Washington Gardener Magazine May 2023

WASHINGTON g a rdener

A Visit to Pope Farm

Attracting the Eastern Phoebe Meet Jeff Kushner of Plants Alive!

Growing Corn in Container s

Be Alert for the Allium Leaf Miner

Begonias Make a Comeback!

New Tulip Named in Honor of First Lady Jill Biden

Multifunctional Patch

Offers Early Detection of Plant Diseases

Great Gardening

Books Reviewed

Keep Plants Thriving

Despite the Heat

DC-MD-VA Gardening

Events Calendar

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

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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.

Tulipa ‘Jill Biden’ joins a small group of beautiful tulips bearing the names of American First Ladies. Seven First Ladies have tulips named in their honor: Tulipas ‘Mrs. Cleveland’, ‘Mrs. Grace Coolidge’, ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’, ‘Lady Bird Johnson’, ‘Barbara Bush’, ‘Hillary Clinton’, and ‘Laura Bush’.

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.

Bearded Iris ‘Little John’ in the garden of Carol Warner (Draycott Gardens), Upperco, MD. It was hybridized by Donald Spoon and registered in 1995. You can find out more about Bearded Iris breeding and registration procedures at the American Iris Society’s website, www.irises.org.

The Eastern Phoebe, named for its song (fee-bee!), is a familiar and energetic flycatcher. The bird embodies the Roman meaning of “phoebe”—bright, and full of hidden knowledge.

Photo courtesy of Netherlands Embassy.

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

Jessica Harden

Intern

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In the Pink...

This issue is about a week late. The reason for the delay is that I came down with a respiratory virus that knocked me flat, after more than three years of not being sick one day, which I credit to all the masking and COVID-19 precautions, but I guess I was overdue for getting something at this point. I’m still feeling lingering fatigue and an occasional cough, but otherwise am up and pretty much back to normal.

In addition to delaying this issue for a bit, I paused the GardenDC podcast for a couple weeks, because I know no one wants to hear me croaking my way through that. We’ll be back with new episodes in early June. It also gave me a little time to pause and celebrate two big podcast milestones: completing our 150th episode and blowing past 100,000 total listens. I’m grateful to all of our podcast supporters, guests, listeners, and interns who have helped us reach those two accomplishments.

In the garden, I have trays of vegetable seedlings to be planted and lots of annual flowers to pot up in containers. I can’t wait to get out there and get the summer season started!

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:

· GardenComm (GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators)

· Green America Business Network

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· One Montgomery Green

· Ladies in the Landscape

· Potomac Rose Society

Volume 18, Number 3

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 McCrillis House and Gardens in Bethesda, MD.

Reader Contest

For our May 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a Daylily ‘Handwriting on the Wall’ from Three Shovels Farm (value $18).

This beautiful daylily was created by renowned daylily breeder Karol Emmerich. It has 6-inch, triangular-shaped flowers that are peach with a wine-purple eye. Like watercolor paint, the purple color blends to lavender toward the yellow throat for a stunning display. A thin, purple picotee edge frames the blooms. It is a short plant, growing to about 24 inches high, and is a mid-season bloomer. Three Shovels Farm (https://threeshovelsfarm.com/) is a small, family-owned mail-order nursery in South Carolina that specializes in daylilies, Louisiana iris, Japanese iris, and Siberian iris.

To enter, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on May 31 with “Daylily” 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 about June 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.

April 2023 Issue

My favorite article [in the April 2023 issue] was the short one on Paw Paws. I really like Paw Paws and look for them when in the woods. It is interesting reading about their requirements for pollination especially by flies, as I was not aware this was what happened.

~ Dorothy Cichra, Silver Spring, MD

I enjoyed the April 2023 article on “Who’s Dining in my Garden.” I have frequent visitors to my yard, especially deer.

~ Ann Baker, Woodbridge, VA

November 2022 Issue

My favorite article in the November 2022 issue was on Carolina Chickadees, because they have long been a favorite feeder visitor of mine and I enjoyed learning more about them, especially how to tell them apart from the Black-capped Chickadee.

~ Maya O’Connor, Washington DC

My favorite article in the November 2022 issue was “A Living Wall at the NMCPPC Wheaton Headquarters.” I live in Wheaton and had no idea this living wall and the park’s headquarters were there. Now I’ll have to take a field trip to check it out.

~ Francine Krasowska, Silver Spring, MD

My favorite article in the November 2022 issue is “Carolina Chickadee,” because it is one of my favorite birds, especially in winter when its cheerful call brightens up even the greyest winter day. I learned about how the chickadee couples share their parenting responsibilities.

~ Phyllis Downey, Pasadena, MD

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 found your articles on crickets and the Carolina Chickadee very interesting [in the November 2022 issue]. I have had crickets in the basement of my 120+-year-old house forever. Interestingly, they have recently started to occasionally come upstairs as well. And while I cannot be sure, I think it may be the crickets who are eating the peanut butter out of my basement mouse trap without setting it off. Quite a feat if it is, in fact, the crickets.

~ Marsha Douma, Rockville, MD o

From tending to a vegetable garden as a teenager and studying horticulture in college to owning his own plant nursery, Jeff Kushner has dreamed of turning Plants Alive! into a plant Mecca to share his love of plants.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I began my journey of working with plants when my father suggested that we create a 10' x 10' vegetable garden when I was 14 years old. I was hooked from that point on. I had plants all over my backyard during the summer months.

I studied horticulture at the University of Maryland from 1976 to 1980, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree. I also experimented with plants in my dorm room at college. I read anything that I could get my hands on that had to do with tropical plants. I can still remember which plants I had then and when I was a kid.

Can you tell us how Plants Alive! got started?

Plants Alive! was started by a man named Milt Millon sometime in the mid-1970s. Plants Alive! originally created small landscaped boxes using dried beans, moss, etc. Sort of like a terrarium, but with dried material.

Jeff Kushner Plants Alive!

By Jessica Harden

How did the business evolve to what it is today?

The little bean-box market eventually dried up and Milt was left with thousands of these boxes. He offered a $50 bonus to anyone who could think of a way to use them in a different way. Someone suggested turning the box upside-down, leaving the opening at the top and putting a small plant inside, more like a real terrarium. The tropical plant version of Plants Alive! was born! That led to the company that began providing tropical plants to commercial accounts. We also had a small retail location in Potomac, MD, that is now closed.

At that point, we also began providing plants on a rental basis for special events in the DC/Baltimore area. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we lost 80% of our revenue, so we converted 9,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space off Layhill Road in Silver Spring, MD, into retail space. We now have three divisions: commercial, rental (special events), and retail.

What are your future plans for the nursery?

My goal is to create a plant mecca. From the time a customer arrives to the time they leave, I want to create an

“OMG!” moment. We get that reaction when customers enter the greenhouse, I want that to be the response when they enter our driveway. We also have plans to provide more than just plants in the coming years.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Without a doubt, it’s the customers who come into the greenhouse that is the most rewarding for me, personally as well as professionally. There are two parts to what we provide. The first is design for the commercial, as well as the plant rental, side. Customers on that side aren’t concerned with my technical knowledge of plants. The goal is to create an environment that is pleasing to the eye as well as functional. The retail side is pure horticulture. Customers come in with a thirst for knowledge, which I am more than happy to provide. I never realized how much I enjoyed talking about plants until I finally got the chance. Plus, I have learned so much more, after all these years, about different plants. I am as excited about the plants as our customers who purchase them! Teaching the Plant Parenthood 101 class is also very rewarding.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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

Good question! First, without a doubt, would be my dad. I don’t know if he saw something or he just wanted to get this young teen out of the house by making that garden, but whatever it was, here I am 50 years later, still shoving my hands into potting soil. My dad was also my personal mentor for how hard a human can work. I would watch him, amazed at what he could do and how dedicated he was to his craft as a dry cleaner. I wanted to be just like him. Second would be Milt Millon. When I was a green 22-year-old coming out of college, he saw something in me that even I didn’t recognize until much later. He was my mentor until his passing.

What kinds of plants do you grow for yourself?

Snake plants! With thousands of plants in the greenhouse, which is literally in my backyard, I need something that is nearly carefree, my work schedule being what it is. I do have a ‘Dragon Tooth’ Alocasia that has become my favorite in my kitchen, too.

What do you do in your free time when you’re not working?

I listen to a lot of music, which is equal to my passion for plants. I also play in several bands—I play the drums. I like to play golf and I have a reef aquarium that keeps me busy.

Is there anything else you want to tell our magazine readers?

Find what you love to do and give it 110%. The return will be 10 times that!

How can our readers get in contact with you or find out more information about Plants Alive!?

I can be reached through our Instagram (@plantsalive) by sending a direct message or you can email me at jeff@plants-alive.com. You can also visit our website at https://plants-alive. com/. o

Jessica Harden is a junior journalism major minoring in law and society, with a concentration in criminal law, at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this semester with Washington Gar-

dener and is from San Antonio, TX.

Keep Plants Thriving Despite the Heat

By Melinda Myers

Last year’s record-high temperatures across much of the country took a toll on gardens and landscapes. Once again, above-normal summer temperatures are in the forecast. Adjusting how you manage your gardens and landscape can help plants thrive as temperatures rise.

Water plants thoroughly to promote deep, drought-tolerant roots that help boost your plants’ pest resistance. Wait until the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist before watering most plants. Newly planted perennials, trees, and shrubs need more attention and water than drought-tolerant plants or established ones with more robust root systems that are better able to absorb more moisture. During extended dry periods, even droughttolerant and established plants may need supplemental water.

Water early in the day to reduce losing water to evaporation. Avoid late evening watering that leaves foliage wet at night—that increases the risk of disease.

Apply water directly to the soil above the plant roots using soaker hoses or drip irrigation whenever possible. That applies water where needed and the slow, steady flow of water is better able to infiltrate the soil and moisten the roots with less runoff.

Check soil moisture daily in container gardens and several times a week for raised beds. Both dry out more quickly than in-ground gardens and need to be watered more often. Save time and water by incorporating Wild Valley Farms’ wool pellets into the growing mixes. This sustainable product is made from wool waste. University research found it reduced watering by up to 25% and increased air space in the soil, promoting healthy plant growth.

Further conserve water by spreading a 2- to 3-inch layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or shredded bark mulch over the soil in garden beds and around trees and shrubs. Mulching conserves moisture, keeps roots cooler and moist, and suppresses weeds. As the organic mulch decomposes, it adds

nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Just pull the mulch away from tree trunks, shrub stems, and the crowns of other plants to avoid rot.

Include plants that are more tolerant of the weather conditions in your area. Those that tolerate both heat and cold extremes will thrive with less care once established.

Incorporate organic matter like compost into the soil. It helps the soil accept and retain water so you need to water less often. It also adds nutrients to the soil so over time, you will have to fertilize less often.

Use a low-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer if your garden plants need a nutrient boost. These types of fertilizers release small amounts of nutrients over an extended period. The low level of nitrogen reduces the risk of damaging heat-stressed plants.

Remove weeds from garden beds and borders as soon as they appear. These “plants out of place” steal water and nutrients from your desirable garden plants. Plus, many harbor insects and diseases that are harmful to your garden plants.

Provide stressed plants with a bit of shade from the hot afternoon sun. Container gardens can be moved to a more suitable spot during heat waves. Add a bit of temporary shade to garden plants that are struggling to survive in the blazing-hot sun. A strategically placed chair, lattice, or umbrella may be all that is needed. As temperatures drop, you can move plants back into place and remove the temporary shade.

Your garden will greatly benefit from these changes to your summer garden care. o

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series, and the nationally syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” TV and radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned to write this article by Wild Valley Farms Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

A Visit to Pope Farm Nursery

By Kathy Jentz

Many of the trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants featured in the Montgomery County, MD, park system are grown at the Pope Farm Nursery in Gaithersburg, MD.

The facility on Airpark Road features greenhouses and open-air beds on its 92 acres. Pope Farm’s motto, “Qui Plantavit Curabit,” means, “One who plants, preserves.”

I recently had the opportunity to tour the unique growing operation with the Takoma Horticultural Society.

Pope Farm History

According to Brian Dahl, Pope Farm’s nursery manager, Pope Farm was originally part of a patented tract of land back in 1760 called “Cooke’s Range”

that encompassed 1,100 acres of land. Shortly thereafter, John Cooke constructed the first dwelling on the site, which was/is known as the Range,” and still stands today. It is the oldest structure in the Montgomery Parks 30,000acre system (dendrology studies of the wood dated it back to that 1760 era).

In 1910, the farm at that point (194 acres, a parcel of the original land) was bought by the Pope family for $9,788.59 from Randolph-Macon College. It had been deeded to the college by one of the Cookes at some point, and then some additional land was purchased from the Griffith family and a Mr. Cattell, who had subdivided a parcel, bringing the total amount of the original Pope Farm to 220 acres.

“In 1923, the Popes decided to build a ‘new’ farmhouse, so ‘The Range’ was moved and located a short distance away and the main house was constructed, which is where our current nursery offices are housed,” said Dahl.

“As far as farming went for the Popes, different crops were tried over the years,” Dahl explained. “Tobacco was tried one year, but the soil was not apparently suitable. An orchard was planted of peach and apple trees, along with some managed beehives. Some income came from selling garden produce from the farm, as well as butchering products from chickens and turkey. Berry bushes were apparently plentiful and they picked and sold berries for jelly, jams, and wine. Of course, hay was a staple to help support animal life around the farm.”

Carpentry jobs were also a source of income for the Pope family. In 1968, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission purchased Pope Farm and, in 1974, it officially opened as an operating nursery supplying various plant material to Montgomery Parks.

Pope Farm Production

Pope Farm’s native plant program can grow upward of 50,000 plants in production; the container section can have about 10,000 plants in production (1to 10-gallon perennials, shrubs, trees); the in-ground tree nursery has about 7,000 in tree production.

The native plant section has 180

various offerings; the in-ground tree nursery has about 220 offerings that include all genus/species combos. The container program offers about 150 different genus/species combos.

“We grow it all!,” said Dahl (pictured above). “Straight native species only are grown in our Native Plant Program sections—all of the seed source is of local ecotype. Our container-growing section grows trees that are straight native species, which are primarily used in reforestation-type projects. They also produce native, nativars, and non-native shrubs and herbaceous plants. Our in-ground tree nursery has very little straight species, but a fair amount of nativars and a bunch of non-natives.

“We also produce roughly 3,500 to 4,500 tons in our greens operation,” Dahl said. “All of the debris from Montgomery Parks comes to Pope Farm and gets converted to an end-use product that gets placed back out into the parks—mulch, compost, and wood chips. Also, we now have a sawmill where we used downed tree trunks to supply ourselves with lumber to support many needs of various projects throughout the parks.”

Visiting Pope Farm

“We are not generally open to the public. However, if someone had a real interest, they could contact me to arrange a visit,” Dahl said. He can be reached at Brian. Dahl@montgomeryparks.org.

“The only opportunity for the general public to purchase our plants is through our official spring and fall plants sales that run through our Locust Grove Nature Center in Bethesda, MD. Preorders take place before the sales at https://montgomeryparks.org.” o

Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener

Cheerful Begonias are Making a Comeback

Tuberous begonias are all hip and happening again, whether in pots on patios or balconies, or in the border. This is hardly surprising, given that their many flowers can be enjoyed for months in all manner of cheerful colors.

Tuberous begonias come in all shapes and sizes. Many new varieties have been developed specifically for the garden. From June until the first night frost, they show off their blooms non-stop in red, orange, pink, apricot, yellow, and white. In other words, you will enjoy lots of color for a whopping five months! Their foliage is interesting, too, with rounded as well as tapered shapes.

Tuberous begonias are divided into bedding and cascading species or pendulas. The bedding group consists of three categories: double-flowered, small-flowered, and single-flowered. Cascading begonias come in largeflowered and small-flowered varieties, with the blooms elegantly cascading down. They really come into their own in taller pots and hanging baskets.

You can buy begonias in spring as a dry, flat tuber. It is difficult to imagine that such a large plant will grow out of this small tuber.

Plant them outside after the risk of frost has passed since the tubers are not hardy (barring a few exceptions). You can also start planting the tubers indoors as early as March and put them in a warm, light place. This is called forcing bulbs. Once the risk of frost has passed, you can move them outside.

Most begonias prefer partial shade.

Keep a planting distance of 10 to 12 inches between tubers and make sure that the convex side faces down when planting. Sometimes you can already see small shoots on the hollow top. If in doubt, you can plant the tuber on its side.

Apply a thin layer (half an inch) of soil. If you are planting in pots, choose spacious pots with plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. Water the pot well after planting the tuber.

Begonias have shallow roots, so make sure that the top layer does not dry out. The plant will absorb a lot of water, especially when it is in full bloom.

Faded flowers will “self-shed”—in other words, fall off the stem of their own accord.

Position several tuberous begonias together to create a lovely corner in your garden or on your balcony.

Remove the tubers from the soil around the time of the first frost in fall. If you keep them in a cool and dark place over the winter, you will be able to replant them next year.

You can find more information about begonias at www.flowerbulbs.com. o

Multifunctional Patch Offers Early Detection of Plant Diseases

According to Matt Shipman at NC State News, researchers from North Carolina State University have developed an electronic patch that can be applied to the leaves of plants to monitor crops for different pathogens—such as viral and fungal infections—and stresses such as drought or salinity. In testing, the researchers found the patch was able to detect a viral infection in tomatoes more than a week before growers would be able to detect any visible symptoms of disease.

“This is important because the earlier growers can identify plant diseases or fungal infections, the better able they will be to limit the spread of the disease and preserve their crop,” said Qingshan Wei, corresponding author of a paper about the work and an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at NC State.

“In addition, the more quickly growers can identify abiotic stresses, such as irrigation water contaminated by saltwater intrusion, the better able they will be to address relevant challenges and improve crop yield.”

The technology builds on a previous prototype patch, which detected plant disease by monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants.

Plants emit different combinations of VOCs under different circumstances. By targeting VOCs that are relevant to specific diseases or stress, the sensors can alert users to specific problems.

“The new patches incorporate additional sensors, allowing them to monitor temperature, environmental humidity, and the amount of moisture being ‘exhaled’ by the plants via their leaves,” said Yong Zhu, co-corresponding author of the paper and Andrew A. Adams Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State.

The patches themselves are small— only 30 millimeters long and consist of a flexible material containing sensors and silver nanowire-based electrodes. The patches are placed on the undersides of leaves, which have a higher density of stomata the pores that allow the plant to “breathe” by exchanging gases with the environment—than the surface.

The researchers tested the new patches on tomato plants in greenhouses, and experimented with patches that incorporated different combinations of sensors. The tomato plants were infected with three pathogens: tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV); early blight, which is a fungal infection; and late blight, which is called an oomycete. The plants were also exposed to a variety of abiotic stresses, such as overwatering, drought conditions, lack of light, and high salt concentrations in the water.

“Our results for detecting all of these challenges were promising across the board,” Wei said. “For example, we found that by using a combination of three sensors on a patch, we were able to detect TSWV four days after the plants were first infected. This is a significant advantage, since tomatoes don’t normally begin to show any physical symptoms of TSWV for 10–14 days.”

The researchers say they are two steps away from having a patch that growers can use. First, they have to make the patches wireless a relatively simple challenge. Second, they have to test the patches in the field to ensure they work under real-world conditions.

The paper, “Abaxial leaf surfacemounted multimodal wearable sensor for continuous plant physiology monitoring,” is available in the open-access journal Science Advances o

Photo courtesy of iBulb.com.

New Plant Spotlight

New Tulip Named in Honor of First Lady Jill Biden

During Dutch Tulip Days (April 2023), the newest tulip was formally named in honor of First Lady Jill Biden and accepted into the official tulip registry of the Royal General Bulb Growers Association of the Netherlands. This ceremony highlighted the diversity and strength of bilateral ties between the Netherlands and the United States.

According to Caroline Berenschot Feitel, senior agricultural advisor, agriculture, nature, and food quality Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Washington, DC, Tulipa ‘Jill Biden’ will be available for sale in the U.S. and all over the world. “The next few years, specific growers in the Netherlands will be working on multiplying this particular bulb,” Berenschot Feitel said

“This tulip has a unique color: orange with a slight color of red. It is a fringed tulip, which is becoming more and more popular among consumers. However, the availability of this type of tulip is less in comparison with more regular tulip cultivars: Fringe tulips only cover about 2% of the total acreage of tulip bulb production in the Netherlands. It is an end-product of many years of hybridizing and has proved to be a strong tulip that is highly resistant to plant pests and diseases.” o

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• Peas Popping in the Community Garden

• Bletilla Plant Profile

• Intern Update in the Garden Plot

• Sourcing Native Plants

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

May–June Garden To-Do List

• If you started seeds last month, thin them and start the hardening-off process.

• Cut back spent Tulip and Daffodil blooms, but not the foliage!

• Divide and replant crowded Daffodils.

• Feed your roses and new plantings sparingly with slow-release fertilizer

• Provide supports for fast-growing perennials such as delphiniums, peonies, and lilies.

• Tie up clematis and other fast-growing climbing vines.

• Hose off aphids, white flies, or spider mites on your roses or other perennials.

• Deadhead spent blooms on your annuals and perennials to encourage re-flowering.

• Water your newly planted shrubs, trees, and perennials.

• Weed regularly.

• Go on a local house and garden tour to see what plants are thriving in other area home gardens.

• Pinch back mums, salvias, and other late-season bloomers to encourage bushy, not leggy, growth.

• Check pots and containers daily for water needs.

• Plant dahlias, gladioli, caladiums, and cannas.

• Direct-sow annual flower seeds.

• Thin vegetable seeds sown directly in the garden.

• Move your houseplants outdoors for a summer vacation.

• Put slug traps around your vulnerable edibles and hostas.

• Prune back forsythia, spirea, and other early-spring blooming shrubs.

• Check for black spot on your roses—remove and discard any affected leaves in the trash, never back into your garden or in your compost—and apply a fungicide with Neem oil every two weeks during the growing season.

• Cut some flowers to enjoy inside—make a small arrangement for every room.

• Sow squash and melon seeds.

• Plant seedlings or direct-sow sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.

• Fertilize azaleas and rhododendrons, if needed.

• Divide crowded perennials and share them.

• Turn your compost pile.

• Start a water garden or renew an existing one for the season.

• Mark and photograph your bulb plantings now, while they are still visible.

• Keep a sharp eye out for fungal diseases and pests.

• Replace cool-season annuals with heat-loving ones.

• Be vigilant for mosquito breeding spots—any standing water, from a bottle-cap to blocked gutters—and clean them out immediately. Ask your surrounding neighbors to do the same. Put Mosquito Dunks in any areas that accumulate water.

• Plant tomatoes and peppers. To start them off right, put in cages/stakes at same time as you plant them, so you do not disturb their roots later.

Place a collar (cardboard tube or hollowed cat-food can) around the tender plants to prevent cutworms. Put crushed eggshells in the planting hole of tomatoes for extra calcium and mix lime into the soil surrounding the plant to prevent blossom-end rot. Fertilize with kelp extract or fish emulsion.

• Hand-pick cabbage worms from cabbage and broccoli. o

Photo courtesy of Netherlands Embassy.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Summer 2023

Two Summer Horticulture Classes

Herbaceous Plant Materials meets on Wednesday evenings from 6–9pm, starting June 7 until August 9. Integrated Pest Management meets on Fridays from 8:30am–1:45pm, June 9 through August 11. Held by the Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk, MD, campus. For more information, call the CCBC Sustainable Horticulture office 443-840-3787 or visit thttps://www. ccbcmd.edu/.

• May 20–June 4, 10am–4pm

Satsuki Bonsai Exhibit: Azaleas of Old Japan

Colorful cultivars of late-blooming Satsuki azaleas have been hybridized in Japan for hundreds of years. This annual exhibit showcases the U.S. National Arboretum’s most spectacular examples in a two-week indoor display in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. Based on individual bloom times, trees may also be displayed in the outdoor pavilions before and after the exhibition. The museum is open daily.

• Wednesday, May 31, 7–8pm

Arlington Central Library Garden Talk: Gardening with Kids

Gardening is fun! Learn simple growing techniques to engage children in a lifetime of growing their food. Observe and plant a salsa garden in a container or bed. Free, no registration required. Sponsored by Friends of Urban Agriculture and Extension Master Gardeners. Held at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Details at https://arlingtonurbanag.org/gardentalks-2023/.

• Friday, June 2, 10–11:30am

Summer Pruning

Summer provides a second and sometimes much-needed time to prune a variety of spring flowering trees and shrubs and to help perennial flowering plants look their best. Summer pruning helps you improve the overall structure and size of your woody plants or boost

fruit and flower production in fruit trees and shrubs. Hosted by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Free. Held via Zoom. Register at https://mgnv.org/ event/summer-pruning/#rsvp-now.

• Saturday, June 3, 9am–5pm Spring Fruit Festival

Edible Landscaping in Afton, VA, is hosing a day of orchard tours, fruit tastings, medicinal plant walks, organic growing lectures, door prizes, and all plants 20% off. There will be a plant sale Friday and Sunday for walk-up orders only. See details at ediblelandscaping.com.

• Saturday, June 3, 10am–5pm American Landscape Institute’s Annual Plant Sale

The plant sale fundraiser for the American Landscape Institute is held at The Farmyard in Parkton, MD. The money raised goes to scholarships for students. Plants at the sale are from The Perennial Farm, Manor View Farm, Heartwood Nursery, American Native Plants, just to name a few. Go to the American Landscape Institute’s website at www.americanlandscapeinstitute. com and click on the Plant Sale tab for more information.

• Saturday, June 3, 8am–6pm Politics and Prose Day Trip to Winterthur Museum and Gardens

Politics and Prose bookstore offers day trips and walking tours in the area. They handle all the travel arrangements and go by coach bus, leaving and returning to the bookstore at 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. The price is $150.00 per person. This includes tickets, bus coach travel service and guided tours. You will be able to purchase lunch on-site. See https://www.politics-prose.com/pp-tripwinterthur-museum-spring-2023-datejune-3rd. Any questions can be sent to classes@politics-prose.com.

• Saturday, June 10, 10–11:30am Know to Grow Spring Workshops: Bay Wise Gardening

You don’t need to own waterfront property to make an impact on the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Improve biodiver-

sity + clean rainwater through the roots of native plants. This make-and-take will dive into what happens when rain hits a fertilized lawn, impervious pavement, and other elements before draining into the Chesapeake Bay. Even houses inland can make a difference. The cost to participate in this hands-on workshop is $50. Register at https://homesteadgardens.com/upcoming-events/.

• Saturday, June 10, 10:30–11:30am Garden Talk: Townhouse Gardening VA Extension Master Gardeners share tips for making a big impact in smaller landscapes. This session will be useful not only for townhouse owners but for anyone looking for creative solutions for a small garden space. Fee: $12 per person. Register online at http://www. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-6425173. Code QKL.H92W.

• Saturday, June 10, 11:30–12:30 p.m. Dogs, Dogwood, Digging, Oh My! Plants and Pets with a Vet Does your dog like dogwood? Or really dig your Daffodils? Plants and pets can coexist! Join Dan Teich, veterinarian and U.S. Botanic Garden volunteer, to learn how to have a happy life with both flora and fauna. After a short online presentation, Teich will answer questions about the safety of your plants and pets. Please note: This program will be offered through the online platform Livestorm. FREE: Pre-registration required at https://www.usbg.gov/ learn/programs-and-events.

• Saturday, June 10, 9am–11am, and Saturday, June 24, 10am–3pm. The Mountain Laurel Garden Club Plant Sale and Country Gardens Tour The plant sale is on June 10 and the tour is two weeks later on June 24. Both events are held rain or shine (no pets). The plant sale is at the gazebo in downtown Oakland, MD (no admission fee) and includes many native plants from members’ gardens that are proven to thrive in western Maryland, plus a selection of succulents. The Country Gardens Tour includes two gardens in the Paradise Point area of Deep Creek

Lake, a fern and hosta garden in Mountain Lake Park, and a flower farm off Gorman Road (Route 560). In addition to the gardens, tour attractions include a presentation by the Floral Design Committee of spiral hand-tied bouquets using local flowers, an invasive plant display, and a progress report on the Habitat for Humanity pollinator gardens. Tickets for the tour are $10.00. See www.MountainLaurelGardenClub.com.

• Monday, June 19, 7:30–9pm

Silver Spring Garden Club Meeting:

A Talk about “Great Groundcovers” Groundcovers are low-growing plants that serve many different purposes in the landscape from limiting weed growth to stabilizing slopes to adding texture to your garden. Kathy Jentz, author of the book Groundcover Revolution, will cover several of these beautiful, hard-working plants and the best kinds to use for your region. The meeting will be held at the Brookside Gardens Visitors Center/Education Building 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. This meeting is FREE and open to all. After the talk is a book signing and sale as well as refreshments. Details at www.silverspringgardenclub.om.

• 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.

• Friday, June 23, 6:30–8:30pm

Foodie Fridays: Cultivating Traditions Montgomery Parks Community Garden Program is hosting Foodie Fridays, a monthly speaker series from June to October. The series will feature farmers, educators, community organizers, food lovers, and changemakers. Presentations will highlight why food matters and the many ways the food system impacts residents of Montgomery County. The first event will be at the Josiah Henson Museum Visitor Center. We’ll have a panel of three growers discuss 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/.

Looking Ahead

• 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.

• Sunday, July 30, 2–3pm

Garden Photo Show Opening

Washington Gardener invites you to the opening reception of our garden photo show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA.

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

“Inspire. Connect. Grow.”

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

Find out more at

https://ngb.org/

By Kathy Jentz

Bearded Iris

By Kathy Jentz

Bearded Iris (Iris × germanica) is a group of European hybrid iris also known as the German Bearded Irises. They are considered to be a natural hybrid between Iris pallida and Iris variegata Thousands of Bearded Iris cultivars are available.

The cultivars come in every color and combination from pure whites to pinks, browns, yellows, and almost jet-black, although the classic Bearded Iris is a deep purple.

They are perennial plants that typically bloom in mid- to late-spring. Some cultivars can rebloom in the fall.

Bearded Irises are hardy to USDA Zones 3 to 9. They are deer-resistant and drought-tolerant.

They prefer to grow in full sun with well-draining soils. If they do not get enough sunlight, the flower stalks will stretch and flop over. If they are in too much moisture, the roots will rot. Do not apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer as that encourages leaf growth and can make the plant susceptible to bacterial rot.

Bearded Iris can be propagated by seed or division. You will need to divide them every three to five years, so they don’t become too crowded. The best time to divide the plants is during the late summer or early fall. When you plant the new divisions, be sure the soil level is just to the top of the rhizomes and not burying them.

The foliage stays evergreen for most of the year. In the fall, you can trim back any brown or floppy leaves or fans. Clearing out this dead foliage can prevent the dreaded iris borer from wintering over in the plants.

In addition to the typical tall varieties of Bearded Iris, there are also miniature and dwarf versions. The smaller ones typically bloom earlier in the season then the larger ones. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener

Allium Leaf Miner

After the summer pupation, the emerging adults mate and lay eggs, and a second generation concludes with its pupal phase. This is how the flies overwinter. Look for the second generation to be active in September through November.

In the vegetable garden, floating row covers can be used to protect the plants during the first and second round of egg-laying. The covers can be removed between generations. If the garden plot is already infested, row covers will only trap the flies and prevention will not be achieved.

By Carol Allen

In the battle of the gardener against the “critters,” ornamental onions or Alliums, helped us come out ahead … occasionally. Think of the delicate native nodding onion (Allium cernuum) or the otherworldly Allium schubertii, that looks like a satellite with protruding antennae. No children’s garden would be complete without the various drumstick or globe-headed ornamental onions, A. sphaerocephalon, Allium ‘Giant Gladiator’, or ‘Globemaster’.

We used to think Alliums were just about bulletproof. Deer generally don’t eat them nor do the ravenous bunnies. And pests? What pests?

In 2015, the allium leaf miner (Phytomyza gymnostoma) was confirmed in leeks grown in Lancaster County, PA. This was the first known sighting in North America. Now it has been observed in many counties in our region. Native to central Europe, this tiny fly (Diptera) lays its eggs in the leaves of all Allium species, both agricultural and ornamental.

It overwinters as a pupa at the base of the leaves and outer sheaths of the bulb. The adults emerge in March through April/May, depending on the weather. That is when you can start to see the distinctive marks made by the female’s ovipositor as she lays her eggs in the Allium leaves. In degree days*, start scouting for oviposition marks at about 350°C or about when the daf-

fodil and forsythia bloom are giving way to Bradford pear bloom. These degree day and phrenology events are estimates—researchers are still making observations of this new pest.

In the case of an infected crop, the plants should be destroyed and the soil sterilized through solarization. Practicing crop rotation will help. Control wild garlic and other weedy Alliums in the landscape to reduce harborage.

In the ornamental garden, frequent scouting for emerging adults and oviposition marks can target applications of chemical control. Adults can be observed resting on the tips of the Allium leaves early in the mornings on cool, non-windy days. Weekly sprays of Spinosad applied to the leaves, starting with first observations and ending with the cessation of the generational period, have found to be effective. Using a non-ionic surfactant mixed with the Spinosad helps the spray adhere to the waxy leaf surface.

Stronger systemic pesticides are also effective, but perhaps not needed for the homeowner’s ornamental garden where beneficial species are abundant.

*According to Penn State, “Through a growing degree day model we’ve developed, we estimate that allium leaf miner first emerge in the spring after 350° Celsius degree days above a threshold of 1°C, have been accumulated starting from January 1.” o

Each mark in the leaf made by the female’s ovipositor will contain an egg. The emerging larvae eat their way down to the leaf base where they feed, then pupate in the outer layers of the onion bulb.

This wounding makes an ideal opportunity for disease pathogens and bulb rot to be an additional damage caused by this pest.

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.

Puncture marks on Allium leaf.

Photo by Sean Boyle, Virginia Tech.

Allium leaf miner. Photo by Kristian Holmstrom, Rutgers University

Growing Corn in a Container

By Michaelle Scanlon and Deborah Lessne

Adapted from Garden sPOTS’ Corn Harvest Science Kit, which includes this guide, experiments, activities, seeds, planter, soil, and fertilizer.

Everyone loves summer sweet corn, but can you grow it in a small space, like a patio pot? Yes, you can! You always have to grow more than one plant to get edible ears (read on to find out about pollination), but even a few stalks in a container can produce a yummy treat if you know a few simple tricks.

Corn-Growing Supplies

• A 16- to 20-inch diameter plastic pot. Pot should be at least 14 inches deep and have drainage holes.

• Seed corn kernels (10 for 16-inch pot, 14 for 20 inches)

• Potting mix with added compost: 2 parts potting mix to 1 part compost

• Slow-release fertilizer (you may want to use organic fertilizer); read package carefully

• Water-soluble fertilizer (you may want to use organic fertilizer); read package carefully

• Small clippers or scissors

Planting Corn in a Pot

Make a note on the calendar on the day you plant. Count 10 days for when you should see your first sprouts. Then count 60 days from the planting date and put another note on the calendar for when you are going to start checking to see if the corn is ready to eat.

Fill your container with the potting mix and compost until about 4 inches from the top of the pot. Pat the mix down lightly in the pot as you fill it.

Read the instructions for your slowrelease fertilizer to determine the right amount for your planter. Sprinkle the slow-release fertilizer evenly over the top and gently mix into the top inch of potting mix. You can use a disposable spoon or wear gloves and use your fingers.

Finish filling the pot with potting mix.

With a ruler, measure 1-inch from the tip of your finger. Make a mark on your finger, so you know how far to push it into the soil to make a 1-inch-deep hole.

In a 20-inch pot of soil, make 14 holes in a circle pattern.

Your 1-inch deep holes should be in

sets of two. In a smaller pot, use fewer sets of holes—a 16-inch pot should have 10 holes. The two holes in each set can be almost touching, but make sure that each set has space before the next group. Also, make sure the holes aren’t right up against the wall of the pot—each set of holes needs potting mix all the way around it. Once the sprouts get big, you are going to thin them.

Drop a kernel into each hole and gently fill all the holes with the remaining cup of soil. Pat down lightly all over the top of the pot.

Water the pot slowly and gently the first time to avoid pushing the soil around too much. Water until all the soil looks wet and some water runs out of the bottom of the pot. You will need at least a gallon of water to wet all the new potting mix.

Keep the pot outside in an area where it will get full sun. That means the sun has to shine directly on the pot for at least 6 hours every day.

Check on your pot each day. Make sure the soil in the pot stays damp until the sprouts emerge because the seeds need to stay moist until they sprout.

In seven to 10 days, the sprouts will push out of the soil. Keep checking your plants every day to see if they need water, but now change how you water. Corn will use lots of water, especially as it gets taller and the weather gets hotter, but let the soil surface dry between watering times.

After the plants have sprouted, check the pot each day by pushing your finger into the soil about a half inch down. If it is dry, give it a slow drink of water. If it still feels cool and moist, you can wait before you water again. Add about an inch of water over the whole surface of the pot. You may need to check the soil twice a day if the air temperature goes above 90 degrees. It’s best if you don’t water after 4 in the afternoon—you want the surface of the soil to have time to dry again before the sun goes down.

Next Corn Growing Steps

Not every kernel of corn is going to sprout. Usually only half to threequarters of the seeds will germinate. This is why you made a double set of holes for planting.

When your sprouts reach about 4–6

inches high, it is time to thin them. Wherever more than one seed sprouted in a set of two, carefully cut the smaller or weaker plant off right at the soil level. When you are done, the remaining plants should be about 6–8 inches away from each other and they will have lots of room to grow.

After you thin the plants, it’s time to give them some fertilizer. Read the instructions on your water-soluble fertilizer to determine the right amount for your planter. The next time you water, add the water-soluble fertilizer to a gallon of water. Stir to dissolve. Gently water all around the plants. Try not to get the fertilizer water on the leaves and stalks.

When the sprouts reach 10 inches tall, it is time to give them the next dose of fertilizer. Follow the same method as described above.

When you first see silks sprouting at the sides of the stalk (about 30 days after planting), add the last dose of fertilizer.

Pollinating Your Corn

Once the anthers (yellow-brown pollen structures hanging from the tassel) and silks appear, it is time to pollinate your plants. Out in a large field, the wind does a good job of spreading the pollen from the tassels to the silks on other plants, although often the stalks around the edges of a field don’t get fully pollinated. You have a tiny field in a pot, so you will have to give your plants a little help. Remember, every strand of silk has to get some pollen or there will be missing kernels on your cob.

You will pollinate your corn every day for about a week after the anthers and silks are fully out. Don’t try to gather all of the pollen in one day. The best time to gather pollen is in the morning, but not if is raining or the plants are wet.

Make sure your hands are clean and dry before starting or the pollen will stick to you. Use clean scissors to snip off one “arm” of a tassel. Be very gentle to avoid knocking off the pollen.

Use the tassel piece like a feather duster to sprinkle the pollen onto the silks of a different plant in the pot. You will do this all week, so don’t snip all the arms off at once.

Repeat with each plant. For best results, make sure each of the plants

gets some pollen on its silks from a different plant. A good way to mix it up is to work your way around the pot by taking part of a tassel from one plant, go to the next plant to sprinkle the pollen on the silks, then snip a tassel from that plant and shake it on the silks of the next plant. Don’t forget the plant in the middle.

Remember: Do this every day for one week except on days it is raining. The silks turn brown after they are pollinated, so you will be able to see if most of the silks have been successfully pollinated.

Harvesting Your Corn

It takes 61–63 days after sprouting the seeds for your corn to be ready to eat for the variety we grow. (Check the seed package for days to maturity on the variety you choose.) This should be about three weeks after you pollinate the ears. If it has been very hot (over 90 degrees) during the month, the corn may be ready before then, but not much earlier.

Here are signs your corn is ready to harvest:

• Feel the ear through the husk. The top should feel full, firm, and rounded, not sharp and pointy.

• The silks are brown and dry, and have curled up. They break easily when touched.

• The final test is to peel open the top of the husk and check to see if the kernels are yellow, plump, and juicy—but

don’t do this too early! Once the husk is open, it is easier for insects, birds, and other animals to sample the corn, too. Plus, if it rains, water gets into the ear and it might start to rot. If you do have to check inside, use a rubber band to close the husk again if the corn isn’t ready to harvest.

The ear that is highest on the stalk will ripen first. After you harvest that one, any lower ears may need another week or so to ripen.

Try to harvest corn in the morning before it gets hot. Sugars in the kernel turn to starch quickly in the heat.

It’s easy to harvest corn: Just bend the ear down so the silks are pointing at the ground, then twist and snap the ear off where it meets the stalk. If the stalk has more than one ear, be careful not to break the rest of the stalk when you harvest the first one. The smaller ears need some more time to ripen.

Store the fresh corn in the refrigerator until dinner time, but don’t keep it too long. The longer you keep it, the less sweet it will be. The best advice is to eat it the day you pick it.

Corn Tips and Fun Facts

• Many people think corn kernels are seeds. Each corn kernel is actually a fruit! Like any fruit, it has a protective coat, an area of starchy food, and genetic material ready to grow into a new plant (this is called the embryo). Corn is a special kind of fruit, also called a “grain,” that has its outer coating tightly fused to the edible starchy part.

• Corn kernels stay dormant (inactive) in the ground until the sun warms the soil to about 60°F. Corn shouldn’t be planted before the air temperature is sure to stay above 50°F because if the seed starts to sprout and then freezes, the new plant will die.

• Once the ground is warm, the kernel needs to soak up lots of water, so it can swell and split the seed coat to allow the embryo to grow (sprout). It takes 10 to 14 days for the seed to sprout.

• The sprout grows into a stalk with leaves and continues to grow. The type of corn grown on most farms is between 7 and 10 feet tall. Some kinds of corn can reach 15 feet tall! For this project, we recommend corn that has been developed for containers and will get

about 4 to 5 feet tall, such as Burpee’s ‘On Deck’ variety.

• As your corn matures, it will develop some interesting growths at the bottom. These look like fat roots and, in fact, they are called brace roots. It is likely that they were given that name because it looks like they help support the corn stalk, but the truth is, no one really knows what they do for the corn plant.

• People aren’t the only ones who love corn. Squirrels may try to dig up the kernels before they sprout. You can keep some netting over the pot until you see the green sprouts, then take it off. Deer don’t generally eat corn stalks, but if you have lots of deer in your yard, they may try to taste the young sprouts, which will pull the plants out of the pot. Put the pot somewhere deer can’t reach (like on a deck) or place some tall sticks in the ground around the pot and lay protective netting over the top so it isn’t touching the young stalks.

After you pollinate the corn and the ears start to ripen, raccoons will be the biggest fans of the corn. If your yard is not a place they usually find food, though they may not even look for your corn.

• An ear of corn will always have an even number of rows. An average ear has 800 kernels in 16 rows.

• The plant we call “corn” is native to the Americas. Now, it is grown on every continent except Antarctica. The scientific name for corn is Zea mays mays comes from the Native American word for corn, which the Spanish settlers thought sounded like maize. In early Europe, the word “corn” meant any cereal grain (like wheat).

• Corn is an annual, which means it only grows for one season and dies after producing seeds. After harvest, the stalks will turn brown and can be removed from the pot or left in the pot to dry. When dry, corn stalks make great fall decorations (cut off the roots). When you are done with them, cut them into shorter pieces and put those in a compost pile. o

Michaelle Scanlon and Deborah Lessne are the co-owners of Garden sPOTS (www. garden-spots.com). Garden sPOTS delivers planters to Maryland and Virginia within 15 miles of Rockville, MD.

Leesburg Flower Fest

By Jessica Harden

Seas of people swarm North King Street and the smell of kettle corn fills the air as families pull carts of plants behind them. Everyone gathered in the small town in Loudoun County was celebrating the unofficial start of spring.

The 33rd annual Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival was held on April 15 and 16 in downtown Leesburg, VA, and had 119 retail vendors, 15 food vendors, nine sponsors, and tens of thousands of visitors, according to Linda Fountain, events and outreach manager.

“I think people always really look forward to it after a dreary winter.” Fountain said. “Now it’s April and things are starting to bloom, so we bring this event downtown and people just love to come out for it.”

The festival had live entertainment, a children’s area with events all day, festival food, and the People’s Choice Landscaping Competition that guests can vote on. Pine Ridge Landscaping won this year’s competition.

This year’s festival included live music from NOVA artist Hilary Veltri, a Tae Kwon Do demonstration at the Garden Patch for kids, and a rooftop beer garden.

“It’s a fun family event, not just for people who are gardeners,” Fountain said. “We’ve got great entertainment, we’ve got festival food, we’ve got the Garden Patch with kid’s activities.”

The Flower and Garden Festival dates back to 1990 and has an average of 30,000 visitors throughout the weekend. The festival takes place during the third weekend of April, unless that is Easter weekend.

The festival’s vendors are anyone from plant sellers, garden suppliers, soap and candle companies, and food trucks selling hot funnel cakes.

“There’s something for everyone,” Fountain said. “And it’s in such a cool little town.” o

Jessica Harden is a junior journalism major minoring in law and society, with a concentration in criminal law, at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this semester with Washington Gardener and is from San Antonio, TX.

Cherry Tree Symposium at US National Arboretum

By Kathy Jentz

On Saturday, March 18, the U.S. National Arboretum (USNA) hosted the Connecting Cultures: Japanese Flowering Cherries in America Symposium.

Since the mid-19th century, appreciation of Japanese flowering cherries has been growing in the United States, melding Japanese aesthetics and techniques with a distinctly American flair. Today, the USNA stands as a center of American appreciation for Japanese flowering cherry trees, growing about 60 cultivars. The oldest flowering cherry trees on the USNA’s grounds were planted in the early 1950s, and these aging trees provide an opportunity to experiment with a traditional Japanese method of tree rejuvenation.

Japanese expert Kurato Fujimoto worked with USNA staff for the week preceding this symposium to install traditional-style wooden crutches to support the heavy branches of two old weeping cherry trees. These beautiful and functional supports are now in place and are visible for any visitor to the USNA grounds to examine them.

The program covered the history of Japanese cherry trees in America, ancient cherry trees and restorative practices in Japan, the flowering cherry research program at the Arboretum, and a tree-side presentation of the traditional Japanese support system.

After the program, an evening reception in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum featured the opening of the exhibit “Sakura Orihon: Diary of a Cherry Blossom Journey.” Landscape architect Ron Henderson recorded his experience in folding sketchbooks called orihon. Henderson personally led attendees through the exhibit to explain the drawings. His work celebrates the cherry blossom culture in Japan, highlighting his pilgrimages to visit famous old trees (some over 1,500 years old!). He also focuses on the horticultural practices that extend the lives of cherry trees in Japan. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of 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 Hydrangea Care, Growing Berries, and Native Plants. You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o

From Seed to Bloom: A Year of Growing and Designing with Seasonal Flowers

Author: Milli Proust

Publisher: Hardie Grant/Quadrille

List Price: $29.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/45qTUib and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781787137349

Reviewer: Jessica Harden

From Seed to Bloom is the perfect book for anyone looking to get started with plant growing and designing. The author even starts out by saying she’s just a beginner, she’s only been doing this for five years, and these are the tips and tricks she’s learned from her own experiences.

The book is split into eight seasons: late winter, early spring, late spring, early summer, late summer, early autumn, late autumn, and early winter. Because the author uses a mix of common and botanical names, there’s an index in the back to help readers match a plant’s common and botanical name.

The book starts with tips on where to find flowers, then how to grow your own in a container and in the ground. It also includes how to plan and prepare the growing space, feed and care for the plants, save seeds, and harvest the flowers.

The author then goes into detail about designing with plants. She talks about color theory, vases, bouquets, and the principles of designing with flowers.

This book is well-rounded and covers

all of the bases for growing and designing with flowers year-round. o

Jessica Harden is a junior journalism major minoring in law and society, with a concentration in criminal law, at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this semester with Washington Gardener and is from San Antonio, TX.

The Home-Scale Forest Garden: How to Plan, Plant, and Tend a Resilient Edible Landscape

Author: Dani Baker

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

List Price: $34.95

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3WtDvW9 and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781645020981

Reviewer: Andrea F. Siegel

The Home-Scale Forest Garden is not another how-to book about growing the best veggies in the hot summer sun. It is a guide to creating an edible landscape designed to be like nature’s forests. From treetops to groundcovers and multiple layers in between, a forest garden is an ecosystem that regenerates organically and grows food for the gardeners.

The author exudes excitement about what she calls her “forest garden adventure.” She acknowledges that before starting this journey, she hadn’t heard of honeyberries, but now they’re among her most-loved fruits.

A retired psychologist who has a farm in northern New York with her partner, Baker is a self-taught gardener. She shares her knowledge and experiences in this nicely illustrated book.

She explains how she designed and created what began as a half-acre forest garden with multiple layers featuring plants that provide food, are nitrogen-fixing, benefit wildlife, are attractive, and so on. As in a natural forest, decaying plant debris forms humus that holds moisture and nutrients to keep feeding its plants. Meanwhile, it sequesters carbon.

Baker joyfully takes readers through planning and building this garden, including such topics as pest deterrence and good growing practices.

Baker shows how even a 25-squarefoot area can feature a graceful honey locust tree for its overstory or top layer, with a fruit tree as its understory, and

plants such as berry bushes, and even edible daylilies below.

Unlike the annuals in most sunny summer vegetable gardens, the forest garden is composed almost entirely of perennials, although they need TLC to get established. In time, it requires less tending by gardeners as nature steps in. Still, the stewardship appendix shows there is plenty of work for the forest gardener year-round. As a startup, the forest garden also requires a greater initial financial investment than annuals do.

Baker regales readers with personal stories of lessons learned, from plants that exceeded expectations to those that needed less wind, more sun, a higher/drier location, a wetter site, and the like.

The book has three sections. First, in the planning and planting section, she advises boots on the ground for studying and mapping the site—where water naturally ponds and the track of the sun, for example—so gardeners know what they’re working with. Creating planting mounds and paths is included in this work.

What follows is the plants section, covering many of the plants in Baker’s garden at each level of the permaculture, starting with tall trees—including nut trees—and working down to root plants. Necessary information accompanies each plant, plus her observations. She also provides the native range. (Many of the plants are not native, and I wish Baker had included native alternatives to non-natives and

some specific plant-pollinator relationships.)

The third section discusses plant groupings. The plan drawings here are most helpful. Groupings are a key part of garden design, and in Baker’s book, they take on another role: encouragement. Few gardeners with urban and suburban lots have a half-acre to start a forest garden, but they may have space to adapt a grouping to a property.

The amount of information in Baker’s book makes it a good resource in general, as well as for those thinking of having any size edible forest. o

Andrea Siegel is a master gardener in Maryland.

Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design

Author: Benjamin Vogt

Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Order link: https://amzn.to/3WwTT8a and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780252086779

Cost: $29.95

Reviewer: Marsha Douma

Since I am slowly “naturalizing” more and more of my own lawn and garden, I found Prairie Up to be a timely and valuable how-to book. Author Benjamin Vogt, in easy-to-read text with clear charts, diagrams, and beautiful photographs, explains how the everyday gardener can efficiently as well as cost effectively create a mini-meadow, to have both an ecologically meaningful and beautiful garden.

The Great Plains of North America, which support some 5,000 species of plants, including grasses that can grow 7 feet high with roots almost as deep, must have been a sight to behold when they were intact. The plants that evolved on the prairie developed root systems to thrive in a layer of soil other plants were not using to maximize finding the water they needed, and space and root forms for anchorage and stability. The plant parts above the ground are designed to bend with the wind, rarely getting so tall that they fall over because the plants all support each other.

The flowers are varied and beautiful since they had to compete with so many others.

All these features assured a plant’s survival and created so much diversity.

Importantly, the deep roots protected the land, holding the soil in place and preventing erosion during floods, drought, extreme heat, cold, ice, and snow. As the Earth’s climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, we can certainly benefit from growing these useful plants in our own gardens, as well as in vulnerable areas.

The author, of course, understands that the great prairies will not be recreated by planting bluestems, coneflowers, bee balm, milkweed, and goldenrod in our gardens.

But in our cities and suburbs, if more and more lawns and available fields and strips of land alongside the roads could be reimagined and repurposed as meadows, these plants can at least do some good as they regain their essential role in the natural world by providing nectar to pollinators, and essential habitat and food for birds, small mammals, invertebrates, and amphibians.

It was not that long ago that an essential part of filling the car with gas was to clean all the insects off the windshield. No longer they simply don’t have a place to live and thrive anymore, so many have vanished. And as the insects decline at the alarming rate of about 2% per year, so do all the species dependent on them for food.

If benefiting the natural world is not your garden priority, another good reason to transform at least some of your lawn into a mini-meadow is that once a meadow garden is established, it will require much less maintenance, such as watering and weeding, as long as the plant selection is appropriate for the site.

So much for the why, what about the how. The majority of the book is devoted to detailed plans for how to get a site ready; plant lists to use in different circumstances with some sample plans; and options for accomplishing this transformation using seed, plugs, and larger plants. The author even includes a section to help homeowners explain these gardens to their HOAs—a meadow can look messy if one is used to a traditional mown lawn.

An important major difference in a “natural garden” compared to a traditional garden is in a managed landscape—the individual plants and their placement are the main focus of the garden. That, in fact, is what traditional garden design does—use a plant’s inflorescence, blooming times, leaf characteristics, and overall size and shape, etc. to create a living picture. Plants have enough room to “grow” because the goal is to keep them in their designated place, since they serve a role in the overall design. With native plants in a meadow-type setting, the selection is largely made according to how useful a plant is, how aggressive it is compared to the other plants being chosen, and whether the new meadow is right out front or more hidden, because it is a very different look. In a meadow, as in a prairie, the plants are packed in tightly—eventually, there is no mulch.

Certainly, for a new meadow, the plants and their placement are carefully chosen. However, the final arrangement of plants as the garden matures will be determined by the plants themselves, as they compete for the resources of their location. The plants will fill in empty spaces as they do in nature, creating a natural design.

This is a marvelous book for the converted—those ready to “prairie up” and transform at least part of their own landscape into a more natural state. It is not a book for those undecided about how or even if they want to prioritize using native plants in their gardens. For this latter purpose, Vogt’s first book, A New Garden Ethic is an excellent read. o

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

EASTERN PHOEBE

By Cecily Nabors

With its understated brown-and-white plumage, and no head markings or wing bars, the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) could seem a plain and unassuming bird. Alert bright eyes and bobbing tail tell another story. Phoebes are charmers. Males and females are hard to tell apart, although males are often darker and larger.

One of our hardiest flycatchers, Eastern Phoebes usually don’t migrate too far south; sometimes they’re found in Christmas Bird Counts in Maryland. This speaks volumes about their willingness to take risks: Insects, their primary food source, are hard to come by in the Mid-Atlantic winter.

Our harbingers of spring, these small sojourners are usually back in our area in early March. Males return first and sing loudly to establish territories. Their hoarse, emphatic name-saying call (fee-bee or fee-bebee) leaves no doubt about ownership! Alert and on the watch, Phoebes often hunt from a perch, pumping their tails as if eager to pounce. They dash out to catch a flying insect and often return with their catch to the same perch or one nearby. Wasps, bees, beetles, ticks, flies, dragonflies, and grasshoppers are all on the menu, as well as berries and small fruits when insects are not plentiful.

Eastern Phoebes are fond of woodland areas near water sources. They may nest on stream banks or rock outcroppings, but they will happily use human constructions. One of the charming things about them, besides their cute tail-bobs, is that a suburban environment may provide countless good nesting places—Phoebes are our neighbors!

The birds often nest under bridges or under eaves or on structures around barns and houses. The feathered builders prefer a sheltered support with an overhead cover. Our daughter-inlaw has had Phoebes nesting under the roof of her front porch for years, using the same site repeatedly. Other friends found Phoebes bringing food to babies under their decks.

The female Phoebe builds her open-cup nest of grasses, moss, and mud while the male accompanies her, defending her and the territory. The female develops a featherless incubation patch and does most of the

incubating. The pair usually has two broods a year, with four or five white eggs in each brood.

Phoebe nests are frequently targeted by Brown-headed Cowbirds, which lay their brown, speckled eggs in other birds’ nests. It’s sad to see, because Cowbird young grow fast and aggressively claim most of the food brought by the hard-working Phoebe parents. Cowbirds are a protected native species, however, and while their nest-parasitizing strategy doesn’t seem “fair,” it’s just part of the way nature varies. Plus, Phoebes do have defenses. Sometimes, if the Cowbird egg is the first one laid in a new nest, the female Phoebe will simply build another nest on top of it, neatly solving her problem.

Both parents feed the nestlings, bringing food even after the little ones fledge. Beak full of small insects will be brought to their demanding offspring. After leaving the nest, the youngsters give small, wispy calls to tell the devoted DoorDash parents where to deliver the food.

Pair-bonding is strong during the nesting season, but after that, the mates will usually go their separate ways. Studies reported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology show that both males and females are strongly attached to a breeding site, so the two are likely to have a “same time next year” arrangement.

Their adaptability—their willingness to use human structures as substitute nest sites —has greatly benefited the Eastern Phoebe. Although bad winters may cause a drop in population, data from the Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Counts indicate that the species is doing well. They are classified as a species of least concern.

Insect-loving Phoebes don’t come to feeders. However, when you walk near a creek, survey a shelter, or scan the edges of your local woods, you may see a small, dark-headed bird with an enthusiastic habit of bobbing or wagging its tail. Congratulations! You have found an Eastern Phoebe o

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

BACK ISSUE SALE!

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

SUMMER 2009

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

• 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

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: WASHINGTON

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.