring project by CHEARS consisting of mostly local elementary school students. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the kids come to the center and help nurture the plants there under Lambright-Davis’ guidance.

“We’re with children, so we have color [in the garden]. We want to have fun,” Lambright-Davis said. “You’ve got to start them young.”

Rectangular planters are set in a circle with various plants growing in them. All of them are written on with

paint and some have small drawings of plants on them. The Earth Squad painted the sides of the planters as well. In the middle of the garden is a medicine wheel that is reminiscent of Indigenous gardens.

“We walk the medicine wheel for peace, for love, for happiness, for protection,” Lambright-Davis said.

The statue stands about 5 feet tall and has wildlife carved on it. It depicts a tree with an owl perched on top. Leaves are carved into it. At the base of the tree is a big squash that curves up under the owl. On the side of the tree grows corn. On the very bottom of the statue, you can see beans.

The garden currently grows collard greens, field peas, potatoes, romaine lettuce, blackberries, beets, strawberries, and more. When asked what their favorite thing to grow was, the kids said strawberries. Lambright-Davis commented that they’re “pumpkin connoisseurs” because of how many pumpkins grow there in the fall.

The garden also has two containers of books for volunteers to read and seeds they can take home.

The food forest surrounding the garden was planted in the spring of 2013 by CHEARS and the City of Greenbelt. It is a permaculture technique that helps create a sustainable food system. One of the plants that are prominent in the forest are pawpaw trees. Signs are placed around the forest so visitors and the Earth Squad can learn about the environment.

The garden was devastated by a storm in July and August of 2022, but

they’re slowly building it back up. They lost a pawpaw tree, but it was replaced by the city.

The special thing about this garden is that the kids can be proud of what they’ve grown and take that knowledge back to their homes. “This is really a system of children. That’s the beauty of them,” said Lambright-Davis.

Three Sisters Gardens–East

When you walk past the playground at Schrom Hills Park, you’ll find the Three Sisters Garden-East tucked away in a corner. What makes this garden different is its focus on aesthetics instead of just the physical part of gardening.

Its design mirrors an Indigenous garden, with four entrances that represent north, south, east, and west. Each entrance has a bamboo gateway with some vines on top. On the outside of the garden, there are laminated photos of flowers on display from people of the community. Levner said that when the garden was first established, it didn’t have as many artistic elements and plants as it does now. When she first took charge of the garden, she wanted to focus on the aesthetic part of it rather than the actual gardening.

“It’s not just physical activity to come and grow vegetables. I really think that you have to grow your own inner spirit and mental health,” said Levner. Because Levner is an occupational therapist, she focuses on the way that people feel when they come to the garden. To do this, the garden hosts poetry readings and has poetry displayed throughout the space. She calls the atmosphere “divine” because some people come to the garden to pray.

“People could respond to poetry. It’s about feeling. It’s a completely different orientation,” Levner said.

When you first walk up to the garden, you see the Three Sisters Garden-East metal statue, shaped like a harvest tree, on the left. When you enter, you are greeted by a large archway with three dangling rings in the middle. Each white planter around the garden has artwork placed in front of it. If you look closely enough, you’ll see small figurines planted among the shrubs. The garden is filled with various flowers so

butterflies and bees can pollinate and add to the atmosphere.

At one entrance, there are two minilibraries where people can pick up books to read in the garden. Next to the libraries are a small table and chairs where people can sit and enjoy their books. As you continue through the garden, you’ll find a display of plants and figurines with poems next to them written by members of the community. On the other side of the garden, you can see pictures of past visitors of the garden as well as a visitor’s guide.

Levner wants the garden, to be a place where people can find peace and happiness by enjoying the environment and talking with each other. She encourages people to come out into nature more, especially because of how the pandemic isolated people inside their homes. With the added layer of poetry, books, and the atmosphere, the garden is a great place to slow down from everyday life.

Visiting the Gardens

The Three Sisters Gardens are open to the public. They are located at Springhill River Recreation Center, Schrom Hills Park, and Greenbelt Community Center. Contact information for any of the coordinators can be found on the CHEARS website (https://chears.org/). Poetry events are coming up on July 9 and August 6 at Schrom Hills Park. 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.

National Rose Month

June is National Rose Month, and the American Rose Society (ARS) is honoring the flower with a full month of events. Headquartered in Shreveport, LA, the ARS is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1892 and dedicated exclusively to the culture, appreciation, and preservation of the rose. Members host rose shows and educational seminars, maintain public gardens, support research of the newest and disease-resistant varieties of roses, provide arrangements and flowers for hundreds of local events, and strive to share their enjoyment of the rose.

Roses have a long and colorful history. They have been used to symbolize love, beauty, war, and peace. They are the subject of art, music, literature, and poetry. On November 20, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution making the rose the national floral emblem at a ceremony in the White House.

The American Rose Society suggests the following ways to enjoy roses:

1. Plant a rose bush! Need help? Go to www.rose.org to learn more.

2. Take roses to nursing homes, hospitals, banks, and the local library. Encourage the local library to have a rose book display.

3. Give roses to show love or friendship.

4. Give a rosebush for a longer-lasting gift. There are many different kinds of roses to choose from with a variety of colors, including stripes.

5. Visit a botanical garden or rose garden to gain inspiration for starting individual rose gardens or a community garden.

6. Take photos of roses and share them with friends in cards, notes, and letters. Share with the ARS social media platforms by tagging #roses, #nationalfloralemblem: www.facebook.com/RoseSociety,twitter.com/ AmericanRoseSoc, www.instagram. com/AmericanRoseSociety o

Exploring the Complexities of Using Ladybugs as Pest Control

When creating a garden, it’s likely that most people want to make decisions that leave a positive footprint on the local environment. In an attempt to limit the use of chemical pesticides and promote native species on their land, some gardeners have begun purchasing ladybugs as a form of “natural” pest control. However, Kaitlin Stack Whitney, assistant professor in the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Department of Science, Technology, and Society, says that buying ladybugs online, as opposed to attracting them naturally, can cause more harm than good to the environment.

In a recent publication in Catalyst Journal, Stack Whitney discussed the morality around employing ladybugs in a war on insect pests, as well as the nuance of considering insects as “good” or “bad” by the general public.

“Ladybugs make up the insect family Coccinellidae. There are many different kinds of ladybug, but there are a lot of things that all ladybugs do, such as eating soft-bodied insects like aphids and other garden pests,” said Stack Whitney. “How we think about these ladybugs—which ones we celebrate and which ones we don’t—is shaped by people’s ideas, not necessarily what the ladybugs are actually doing.”

Stack Whitney explained that people likely purchase ladybugs in an effort to aid with ecological restoration in addition to managing pests without using chemical pesticides. However, releasing these insects, rather than employing the myriad ladybugs already in the area, has implications that buyers may not be aware of.

The mail-order-ladybug pipeline is rife with mistreatment of the insect, according to Stack Whitney. Sellers often prey on ladybugs that congregate for winter hibernation. After they’re harvested from the wild, the insects are kept in cold conditions to extend their life cycles until someone decides to purchase them for what she describes as “militarized pest control.” This process goes against to the goal of helping the environment.

“Using ladybugs in this way is actually

sort of violent. We may want to think that releasing ladybugs is the opposite of spraying chemical pesticides, but it’s just a continuation of this very violent, militarized way of controlling nature around us,” said Stack Whitney. “At the end of the day, if what you care about is promoting predation as a form of pest control, lots of ladybugs and other insects will eat the aphids in your garden.”

Stack Whitney further clarified that reducing pesticides isn’t a bad approach but that releasing ladybugs is not a “silver bullet” that will fix regional environmental issues. She also explained that the values placed on various insects—particularly when looking at species that are defined to be native or non-native to an area—have historically been rooted in xenophobia, racism, and misogyny.

“It’s so important to understand how issues of gender and race show up in how we think about the world. When we hold native species to be a stand-in for good or virtuous, it’s a choice that’s based on what we’ve decided is the best,” said Stack Whitney. “Every type of environmental management is a set of choices in which you are preferring one species over another. A classic example of this that I share with my students is to ask, ‘If we truly value all forms of life, who is going to help conserve parasites?’”

Humans have been manipulating and influencing the environment for centuries, but people being mindful of the choices they make when managing their gardens and enjoying the outdoors can make all the difference. Instead of purchasing mail-order insects for pest control, Stack Whitney suggested exploring alternative methods such as cultivating plants and pollinator-friendly flowers to attract them naturally.

“One of the challenges of teaching about the environment is oftentimes, people think that it’s all doom and gloom. But the historical ideas that have shaped the environment, ideas that can sometimes feel really heavy and daunting, were the results of a set of choices. Understanding our past choices means we can make different choices to craft a better future.” o

New Plant Spotlight

Delosperma ‘Ocean Sunset Orange Glow’

‘Ocean Sunset’ has a high flower count per plant, with the largest flowers of any Delosperma, and a great spreading habit. It has outstanding performance in pots, with showy flowers that close at night and open mid-morning. The intense, vivid colors are ideal in rock gardens and borders. It is very drought-tolerant once established.

It prefers sandy, well-drained soils. They don’t like to be waterlogged. Plant in a sunny location. Fertilize monthly.

Delosperma is also known as Ice Plant and this cultivar is hardy to USDA Zones 5a to 9b.

According to Chris Fifo of Darwin Perennials, Delosperma Ocean Sunset™ is the evolution of breeding in Delosperma. “Flowers continue to get bigger! Ocean Sunset nearly doubles the flower size of its predecessor.

“Delosperma are a succulenttype plant intended for full sun. The vibrant colors in this series are incredible and remain eye-catching in high light and temperature. These form a beautiful mat, without being invasive, that can tolerate extremes in the environment, which is so important these days.

“In containers, ‘Ocean Sunset’ fills out quickly and flowers based upon age of the plant and not daylength, allowing much versatility in scheduling for retail. If you grow Delosperma (or if you don’t), these are a musthave!” o

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• The Search for Heritage Seeds

• Penstemon Plant Profile

• Blackberry Sauce

• All About Clematis

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

June–July Garden To-Do List

• Direct-sow annual flower and vegetable seeds.

• Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly or as needed.

• Contact a Certified Arborist to have your trees’ health inspected.

• Check on your container plants daily and keep them well-watered.

• Watch for insect and disease problems throughout your garden.

• Mow in the early evening and cut off no more than one-third of the grass height at one time. Leave clippings on the ground to provide nutrients.

• Add barley straw (in a bale or ball) to your pond to improve water clarity.

• Take cuttings from azaleas and roses to start new plants.

• Harvest herbs to use in salads and summer dishes.

• Try a few new tropical plants on your patio.

• Shape your evergreens and hedges. Prune boxwoods.

• Look for slug trails in the early morning and put out slug bait as needed.

• Tie up climbing roses and other wandering vines.

• Fill in bare spots in the garden with annuals.

• Deadhead spent flowers to encourage reblooming.

• Prune flowering shrubs as their flowers fade—last chance to do so for fallblooming camellias.

• Spray roses with Neem oil every two weeks.

• Start a sunflower patch with help from a few kids.

• Harvest strawberry beds daily.

• Cut a few flowers to enjoy at your workplace.

• Apply grub control—this is the perfect time.

• Change the water in your birdbath daily and throw a Mosquito Dunk (or Mosquito Bits) into any standing water.

• Put in supports for tomatoes and tall-blooming plants such as Dahlias.

• Order spring-flowering bulbs to arrive for planting this fall.

• Take photos and update your garden journal.

• Inspect your garden hose for leaks and tighten all connections.

• Weed.

• Sow beets, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash for fall harvesting.

• Sharpen your lawnmower blade.

• Avoid using pesticides or any chemicals near your water garden.

• Make hummingbird food by boiling 2 cups of sugar in 4 cups of water.

• Turn your compost pile.

• Clean up fallen fruit and berries.

• Cover berry bushes and fruit trees with bird netting.

• Dig up garlic when the tops turn brown. Place in a well-ventilated room or a dry, shady spot to cure for three weeks, then store.

• Fertilize your azaleas and rhododendrons, and monitor them closely for any lacebug damage.

• Sow heat-tolerant greens like Swiss Chard and mustard greens in part-shade.

• As the heat and humidity move in, take it easy by working in the morning or early evening to avoid intense sun. Leave the big projects for this fall. For now, concentrate on maintaining the beds you’ve already established and nurturing your new plantings. o

Photo courtesy of Darwin Perennials.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• June 19–25

Pollinator Week

Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. See more at https://pollinator.org.

• Wednesday, June 27, 6:30–8pm

Virtual Documentary Screening:

Freedom Freedom Growers

Join the Visionary Organizing Lab to celebrate the premiere of their first short documentary. Feedom Freedom Growers tells the story of how Myrtle Thompson-Curtis and Wayne Curtis grew a garden on Detroit’s East Side and gave birth to a transformative community from which a new food system is emerging. Join them after the film for a discussion and Q&A with Myrtle Thompson-Curtis, Monique Renee, and Ebony Williams of Feedom Freedom Growers, moderated by Visionary Organizing Lab. Free. Register at www.eventbrite.com/ e/visionary-organizing-lab-presentsfeedom-freedom-growers-adocumentary-tickets-636673887737.

• Thursday, June 22, 3:00pm

USDA People’s Garden Webinar: Pollinator Month

Experts from the USDA and beyond will share planting tips and resources that benefit community gardens, along with on-the-ground stories of gardens making a difference by growing fresh, nutritious food for their communities. Register at www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/webinars.

• Friday, June 23, 6:30–8:30pm

Foodie Fridays: Cultivating Traditions Montgomery Parks Community Garden Program hosts Foodie Fridays, a monthly speaker series from June through October. The series features farmers, educators, community organizers, food lovers, and changemakers. Presentations highlight why food matters and the many ways the food system affects residents of Montgomery County. The first event will be at the Josiah Henson

Museum Visitor Center, with a panel of three growers discussing how and why history, ancestral and traditional knowledge, and culturally important foods influence their farming practices. The panelists are Tanya Doka-Spandhla (Passion to Seed Gardening), Tony Cohen (Button Farm), and Nia Nyamweya (Beauty Blooms Farm). Tickets are $10. See https://montgomeryparks. org/events/foodie-fridays-cultivatingtraditions/.

• Saturday, June 24, 1–4pm

Under the Arbor—Tussie Mussies: A Bouquet with a Message

The Philadelphia Unit will demonstrate the making of tussie mussies and the meanings and symbolisms of the herbs in them. Attendees will take home a tussie mussie. No registration—just drop by. Held at the National Herb Garden in the U.S National Arboretum, Washington, DC. Details at the USNA Herb Society of America, www.herbsociety. org/news-events/hsa-event-calendar.

• Tuesday, June 27, 9am–12pm Community Tree Care: Anacostia Skate Park Pavilion

Join Casey Trees teams and Friends of Anacostia Park for a fun day of service at the Skate Park Pavilion. They will be mulching newly planted trees (planted by their volunteers last year) around the park. Other organizations will conduct various clean-up and service activities around the area. Weeding, mulching, and watering these vulnerable trees will give them a leg up in becoming an important part of the area’s growing tree canopy. Register in advance at https://caseytrees.org/events/list/.

• Tuesday, June 27, 7:00pm

Ecological Gardening with Climate Change Resilience

This presentation by Bethany Bradley explores how planting natives can help to reduce invasions and build ecological resilience to climate change. Bradley is a professor of viogeography and invasion ecology in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA. Her research has a strong focus on terrestrial plant invasions, with a goal of

understanding how invasive plant distributions, abundance, and impact vary spatially. Free Zoom meeting hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. Register: http://www.mdflora.org/event5304003.

• June 28–July 26

Introduction to Fern ID

This course covers the identification, evolutionary history, and ecology of ferns and lycophytes. Lectures by instructor Kit Sheffield focus on understanding the life and reproductive methods of these ancient plants, local fern families and their characteristics, and their uses by humans and animals. Field trips will focus on identification of ferns using a variety of resources. Class night and time: Wednesdays, 6–8pm for lectures online via Zoom. Field trip dates: Saturday, July 8 (9am–12pm), National Arboretum, DC; Saturday, July 22 (8:30–11:30am), Riverbend Park, VA. Fee: Members $260, nonmembers $310. Registration closes June 25, https://natureforward.org/program/ nhfs/.

• Thursday, June 29, 6–8pm

June Flower Potluck

Bring flowers (foraged or store-bought, a mix or all the same) plus a vessel for them. Flower Potluck includes a brief skill share on flower arranging. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Held at the Doubles DC Patio, 118 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Reserve a spot and make a donation to Black trans mutual aid at the door via Venmo. See https://www. eventbrite.com/e/june-flower-potlucktickets-655098716897?aff=erelexpmlt.

• Wednesday, July 5, 7:00pm

Garden Safely

Gardening can bring aches and pains— but it doesn’t have to. Learn proper movement, stretches, and exercises to keep a gardening body happy and functional. Held at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Free, no registration required. Sponsored by Friends of Urban Agriculture and Master Gardeners. Details at https://arlingtonurbanag.org/gardentalks-2023/.

• Saturday, July 8, 9:30–11:30am Art in the Garden

At this colored pencil sketching workshop in the garden, participants will explore summer flora, incorporating brilliant hues using hatching, crosshatching, and subtraction techniques. Afterward, impress friends with unique creations. All materials will be provided. Held at Tudor Place, Georgetown, Washington, DC. Fee: Members: $45.00; Nonmembers: $55.00. Register at https://tudorplace.org/event/art-in-thegarden/.

•Saturday, July 8, 1:30–3:30pm

Creating Living Wall Art (On-Site Workshop)

Join Young Choe, Kusamono artist, as she shares beautiful living wall art. Learn how to make your own in a 5" by 6" frame that you can take home and grow. Choe will highlight tips and techniques for creating, designing, and caring for your living wall art. Enjoy your mounted livingscape, created from provided materials, on your wall or standing on your favorite table. Held at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Fee: $45 for USBG Friends; $60 nonmembers. Register at https://www.usbg.gov/.

• Thursday, July 27 (full day), and Friday, July 28 (half day)

Regional Garden-based Learning Summit

City Blossoms is partnering with the U.S. Botanic Garden, OSSE, and several other organizations in the mid-Atlantic to plan the Regional Garden-based Learning Summit, a free summit in Washington, DC (in-person only). Due to limited capacity, potential attendees must apply to be considered. See more details at https://cityblossoms.org/ summit.

• 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.

Looking Ahead

• 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, 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.

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

By Kathy Jentz

“Inspire. Connect. Grow.”

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

Year of the Celosia

By Kathy Jentz

Celosia (Celosia argentea) is an annual flowering plant in the Amaranth family that is also known as Woolflower or Feather Cockscomb. Depending on the variety, the flowers can be bright yellow, orange, deep red, purple, or pink. They have a long season of bloom, from June until heavy frost.

They originate in East Africa and are hardy to USDA Zones 10 and 11, so in most areas, they are started by direct-sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings after the threat of frost is gone in spring. Celosia will selfsow and return year after year in the same spot, if you let them.

There are three major forms of Celosia blooms. The spicata are very narrow and candle-like, the plumosa are flame-like, and the cristata are broader and can form into interesting shapes like coral or fans.

Celosia make sturdy and long-lasting cut flowers and can be dried easily—although they lose their bright coloring and fade after time.

The foliage of Celosia can be bright green or dark red. The leaves are edible and should be gathered when young and tender (before the flowers emerge). They are traditionally boiled or steamed as a side dish that tastes similar to spinach.

Celosia grows best in full sun and well-draining soils. They can be grown in containers or in beds. They may require staking if they grow too tall or top-heavy. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener

Spring Seedling Giveaway & Vendor Fair

By Taylor Edwards

The Prince George’s Soil Conservation District and MD-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission hosted their second annual Spring Seedling Giveaway & Vendor Fair on June 3 at Darnell’s Chance House Museum in Upper Marlboro, MD, where free seedlings were provided and vendors sold seeds, books, teas, and more.

The seedlings, provided by the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance and grown by the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, included ‘Black Cherry’ tomatoes, autumn bell peppers, and sweet basil.

Ciara O’Brien, one of the attendees, came to the event because she loves to grow foods sustainably.

“I’m a gardener. I live in PG County and I love coming out to events in my own community,” said O’Brien.

Kathy Anderson and Karen Bowlding, twin sisters and authors, presented books that they’ve written both separately and together. Two of their collaborative works were on display: Fern and Ginger Dandelions and Watermelons and Fern Foraging in the Forest. They grew up foraging and were inspired by their great-grandmother.

The workshops were presented by some vendors. The first was called “Conversation with Black Farmers”

with Kimani Anku, accompanied by Darrelynne Strother. Together, they talked about their plant processes and gave tips about plants such as tomatoes, beekeeping, and developing Strother’s farm.

Toward the end of the workshop, Anku talked about his upcoming summer camp, “Melanated Earthling Explorers,” in August. He said the purpose of the camp is to get Black and brown kids back into nature through the connection with their ancestral roots. Some of the activities include beekeeping, hydroponic gardening, and creating a soundtrack.

“Some kids will be on one side of the farm and do a call and response … and then they’ll also work with those producers to create a soundtrack with all the videos that they learn from all week,” Anku said.

Linda Jones of Elements of Nature presented an “Herbal Tea Workshop,” which featured different herbs and how to take care of them. She explained winter sowing as putting seeds in milk jugs and setting them out in the cold to grow. Throughout the presentation, she passed around anise hyssop and hibiscus for the audience to smell. 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 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 Clematis, Heritage Seeds, and Native Plant Sourcing.

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

Pole Beans

By Barbara Melera

Beans, corn, and squash are the quintessential American crops—the trinity of vegetables—the Three Sisters. Of these three sisters, perhaps beans are now the most pervasive worldwide crop, originally exported from the New World to Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. There are many types of beans: bush, pole, runner, half-runner, wax, shell, cowpeas, etc., but in today’s America, the most relevant type of bean might be the pole bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

For more than a century now, pole beans have been scorned by commercial and home gardeners because they need to climb something. This makes them difficult to harvest commercially and time-consuming to grow for a home gardener.

However, for the space allotted, pole beans produce two to three times as much crop as bush beans. Unlike bush beans, which have a limited production season, pole beans will continue to be productive until the plants are killed by frost if the beans are continuously harvested. Pole beans allowed to climb a simple bamboo structure are also visually a much more dramatic and, might I say, pleasing architectural element in the garden than bush beans could ever hope to be.

Pole beans are part of a large family of beans that are known as common beans, garden beans, French beans, and snap beans. The term “snap” refers to how the beans are used. They are harvested young, eaten fresh (or steamed), and snap when bent in the middle as they break. The wild form of

pole beans grows by lateral runners, but the cultivated pole beans grow in a roughly pyramidal form with branches and leaves at the base thinning to a single or double branch at the top of the vine. This pyramidal form makes pole beans ideal for climbing up cornstalks and trellises.

Pole Bean Picks

The ‘Kentucky Wonder’ Pole Beans are the most popular varieties available today. There are three varieties: ‘Kentucky Wonder White’, ‘Kentucky Wonder Brown’, and ‘Kentucky Wonder Wax’ (the only pole wax bean variety still in commercial production.)

The Kentucky Wonders were first introduced to the American public in the 1850s. In those days, they were often called ‘Old Homestead’ beans. Their rich, meaty flavor and resistance to bean rust made them instantly popular.

Bean rust is a fungus that develops when wet, cool weather conditions persist. The fungus attacks all aboveground parts of the plant and causes the plant to lose its leaves and flowers. It is most harmful when it occurs during flowering and pod formation, because it can adversely affect yield. If it occurs late in a season, the plant will lose its leaves, but yield will not be affected.

Kentucky Wonders produce slightly flattened, oval, 7–10 inch pods. They are among the earliest producers, taking from 58–72 days to mature.

These great old beans have stood the test of time and maintain their popularity even today because of their rich

flavor and vigor under many kinds of environmental conditions.

The ‘Purple Podded’ Pole, also known as ‘Purple Peacock’, is a European heirloom found by Henry Field in an old garden in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. Field was a nurseryman who established his company in 1907. His company slogan was “Seeds that Yield are Sold by Field.” He traveled throughout the U.S. identifying and collecting seed varieties.

Purple Podded plants climb to 6 feet and produce long (7+ inches) purple pods, which blanch to green when cooked. They take 65 days to mature. The plants are excellent producers under a variety of conditions.

The heirloom ‘Rattlesnake’ (pictured above) was first introduced commercially in 1931, but had been grown by individual families for many decades prior to its commercial introduction. This bean is also known as ‘Preacher Bean’.

The vines of ‘Rattlesnake’ Pole Bean routinely grow to 10 feet and are prolific producers until the first frosts. The pods are green with burgundy streaks and are very ornamental on the vine. When cooked, the burgundy disappears and the pods turn a uniform green. The beans have a rich, hearty flavor. The plants are very vigorous and unusually drought-tolerant. They take 80 days to mature. Beautiful to look at, fun to grow, and delicious to eat what more could you want?

Lima beans, also known as butter

beans, come in large-seeded and smallseeded varieties. They are a very old bean known to have been in coastal Peru since 6,000 BC. The small-seeded varieties are thought to have originated in Mexico. The large-seeded varieties came from South America.

The term “lima” actually refers to Lima, Peru, where it is rumored that an American Navy Admiral was introduced to the beans. He is said to have brought the beans back to New England, where they did not produce well. Somehow, the beans found their way into the MidAtlantic, where they did much better in the warmer climate.

Lima beans require a long growing season and will not tolerate frost. They do best when germinated in warm 75+ degree soil. In soil below 70 degrees, they may not germinate at all or they may germinate and then quickly rot. The biggest mistake that people make when trying to grow lima beans is planting them too early. Limas must have warm soil. In Zones 5 to 7, you should not plant limas before June 1.

Lima beans come in a range of colors, from black to purple to red to white. Bush varieties were first developed in the late 1800s and grow on compact 12–18 inch plants. Pole varieties are the original species and grow on 10–12-foot vines.

The ‘King of the Garden’ lima is one of the best pole limas ever developed. It was introduced in 1883. It usually will mature in 85–95 days. ‘King of the Garden’ produces four to six creamy white seeds per pod. The beans have excellent flavor and the plants will produce over a long period.

Pole vs. Bush Beans

The bean question that we hear the most is, “Should I plant a pole or a bush bean?” For backyard gardeners, patio gardeners, urban gardeners, or any space-challenged gardeners, the answer is easy: Plant pole beans. There are two great reasons for choosing pole beans over bush beans. First, for the square footage allowed, pole beans will always produce more. Second, pole beans will always have a longer production season than bush beans. Bush beans, because they are a dwarf form, have shortened production seasons.

Pole beans are the original snap beans. Bush beans are varieties that were spontaneous mutations of pole beans that were then cultivated for their size.

Pole beans are easily grown on bamboo stake teepees and can be easily grown in containers as well. Six pole bean plants can be grown in an 18inch-diameter pot, supported by a bamboo teepee. This is not only easy, but also very attractive.

‘Blue Lake Stringless’ Pole was introduced in 1961. It is a heavy producer of round, 6-inch-long, very sweet, tender pods. They take 60 days to mature. It is good for fresh eating, canning, or freezing and is an ideal container plant.

Pole Beans in Containers

With the exception of fava beans, which should be planted as soon as the soil can be worked, all beans require warm soil to germinate. Soil temperature should be near 70 degrees. Beans do best when coated with legume inoculant powder, which is a bacterial compound that encourages nitrogen fixation on the roots of the bean plant. Bush varieties should be planted 1 inch deep and 4–6 inches apart in rows spaced 2–3 feet apart. To produce a longer harvesting season, plant the rows in succession every two weeks for 6–8 weeks. Bush varieties can also be

planted in containers, four plants to an 18-inch barrel.

Pole varieties are best planted in hills, with six to eight seeds in each hill, at the base of four 12-foot poles. All four poles should be 12–15 inches apart and tied at the top to form a teepee.

Pole varieties do very well in containers. Plant six seeds near the edge of an 18-inch round container. After planting, insert three 6–10 foot poles in the container and tie the poles at the top to form a teepee. Guide the plants as they emerge from the soil up the poles. You will not have to tie them to the pole.

Both bush and pole varieties have to be fed throughout the growing season. An organic fertilizer like Espoma PlanTone is recommended. For container plants, fertilize every two weeks. For plants grown in the garden, fertilizing every three weeks is recommended.

Magic Beans

Beans should be considered a superfood. One cup of an average bean has 15 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 15 grams of fiber. They also contain zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and vitamins B1, B6, E, and K. 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.

Ask the Expert

By Miri Talabac

posting method to ensure pathogen spores are killed. The Pachysandra should regrow well if its root system is otherwise in good shape. Given how dry most of the area has been so far, monitoring for irrigation needs is important.

Pachysandra Problems

Q: My long-established Pachysandra bed is dying in patches, and some of the stems and leaves have brown blotches. Is this blight, and what can I do?

A: “Blight” is a catch-all term used for a variety of quick-killing infections. In this case, Volutella Blight is the culprit affecting Pachysandra. (The same genus of fungus can also infect boxwoods.) Conditions of dense growth and accumulated fallen leaves underneath the Pachysandra “canopy” contribute to poor air circulation that promotes or worsens infections.

Fungicide is not recommended for a variety of reasons. First, it’s not very effective in this situation, and getting the good coverage necessary for adequate control with a dense planting like that is not easy. Second, treatments cannot cure existing infection, only prevent new infections on stillhealthy growth, if they work well at all. (Some growth might look clean only to be harboring an infection that hasn’t manifested symptoms yet, so a treatment would fail to protect it.) Third, even though these pesticides target pathogens, they can still have negative impacts on other organisms and could risk pollinator health if exposed.

Instead, sanitation is the best method of getting a handle on a rampant infection. Cut down the symptomatic areas (and slightly beyond them, to make sure you excise it all), or even the entire planting, with a weed-whacker. (Mowing might suffice, but could prove too difficult, especially if your mower blades are not sharp.) Then, rake or blow out the debris and trash it; don’t compost unless you use a hot-com-

Having said all that, Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis), the type most gardeners will be growing, is non-native and can be invasive in the Mid-Atlantic. It’s been documented in natural areas in at least 10 Maryland counties. As such, we discourage its use overall, so if you’re open to it, just remove the entire planting instead of dealing with the Volutella and install a mix of different species in its place, ideally native. Using a variety of species instead of a monoculture will add resilience to the planting as a whole, and may improve its wildlife value and seasonal aesthetic interest as well.

Flocked Cherry Trees

Q: Parts of my cherry laurel and cherry tree bark look like they’ve been flocked like a Christmas tree…white and slightly fluffy. What kind of fungus might this be? There’s been a bit of dieback but given how infected it looks, I’m surprised it’s not worse.

A: The culprit here is actually not a disease but an insect—White Prunicola Scale. The males of this species tend to congregate into these snowy masses, although all scale feed on plant juices and when numerous, can cause a loss of plant vigor and branch dieback. This particular scale has three generations per year, with the approximate crawler (hatchling) emergence times being late May, late July, and September. Nuances in temperature differences around the region and from year to year, or even from one location in a yard to another (say, a hedge out in the open versus one up against a hot wall), will shift these dates a bit. See our White Prunicola Scale web page at https:// extension.umd.edu/resource/whiteprunicola-scale for more details.

Scale management is challenging and can take over a year to be successful in reducing their numbers. While several beneficial insects consume scale, they can be hard to detect and they won’t eradicate an extensive infestation. You can try physical removal

(trimming out localized scale colonies or gently scrubbing them off bark) or chemical. Or just avoid dealing with them entirely by removing a heavily infested plant, especially if it’s already died back some, and start fresh with a different species. Scale tend to have wide host ranges, but this species is seen most commonly and abundantly on cherry laurel and their flowering and fruiting cherry tree cousins, plus lilacs.

If resorting to pesticides, always keep flowering in mind so plants are not treated while being visited by pollinators. Low-toxicity contact insecticides like horticultural oil can kill scale crawlers (before they’re shielded by a waxy “shell” as they mature), but repeat applications are needed for each generation and thorough contact with all infested bark is necessary, which can be hard to achieve in dense shrubs or mature trees. Systemic (plantabsorbed) products can be very effective. Since these ingredients persist in plant tissues for weeks or months, though, select a short-residual product and avoid treatment during flowering. Some ingredients in this category are illegal for the general public to apply in Maryland, so hire a certified pesticide applicator in that case. Insect growth regulators (IGRs) can be a good middle-ground choice for lowering risk but should also be applied by a professional so they are appropriately chosen and timed to the right life stage of the scale. Finding active crawlers, the most vulnerable life stage for treatments, is key and often requires magnification to confirm their presence, which is why experienced hired help is valuable.

Miri Talabac is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who has worked as a horticulture consultant for the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center since 2019. To ask a gardening or pest question, go to http:// extension.umd.edu/hgic and scroll to “connect with us.” Digital photos can be attached.

Photo by Dave Clem ent, UME

Volutella lesions on Pachysandra foliage. Photo courtesy of HGIC.

The Creative Vegetable Gardener: 60 Ways to Cultivate Joy, Playfulness, and Beauty along with a Bounty of Food

Author: Kelly S. Trimble

Publisher: Storey Publishing

List Price: $19.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3qTGyLm and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781635865035

Reviewer: Marissa Yelenik

While many people are interested in gardening and creating their own organic foods, the task can be daunting to a population so far removed from their farming roots. Kelly Trimble attempts to bridge this gap between the known and unknown for all interested in starting a new garden, or just revamping the style and meaning behind their current garden. From wellness to simple botany, from art to the different types of insects your garden may be dealing with, this book has it all.

Trimble is based in Tennessee, zone 7a, which shares a zone with much of the DMV area. However, a lot of the information and advice can be applied almost anywhere.

The book is made up of four different sections that advise readers about how to create their own creative gardening space to enrich their lives while explaining how it will help them in the long term. The book contains beautiful full-page photos, caretaking instructions for different types of edible plants, methods for planting, designing and harvesting, and so much more.

The first section of the book, “AMEND: Rethink the Rules of Vegetable Gardening,” challenges the standards for vegetable gardening.

Trimble encourages gardeners to keep their mindset open to new ideas and broaden their creative horizons. Some of her considerations include deciding whether rectangular raised beds are better for you, if gardeners really need to keep traditional ledgers of their planting, and harvests, how to think of bugs, and more. It includes additional information about how much shade or sun and water different edible plants may need.

The second section, “DIG DEEPER: Grow for More Abundance and Joy,” explores the gardener’s relationship with their garden, rather than just the outcome. It encourages gardeners to “connect on a spiritual level with the garden and the act of growing and caring for plants” to benefit both themselves and the earth around them. The chapter explains the positive reactions that can occur between gardeners and the earth, tapping into mindfulness while working on your garden, how community growth can happen as a result of gardening, and recognizing and honoring the gardeners who came before us. The chapter helps readers stay in tune with the earth and history of their area. The chapter also includes additional instruction-based information, including medicinal benefits of herbs.

The third section, “CULTIVATE: Make a Personal Garden Space,” promotes readers to find their own styles rather than simply following the ones set out for them, while explaining why some rules exist and what should be considered before breaking them. It examines different shapes in gardening and both practical and abstract aspects of each of them, with pictures supplementing the different possibilities.

The fourth section, “BRANCH OUT: Evolve Your Gardening Practice,” takes a more technical approach to gardening. It considers the different types of insects that may live in the garden, both the good and the bad, and ways that the bad can be dealt with without damaging the surrounding plants. It also describes how pollinators can be drawn in and assisted in their job, how to choose different plants to harvest year round, which cut flowers may be ideal to pair with your garden, and

“embracing organized chaos” by trying tons of diverse options in different ways.

This book is a great choice for any gardeners (or aspiring gardeners) who are interested in expanding their gardens beyond the traditional simple separated boxes, or wish to get more out of the experience than just the harvest. With both abstract and more instructional advice, it can appeal to many different groups of people. It can help you get more in touch with the land around you and inspired to learn more about the history of what surrounds you every day. 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, Maryland, native and amateur gardener

Tiny + Wild. Build a Small-Scale Meadow Anywhere

Author: Graham Laird Gardner

Publisher: Cool Springs Press/Quarto Order Link: https://amzn.to/3qTv62i and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760376232

Cost: $24.99

Reviewer: Marsha Douma

Tiny + Wild, subtitled Build a SmallScale Meadow Anywhere, is a worthwhile entry in the collection of books nudging gardeners toward using more native plants in their landscapes to create ecologically friendly habitats that are compatible with and beneficial to their particular environments. The author clearly personally connects with wild spaces and expansive vistas. The goal of the book is to share with and explain to readers how they too can design beautiful gardens of all shapes and sizes using native plants, to bring some “wilderness” home, and in that process be part of the effort to introduce more biodiversity into our gardens, and the world in general.

For sure, the author doesn’t expect readers to equate the unique pleasure of vast vistas of nature with what can be accomplished when some portion of the turfgrass of a standard urban or suburban lawn is replaced with native plants. Rather, he encourages us to use our imaginations and distill the

essential information relevant for our location and the size of the plantable space we want to naturalize, to bring a piece of the “wild,” however small, into our home landscapes.

In the beginning of the book, the author gives the environmental rationale for making the switch to native plants. This information is provided as a summary. For those readers who are interested, the author suggests excellent reference books provide a more complete explanation of the perilous situation insects, birds, and other small mammals are currently finding themselves in due to increasingly rapid loss of their habitat, which is only exacerbated by climate change. The author also mentions the surprisingly high levels of noise and air pollution created by lawn mowers, and the general limitations of the turfgrass lawn. To give readers yet another reason to use natives and “wild” our gardens, he notes the benefit that after the plants are established, a garden of natives requires lower maintenance compared to plants that did not evolve to survive and thrive in our soil with our weather.

The author has been a landscape designer for 25 years. Within that time, there has been a sea change in many parts of the professional horticultural and landscape design communities, away from primarily using traditional garden design principles that emphasize turfgrass lawns and the arrangements of plants selected for their individuality compared to a more natural design that mimics the seem-

ingly random placement of plants in a meadow or elsewhere in nature. The plants in the latter function more as a unit performing various purposes in the biodiverse ecosystem they evolved in. Native plants are chosen with varying blooming times, as are most plants in a traditional garden, not only to make the garden beautiful, but to simultaneously provide pollen and nectar for as long as the growing season permits.The individual plants are not the stars; the collection of plants are, because collectively they provide habitat, food, and protection for the living creatures they share space with.

Providing these safe havens is becoming increasingly necessary as the dual threats posed by climate change and the loss of habitat accelerate.

There are many challenges to convincing the average homeowner and our governmental municipalities to replace some of our lawns with gardens filled with beautiful natives, particularly the keystone plants. Most of our gardens are a collection of plants from around the world. The more mature the garden, the more the plants will reflect the evolving popularity of different kinds of plants and garden designs. The switch to prioritizing planting natives is accepting the imperative to do so. I think the other and very real hurdle is changing people’s sense of what gardens can and should look like. “Design by nature” is a movement to have our gardens mimic how plants naturally arrange themselves in woodlands, meadows, stream beds, etc., in the eco-regions where we live. To help the reader appreciate how beautiful these kind of a gardens can be, the book is filled with photographs of such places. If we have come to view a vast expanse of turf grass as beautiful, certainly we can come to appreciate the beauty of natives as well.

The bulk of the book explains in clear detail all the considerations a landscape designer contemplates before planting a new garden—be it a meadow of natives or any other selection of plants. The book is a mini course in landscape design. In that regard, an initial read from front to back might feel overwhelming for a beginner, but

there is a wealth of useful information in this book that can benefit any level of gardener. o

Marsha Douma is a retired dentist and lifelong gardener who also enjoys swimming, tennis, and playing the piano. She lives in Rockville, MD.

The Garden Apothecary: Transform Flowers, Weeds and Plants Into Healing Remedies

Author: Becky Cole

Publisher: Hardie Grant Books

List Price: $24.99

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3CyKu6P and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781784884376

Reviewer: Taylor Edwards

When you think of weeds, you usually think of pests in your garden that should be removed right away. Becky Cole transforms that perspective into healing remedies that you can make from the ingredients in your backyard. The book encourages readers to reconsider how plants are connected to wellness. Cole says that working in a garden helps you connect with the soil, wildlife, and the seasons. By doing this, you can turn your garden into your “very own wild apothecary” by growing herbs.

The book is split into four chapters that teach the basics of foraging, starting a home apothecary, and plant profiles, with recipes sprinkled throughout.

The first chapter, “Herbs & Herbalism,” explains how growing medicinal plants can help save money and support our immune systems naturally. It describes how you only need a small outdoor space to start. Although the book is based on herbs, the author mentions how edible flowers have multiple purposes for remedies.

In the second chapter, “The Home Apothecary,” Cole says you don’t need a lot of equipment to start an apothecary because most of it resides in your kitchen already. She also describes the step-by-step process of harvesting and drying herbs.

“Apothecary Techniques,” the third chapter, covers how to create teas, honeys, syrups, balms, and more using techniques curated for different herbs. It was fascinating to learn how many diverse ways herbs can be used. On

some pages, there are references to recipes that the book covers later on.

The fourth chapter, “Plant Profiles,” takes a deep dive into recipes that accompany different plants. This bulk of the book explains each plant’s various purposes, how to harvest them, and two unique recipes that each could be used for. I was surprised at how versatile plants are and how you can heal your body naturally through these recipes.

This comprehensive book is perfect for people who want to start their own miniature pharmacy in their backyard and get more use out of herbs. It’s easy to follow along and learn more about both medical terms and harvesting. The book has various recipes that can replace your everyday items, such as lavender lotion, lemon lip balm, teas, and ointments. After reading this, you’ll have a new appreciation for all sorts of plants and recipes that are accessible right out of your garden. 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 Seasonal Gardener: Creative Planting Combinations

Author: Anna Pavord

Publisher: Phaidon Press

List Price: $49.95

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3CAbd2Z and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781838663988

Reviewer: James Dronenburg

I am not a fan of this book. First, because it is a book of “combinations”—60 highlighted plants, each with two highlighted companion plants, sometimes blooming with the featured plant and sometimes blooming at other times, to give multiple use to the space taken by the featured plant. In the back, there is an alphabetical listing of each featured plant, with a lot more suggested companions. If the book had taken all of these into in-depth consideration as well as the two highlights, it would have been much better.

Secondly, this is a rework of a book the author wrote some 20 years back (she says this in the preface).

Thirdly, I’m sorry, but this is a British book. Perhaps things like Italian arums and ostrich ferns aren’t thugs there, but they certainly are here.

The book is arranged by the bloom time of the featured plants. This is, of course, fairly “off” from the Washington, DC-area calendar, and the book incidentally does not include much of what one has to do to make the plants happy in the UK, much less here. It also has such items as “astilbe” without mentioning cultivar, which of course means different heights, foliage color, bloom time…You get the idea. And this extends to the companion plants. And speaking of color, the light is supposedly different there. A combination that works in that light may—or may not—work here. If you can get everything to grow. There are, for example, several lovely shots of masses of Cyclamen coum. This does not spread, except from seed, and plants are, at the cheapest place I know, $10 a pop. If C. coum is happy, it will seed. Expect a wonderful patch in 10 to 15 years. If the Italian arums and ostrich ferns haven’t eaten them.

My favorite item-to-diss is the featured “Quail” narcissus. Companions? Euphorbia amygdoloides v. robbiae, and feverfew. Pavord does at least mention that you have to keep after those two each year, mentioning that each is an “enthusiastic self seeder.” She does not mention the contact allergy that many people have to euphorbia sap. Incidentally, between featured and companion plants pictured, eight out of

the 60 item pages have euphorbias of one sort or another.

There is no such thing, of course, as a totally bad idea, and I have some of the combinations listed myself. But it is not reason enough to buy this book new. Instead, go to your local library or used bookstore, and buy the original Plant Partners (I have that myself). o

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

Jim Dronenburg is a retired accountant and now gardens full-time in Knoxville, MD

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Traces of Spring Ephemerals in the Summer Garden

easily. They sometimes take two years to germinate and five years to mature into an edible delight.

By Barry Glick

“Here’s the rub,” as our dear old friend Billy (Shakespeare that is) would say. This is a monthly publication and I’m a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute kind of guy. I spend most of my time in the woods and things change quickly, sometimes even spontaneously. This makes it difficult for me to apprise you of what you may be missing at any given moment in time—some of the most precious of our native wildflowers, the spring ephemerals, that are fleeting in nature, gone in a heartbeat.

Unless we kept in touch daily, I’d be missing opportunities to share new discoveries and old friends with you. Through the miracle of modern photography and print publication though, I’ll share a “roadmap” of some interesting plants that you can discover on your own. Even though they may seem to have vanished from the face of the Earth this late in the season, many have left a remembrance—a clue, if you will—for you to find them next spring: a dried-up leaf, a flower stalk, a seed pod that lasts into fall; et cetera, et cetera.

Some even leave us in the spring, only to return for a mid-summer engagement. One treasure that fits that description is Allium tricoccum, the plant that made my home state of West Virginia famous. You may be acquainted with this plant under its “common” local name, “Ramps.” Yes, Ramps as we know them are among our earliest friends—one that we look forward to all winter. When they emerge with their two very sexy, lily-like

leaves, we know that the show has started. However, It’s not long before those two sexy, dark-green, supple leaves turn yellow and disappear. What’s not visible to the naked eye are the bio-chemical machinations occurring in that little underground chemical factory—the bulb.

One of my very, very favorites and the original inspiration for this article is our native Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne). Almost everyone is familiar with the large, long-stemmed Delphiniums that are used by commercial florists. These Delphs are from a biennial species in the genus Delphinium. Our native resident (Delphinium tricorne, pictured at left), on the other hand, is a perennial plant that not only returns every spring from the tuberous rhizome that it grows from, but also seeds itself around to form a delightful colony. If you should miss the bloom, you can try to look for the unique three-pointed seed pod that gave this plant its scientific name.

Before we know it, right smack-dab in the middle of where once two leaves resided after about a month-long wait, there appears a 12–18" stalk with a single globular white flower that lasts longer than the leaves did. That flower provides nectar and pollen to the many tiny little creatures that fly and crawl around in the woods. Eventually, there is sex as we know it and the minute pollen grains find their way down the pollen tubes, meet the ovaries, and create seeds. It takes the rest of the summer and most of autumn for these very visible seeds to ripen, offering us yet another clue to where to find a plant in the spring. The seeds (pictured above) in themselves are very attractive: the blackest-black and so shiny that we can almost use them as a mirror.

You can grow Ramps from seed very

Another somewhat ephemeral spring wildflower is Jeffersonia diphylla. Its common name is Twinleaf and it’s in the same family as May Apple (Podophyllum peltatum) and Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides). More about those guys at a later date. Jeffersonia, named for Thomas Jefferson is only half ephemeral: The lovely, pure-white, silver dollar-sized flower shatters when hit by a raindrop or a stiff breeze. This plant, however, is very robust, will last all the growing season long, and even looks like a small shrub when it matures. It has very unusual seed pods that are tubular, with a little lid on the top that opens when the seeds are ripe. The pod is full of medium-sized, shiny-brown seeds. This is an easy plant to grow from seed. The plant itself is very reliably perennial.

There you have it for now. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the astounding array of perennial wildflower plants native to the Mid-Atlantic region. Shut off your television and get out to start discovering the wonders of nature and appreciate the amazing area that we are fortunate enough to live in. o

Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtually every country in the world. He writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at barry@sunfarm.com, www. sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208.

BACK ISSUE SALE!

WASHINGTON GARDENER, 826 PHILADELPHIA AVE., SILVER SPRING, MD 20910

MARCH/APRIL 2005

• Landscape DIY vs. Pro

• Prevent Gardener’s Back

• Ladew Topiary Gardens

• Cherry Trees

MAY/JUNE 2005

• Stunning Plant Combinations

• Turning Clay into Rich Soil

• Wild Garlic

• Strawberries

JULY/AUGUST 2005

• Water Gardens

• Poison Ivy

• Disguising a Sloping Yard

• Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005

• Container Gardens

• Clematis Vines

• Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens

• 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

• Backyard Bird Habitats

• Hellebores

• Building a Coldframe

• Bulb Planting Basics

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006

• Garden Decor Principles

• Primroses

• Tasty Heirloom Veggies

• U.S. Botanic Garden

MARCH/APRIL 2006

• Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs

• Azaleas

• Figs, Berries, & Persimmons

• Basic Pruning Principles

MAY/JUNE 2006

• Using Native Plants in Your Landscape

• Crabgrass

• Peppers

• Secret Sources for Free Plants

JULY/AUGUST 2006

• Hydrangeas

• Theme Gardens

• Agave

• Find Garden Space by Growing Up

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

• Shade Gardening

• Hosta Care Guide

• Fig-growing Tips and Recipes

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006

• Horticultural Careers

• Juniper Care Guide

• Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes

• Layer/Lasagna Gardening

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

• Indoor Gardening

• Daphne Care Guide

• Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes

• Houseplant Propagation

MARCH/APRIL 2007

• Stormwater Management

• Dogwood Selection & Care Guide

• Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips

• Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens

MAY/JUNE 2007

• Roses: Easy Care Tips

• Native Roses & Heirloom Roses

• Edible Flowers

• How to Plant a Bare-root Rose

JULY/AUGUST 2007

• Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass

• How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head

• William Paca House & Gardens

• Hardy Geraniums

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

• Succulents: Hardy to our Region

• Drought-Tolerant Natives

• Southern Vegetables

• Seed Saving Savvy Tips

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007

• Gardening with Children

• Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics

• National Museum of the American Indian

• Versatile Viburnums

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

• Dealing with Deer

• Our Favorite Garden Tools

• Delightful Daffodils

MARCH/APRIL 2008

• Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens

• Our Favorite Garden Tools

• Coral Bells (Heuchera)

MAY/JUNE 2008

• Growing Great Tomatoes

• Glamorous Gladiolus

• Seed-Starting Basics

• Flavorful Fruiting Natives

JULY/AUGUST 2008

• Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses

• Edible Grasses to Graze On

• Slug and Snail Control

• Sage Advice: Sun-Loving Salvias

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

• Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now

• Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums)

• Best Time to Plant Spring-blooming Bulbs

• 14 Dry Shade Plants Too Good to Overlook

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

• Outdoor Lighting Essentials

• How to Prune Fruiting Trees, Shrubs, Vines

• 5 Top Tips for Overwintering Tender Bulbs

• Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009

• Compost Happens: Nature’s Free Fertilizer

• Managing Stormwater with a Rain Garden

• Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum

• Grow Winter Hazel for Winter Color

MARCH/APRIL 2009

• 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips

• Spring Edibles Planting Guide

• Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start

• Redbud Tree Selection and Care

• Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells

MAY/JUNE 2009

• Top Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat

• Salad Table Project

• Grow and Enjoy Eggplant

• How to Chuck a Woodchuck

SUMMER 2009

• Grow Grapes in the Mid- Atlantic

• Passionflowers

• Mulching Basics

• Growing Hops

FALL 2009

• Apples

• How to Save Tomato Seeds

• Persimmons

WINTER 2009

• Battling Garden Thugs

Please

Ornamental Edibles

• Urban Foraging

• Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star

• Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic

FALL 2011

• Herb Gardens

• Toad Lilies

• Sweet Potatoes

• Cool Weather Cover Crops

WINTER 2011/EARLY SPRING 2012

• Green Roofs and Walls

• Heaths and Heathers

• Radishes

SPRING 2012

• Pollinator Gardens

• Brunnera: Perennial of the Year

• Growing Yacon SUMMER 2012

• Tropical Gardens

• Captivating Canna

• Icebox Watermelons

SPRING 2013

• Great Garden Soil

• All About Asters

• Squash Vine Borer

SUMMER/FALL 2013

• Miniature/Faerie Gardens

• Beguiling Abelias

• Growing Great Carrots

• Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic

• Chanticleer Gardens

• Beet Growing Basics

YOU CAN REQUEST A SINGLE COPY OF PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR $6 EACH OR ANY 6 BACK ISSUES FOR $24, OR ALL 40+ PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR JUST $100. PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE AND HANDLING. PLEASE SPECIFY THE ISSUE DATE(S). ORDER MUST BE PREPAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. SEND ORDERS TO:

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.