Washington Gardener Magazine November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021 VOL. 16 NO. 9

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

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the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Christmas Fern Native Plant Profile Seed-Storing Tips Growing Cutting Lettuce White-Throated Sparrows

Fall Armyworms Meet Linda Jones DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar

Urban Ag Summit Lessons Visit the Ephemeral Temperance Alley Garden Great Gardening Books Reviewed

Firethorn

Dramatic and Daunting Pyracantha

How to Combine Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Summer Creek Horticultural Soil Mixes HiDra2-Seed Starter MultiMix2–Raised Bed Mix Organic - Local – Sustainable – Pro Grade Most sustainable horticultural mixes available.

Available at Mom’s, Direct & select ACE Hardware www.summercreekfarm.com - Thurmont, Maryland

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RESOURCESsourc

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the DC region and ONLINE! Call 240.603.1461 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

Green Spring Gardens

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.

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

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Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts extension.umd.edu/hgic

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FEATURES and COLUMNS

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Winter visitors, WhiteThroated Sparrows are gregarious and curious. If you see or hear them, try making a soft “pishing” sound; they may come check you out!

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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.

21 Christmas Fern needs welldrained soils. You should “consider planting rhizome at an angle to help combat potential crown rot problems, which can occur in poorly drained soils,” according to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

According to Barbara Melera of HarvestingHistory.com, seeds do not have to be stored in a cold environment like a refrigerator and should never be stored in a freezer. The “frostfree” of most freezers now is too dehydrating.

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BIRDwatch 22 White-Throated Sparrows BOOKreviews 17-19 Foraging for Mushrooms, Hidden History of Houseplants, Natural Beekeeping, Women and Gardens DAYtrip 14 Temperance Alley Garden EDIBLEharvest 16 Cutting Lettuce GOINGnative 21 Christmas Fern HORThappenings 12 Landscape Designers’ Group Meetup, Garlic Festival, Blair Park Daffodil Planting INSECTindex 20 Fall Armyworm LOCALnews 6-7 Urban Ag Summit NEIGHBORnetwork 8-9 Linda Jones NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Redbud ‘Flame Thrower’ PLANTprofile 15 Firethorn Pyracantha TIPStricks 10 Combining Spring-Flowering Bulbs, Seed Storing Tips

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ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest GARDENDCpodcasts LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERreactions RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER

Pyracantha at Hillwood Estate, Museum, & Gardens in Washington, DC.

In our December issue: Holiday Plant Care Conservation Landscapes and much more . . .

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NOVEMBER 2021

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GUESTeditorial

River Farm’s Reprieve

[This issue, I’ve turned the editorial column over to one of our interns. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views, opinions, or policies of Washington Gardener. - Your Editor.]

Star Chamber intrigue, a deadlocked board of directors in charge of a multi-milliondollar endowment, an alphabet soup of DCadjacent organizations, information leaks, tens of millions of dollars in real estate at stake in one of the hottest markets in the world ... of course, I’m talking about the American Horticultural Society’s River Farm issue.

George Washington owned and administered (but did not personally work) five farms in Northern Virginia on the Potomac River in a region called Piscataway Neck, between Dogue Creek to the south and Little Hunting Creek to the north: River Farm, Mansion Farm, Dogue Creek Farm, Muddy Hole Farm, and Woodlawn Plantation. Two equally important accessory properties, Washington’s Distillery and Granary, are adjacent to these properties, very near what is now Fort Belvoir.

These sites are literally priceless and of inestimable cultural and historic value. They are valuable not only for their significance in the very founding of the country, but their ecological value as riverfront green space is similarly nonpareil, not to mention the possibilities they offer for public education.

River Farm is a crown jewel among crown jewels.

But despite the additional distinction of probably being haunted by the spectre of President Washington’s favorite dog, Sweet Lips, River Farm’s fate somehow became precarious. Thus begins our story.

And this story has something for everybody: the dignity of history, the pathos of a community struggling to retain its character, the heart-stopping excitement of nonprofit boards of directors meeting the timeless romance of county and government officials. But it’s also a feel-good hit, with allAmerican themes—persistence, heart, and community spirit—and an ending that leaves ’em cheering.

Some of the villains are admittedly doing preposterously villainous things like trying to sell George Washington’s historic farm on the shores of the Potomac to a Trumpadministration crony developer (think top hat and twirling mustache). If I were to write characters like these, they would never be believed. But as any Washington Gardener reader will tell you, something about the humidity around here can cause things, for better or for worse, to grow larger than life.

But first, a flashback to the early 1970s: 4

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American horticultural ultra-mega-superstar Enid Haupt is in her full philanthropic glory. Haupt purchased historic River Farm in Northern Virginia for the American Horticultural Society (AHS) to have and to hold as its groovy horticultural headquarters. While no official legal provisos were made, Enid Haupt (Annenberg heiress and publisher of Seventeen magazine from 1953–1970) was clear in her stipulations to AHS that if she were going to buy River Farm for them, she preferred the site to remain open to the public. And it was ... until the pandemic created unpleasantly chilly conditions in the AHS coffers.

Rumbles of trouble began in late 2020 and built to a fever pitch in May, when the AHS locked the doors to River Farm even to their own volunteers. Enter Alan Rowsome, executive director of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT). Speaking on November 8, 2021, at the Washington Farm United Methodist Church, not from River Farm itself, Rowsome briefed Mount Vernon Garden Club members on the ups and downs, and outs and intrigues, of the River Farm Affair.

In 2021, NVCT approached the AHS about buying River Farm, but those overtures were met with “we’re just not ready,” and other gentle put-offs. “Time wasn’t on our side,” said Rowsome, in a refrain alltoo-familiar to anyone who follows historical preservation and conservation initiatives.

As recently as September 27, the AHS rejected a NOVA Parks offer to buy the property. “That was a bad day,” Rowsome recalled. “We thought we might have lost that day ... They had more money on the table than we had. We were gonna watch this place be lost.”

But Save River Farm, concerned community organizers, NVCT, and NOVA Parks were stronger together. “Rather than give up at that point, we decided to increase our offer … It was also an exercise in creativity and kinda not taking no for an answer,” Rowsome continued. The tide of public opinion was turning. “In turning us down, I think they unleashed a firestorm they didn’t expect,” he recalled. “I think it was really kind of withering for AHS to see this, day after day, and week after week.”

The issue was kept in the local press by tireless volunteers and local community members who really cared and gave their all. “The fact that AHS closed the gates

to their own volunteers, and didn’t find a way to keep the property open to people, even sort of provisionally ...” Rowsome trailed off, but obviously that was a bad look for the AHS. Passions were running high, and intrigues were forming in the halls of the Society. “AHS was threatening their own staff and board with legal action should information continue to be leaked,” Rowsome claimed.

Ultimately, the anticlimactic end to the months-long 5-to-5 board of directors deadlock debacle at the AHS ended with a few whimpers and a mass resignation, halving the board, to five members. “In a sort of interesting irony, there has been more interest in River Farm now than there ever has been,” Rowsome said. This experience of saving River Farm has acted as a sort of “beacon,” showing other communities that people can really do this— can save these places from the ugliest forces in our civilization.

One thing Rowsome insists on is that communities “not take no for an answer.”

Get governments or private owners to accept an offer, he said, and that acceptance will trigger the mechanisms of funding. Within a government infrastructure or nonprofit ecosystem, the funding will find you. “The irony is, that we really never had the money. If they had called our bluff and accepted our offer, we were in trouble,” said Rowsome. But “we knew that if they’d accept our offer, Fairfax County and all the others [would] help us find it, so I guess we’ll make it happen.”

The community activists kept the pressure on, despite slippery statements and behavior from the AHS, indicating some level of bad-faith engagement. “They were making excuses for why they couldn’t actually talk to us about some sort of deal,” Rowsome said. “We offered them a split 60–40, 70–30 … [and they kept saying], we’re just not ready, that doesn’t seem right for us,’ and privately, behind the scenes, they kept it on the market.”

After the AHS board self-annihilated, the remaining board members—Skipp Calvert, Tim Conlon, Laura Dowling, Holly Shimizu, and Marcia Zech—released a final statement about River Farm: “The property is not being sold.”

“The stewards of River Farm,” as they call themselves, “will ensure the preservation of this priceless property in perpetuity.”

What a relief! You know that feeling where you want to get up and cheer at the end of a movie? Rejoice, Washington gardeners: River Farm is saved, this time forever—and with the kind of finale that reminds us it’s okay to cry at happy endings, too. ~ Charlotte Benedetto

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our November 2021 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a set of GardenSleeves (prize value: $22).

Inventor Lynne Eichenbaum has created GardenSleeves

by NOMPI Gloves (www.MyGardenSleeves.com), the gardening and work gloves with sleeves. Patented and made in the USA, GardenSleeves came about after Eichenbaum contracted yet another case of forearm poison ivy after tending to her vegetable garden. She invented a pair for herself and couldn’t wait to share them with fellow gardeners. GardenSleeves by NOMPI Gloves keep arms free from scratches, sunburn, poison ivy, mosquito bites, and more.

Made from breathable 100% cotton fabric, the sleeves are attached to cotton/polyblend or nitrile gardening gloves. The elastic arm band assures a non-slip fit and NOMPIs are fully machine washable.

To enter to win a set of GardenSleeves, send an email by 5:00pm on November 30 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “GardenSleeves” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on December 1. o

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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 Charlotte Benedetto Charlotte Crook Melena DiNenna Melinda Thompson Interns Subscription: $20.00 • Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: https://groups.google.com/g/ washingtongardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Instagram: www.instagram.com/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine/ • Washington Gardener YouTube: www.youtube.com/ washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Store: www.amazon.com/shop/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener Podcast: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/ • Washington Gardener is a womanowned 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

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.

Volume 16, Number 9 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2021 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.

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LOCALnews

Mid-Atlantic Urban Agriculture Summit 2021

By Charlotte Benedetto, Charlotte Crook, and Melinda Thompson The 2021 Mid-Atlantic Urban Agriculture Summit gave urban gardeners and farmers advice, information, and encouragement. The virtual event, organized by Virginia Cooperative Extension, lasted three days in mid-October. The event had a solid turnout, with plenty of people on the Zoom call for each keynote speaker, Q&A session, and breakout room.

Growing Medicine

Tuesday, October 12, the first day of the conference, featured herbs, soils, and the expenses of growing versus purchasing food. The second day of the conference, Wednesday, October 13, had events on combating garden diseases, growing Egyptian Spinach, and mulch application. That Thursday, the conference’s final day, featured a gardening and farmers’ market community organization, virtual farm tour, and final evaluation for the summit.

“A Box or Two with Medicine,” the Mid-Atlantic Urban Agriculture Summit session led by Henriette den Ouden, explored the subtleties of community herb gardening.

Often, the central passion for growing a garden is the fresh taste: ”Taste is really such an individual thing,” den Ouden said. “You can have the most interesting conversations with people, and it’s just about ‘Is it bitter? Is it sweet?’ . . . They are in the now. They are tasting. They become very aware of what they’re doing. It’s fun to hear one teenager say that elderberry tastes like ketchup and the other thinks that the elderberry are tasting kind of bitter.”

DC-area gardeners cultivate and grow in the haze of our complex local political backdrop, and den Ouden articulated how working with herbs in a place of mindfulness and presence re-centers a ragged psyche.

“Pick a flower, put it in water for 24 hours. Bam! There you have your flower essence,” she said. “It’s a really nice way of connecting with nature. Connect6

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ing with flowers. And it’s a nice way of feeling stillness in your garden—no matter where your garden is.”

Urban gardens can have debilitating industrial hangovers, and den Ouden reminded us of the limits of these sites, saying, “If there’s been a lot of environmental pollution, you don’t want to have your herbs in there because they take up whatever is in the ground. If there are heavy metals in the soil, don’t even think about growing medicine in it!”

Do authors of northerly herbals just not understand the Mid-Atlantic’s climatological temperament? “Herbals are often written far up north . . . so even if the herbal says put them in full sun, put them in a little bit of shade,” said den Ouden. Like people, herbs need “personal space” and “constant airflow.”

“It’s important that they look healthy and that they are healthy, which also means keeping a little distance between them.” Timely advice. A little space; a little coolness; and rich, clean soil is a must for both herbs and shared healing and connection in the garden.

Starting with Soils

To be a gardener means to be “All About the Soil,” but to many of us, despite our interest, the scientific aspects of soils may be a bit occult, obscure, and hard to understand. “Soil science can be complicated . . . soil maintenance doesn’t need to be,” Kirsten Conrad said in her contribution to the Urban Agriculture Summit.

Garden enthusiasts can better understand soils by comparing “abstract, unseeable concepts to known objects and functions [to] make them as ‘seeable’ as possible,” said Conrad. “So, if the sand particle is the size of a basketball, what’s the size of a silt particle?

Maybe a golf ball?”

Handling the soil is understanding the soil, and is “where you start, when you start to improve soil,” she said. Conrad advocates for educators and gardeners alike to try traditional, tactile, hands-

in-the-dirt techniques like ribbon tests, sediment jars, and balls of soil. Make a mud ball and play with it to detect what Conrad calls tilth: a “good old-fashioned word meaning ‘workability.’”

We can’t over-emphasize the importance of soil microorganisms and feeding them with organic matter to grow and remediate the soil “peds.” [Peds are small clumps or aggregates held together by the electrical charges on the surfaces of the minerals.] But it’s also our job as urban gardeners to restore washed-out, salted-up nutrients, and organic matter.

Conrad’s case study featured a highly doable method of soil rebuilding—years and years of layering airy drifts of highnitrogen wood chips and little else.

“Healthy soil is a loose soil. . . you should be able to push your arm down into the soil up to the elbow,” Conrad said.

Compacted soil “pans,” and/or poorly draining clay soils are a challenge no doubt familiar to many local gardeners. Urban and suburban soils can be miserably imporous, impermeable, and compacted. It doesn’t help that poor drainage is a native characteristic of our Beltway-adjacent high-clay soils.

Conrad’s case-study site also had drainage issues—impermeable clay with low “kettles” that filled with runoff regularly. It also had wood chips—about 18 inches of chips applied to the site yearly. After six years, the soil was loosened enough to broad-fork. Plants took off in the restored, fluffy soil formed from degraded wood chips. “We need plants and organic matter to help build soil and temper the extremes of flood-drought cycles,” she said. Truly essential wisdom for our ever-more sun-baked, washed-out, and flooded gardens.

Myth of the $100 Salad

Is it really more expensive to eat healthy? Does our beloved homegrown produce actually cost us more? Don’t bring that up in polite company, or you may find yourself banished to the garden next time. In his economic exegesis on indoor solutions to food-supply resilience, Tyler Baras crunched the numbers for us, and the answer is: (fanfare) It depends.

LOCALnews In his charmingly named session, “The $100 Salad,” Tyler Baras explained that “crop selection is one of the biggest factors” since “different varieties have wildly different yields.”

Brighter indoor lights bring on higher yields, but energy isn’t particularly cheap in the DC area. “It depends what you grow and your techniques,” and if you are able to DIY any part of the process.

Futuristic hydroponic salad systems that resemble a sort of Starship Enterprise of salads tend to be expensive— about $200 per square foot of growing space, said Baras. Retail kits often rely on rock wool, an ecologically contentious product known to our readers in nearby West Virginia, where protests against a local rock wool plant have dragged on for years. Even by building your own system, Baras warned that: urban gardeners can expect to pay about $100 per square foot.

If you plan to surviving the apocalypse by getting all your San Marzanos from an indoor kit or pre-manufactured hydroponics system, your post-apocalypse marinara sauces may be a little . . . costly. Baras said that “If you’re indoors, you gotta think, if you’re growing a tomato, you’re growing a lot of leaves and stem,” and that’s all stuff that never hits your plate.

If you’re working for maximum nutritional value, Baras suggested starting with microgreens, higher-nutrient salad greens, and a couple pots of herbs.

Edible flowers are great and with retail prices of at least “25 or 50 cents each,” you can beat the grocery store by growing your own nasturtiums and borage, “but most people are not actually purchasing those for themselves,” Baras laughed.

Combating Diseases

Wednesday was filled with a variety of breakout sessions providing both technical information about plant research and how to profit as a small farm.

Zelalem Mersha’s talk, “Potentials, Pitfalls, and Prospects of Biologically Based Approaches to Combat Garden Diseases,” was a research-based presentation that went through the purpose, methods, and results of Mersha’s study. This study looked at how these biological methods of pesticides affect-

ed downy mildew pathogens.

“When talking about biological controls, I encourage gardeners and small farmers is to establish biological agents in their system in a way that they can nurture the good organisms by applying everything that’s biological, and not spraying toxic chemicals that kill the beneficials,” Mersha said.

Mulching and home remedies like baking soda are two biological methods for reducing downy mildew. Mersha said that these types of methods were better for the well-being of plants.

In, “Emergence and Yield of Container Grown Egyptian Spinach (Corchorus olitorius L.) in Response to Fabric Covering,” Eric Obeng talked about a study he conducted to try to increase the growing speed of that crop.

Obeng said that because of its hard seed coats, Egyptian Spinach has a dormancy before growing. His study looked at how covering the plant could change the growing time. The research showed that the covering did affect growing time, but not substantially.

Marketing Small Farmers

“Farmers and the work that we all do is literally the original form of entrepreneurship, both in this country and across the world,” Oren Falkowitz said in “Planting the Seeds of Revolution,” Small farms have to compete with grocery stores to sell produce. Falkowitz emphasized that the biggest downfall for profit was traveling to different locations to sell produce.

The three ways Falkowitz said that small farmers could maximize profits are to reduce the traveling distance to sell products, create stories behind production to get people interested, and have a more diverse set of crops than can always be found in grocery stores.

Leonard Githinji’s session, “Assessing the Benefits of Organic Mulch Application at an Urban Farm in Richmond, Virginia,” covered his research into a variety of types of mulch and their impact on weed growth and crop production.

Researchers used tomatoes and okra in several plots as they changed the types of mulch.

Githinji’s research found that wood mulch was the most effective to lessen weed growth and also the most sustainable.

Thursday’s program began with a presentation from Dr. Gail Myers about how history and community impact urban gardening. Myers, an Ecological Farming Association’s 2018 Advocate for Social Justice award-winner, is a cultural anthropologist and Air Force veteran.

Myers has worked with Farms to Grow, Inc., a nonprofit organization, founded in 2004 by Myers and Gordon Reed, that works with Black and underserved farmers across the country to help them succeed.

In Oakland, California, Farms to Grow, Inc. runs the Freedom Farmers’ Market, where Black farmers can sell their organic produce. Although this is an example from the West Coast, it provides great examples of the connection and community that urban farming can bring, especially to people of color.

There was a strong theme of legacy in Myers’ talk. She said that acknowledging the role of Black farmers in our communities and our nation’s history is important.

“Though the footprint is very small, the hand that Black farmers have had is very large,” said Myers.

Myers also emphasized a commitment to sustainability and innovation.

Supporting the local economy, eating within the seasons, and providing and protecting a sustainable ecosystem is essential to this, she said.

She also acknowledged that for many African-Americans, there is “lots of trauma” intertwined with their relationship to the agricultural industry. She said that agrarian life promotes selfsufficiency and community involvement.

A key to this, she says, is intergenerational connection.

“One of the best things about urban agriculture is connecting our elders with young people,” she said.

Myers emphasized the community that can be built around growing and sharing food, especially sharing knowledge. She called this a “pipeline to the next generation.” In connecting with young folks, urban agriculture can affect cities, communities, and lives for generations to come. o Charlotte Benedetto, Charlotte Crook, and Melinda Thompson are interns this fall with Washington Gardener.

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NEIGHBORnwork of them intertwine with each other, and it’s just beautiful to have in the garden together.

Linda Jones

Urban Far�er and Teacher

By Melena DiNenna Linda Jones, a certified Master Gardener, is a Jackson, Mississippi, native, who moved to Maryland in 1984 and has been here ever since.

A lover of gardening for 25 years and a recent retiree, Jones operates her garden and urban farm in Clinton, Maryland. As owner of Elements of Nature - Botanicals and Pharmaceuticals, Jones offers a wide variety of products; plants, seeds, teas, and bath and body products, to name only a few.

What Jones loves just as much as gardening itself? Educating. Elements of Nature also offers workshops and consultations. She has also been featured at many public and private garden events in the region, where she has given lectures and speeches all about gardening.

What started your gardening interest?

I’ve been gardening since I was a teenager. We had a family plot where we had a huge garden, and everybody had to work in the garden over the summers by helping with planting; harvesting; maintenance; putting up the 8

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canning, as they call it; and all those types of things. I was just taking a lot of mental notes as I was doing things that I didn’t really understand at the time, but I kind of learned as I went along. I picked up a lot of things that I use now in my garden business.

What draws you to herbs, flowers, and gourds?

Herbs and flowers are intertwined. A lot of them are edible, some medicinal, some culinary, and some are just for looking at, for their beauty. And I like growing those three things because they all complement each other. I have a lot of uses for my herbs—I use them in cosmetic products that I like, for tea, for dishes, for beverages. I also make essential oils that come from herbs.

For flowers, a lot of those are edible, too, and they just beautify any space you put them in. Gourds were one of my little play-projects. I initially started a gourd garden at our Master Gardener demo garden down in Clinton in 2011.

We kept it up until about a couple of years ago. We grew all types of gourds there—edibles, luffa gourds, the ones you use for birdhouses, and so on. All

What inspired you to become a Master Gardener?

The love of plants, wanting to learn more, and just getting into the nittygritty of a lot of things in horticulture that aren’t always evident. Learning why certain things will grow in certain areas and why they won’t in others.

Some of the things you need in your soil to make sure your plants are growing healthy and just making sure that I knew what I needed to know to pass that information along to other people.

As a result, the Master Gardener Program led me to starting my own urban farm. That was the end goal.

What sparked your idea for HomeGrown Beauty Essentials?

I started this in about 2016. I was just frustrated with what I find in stores for skincare—too much fragrance, too many bad products, too many ingredients that I couldn’t pronounce. I started to go to different classes and learn how to make soaps and lotions and other types of beauty products that didn’t have a lot of harsh chemicals.

I’ve been doing it mostly seasonally and sometimes throughout the year, but mostly for holiday gifts.

Why do you enjoy teaching about gardening?

Teaching about gardening is just a fun thing for me. I like sharing what I find out in experiments, what I find out from tried-and-true methods, and the passion for gardening that allows other people to be self-sufficient and not always have to depend on getting whatever you eat from somebody else’s landscape. You can easily grow a lot of things in a lot less space than most people think. A lot of people think it’s hard, but sometimes they’re trying to grow something that’s either nonnative or doesn’t fit in this climate—like growing lemon trees outdoors here. It might last for a summer, but it won’t last for seasons. So, just trying to get people to know what grows here in the Mid-Atlantic and getting them to try different things. And add variety to their diets, really.

NEIGHBORnwork Where have you taught gardening before?

I’ve taught all over the DMV. I’ve taught at the Rooting DC conferences since 2017 or 2018. I’ve taught with a Master Gardener Program since 2010.

I’ve taught classes and conducted workshops with various entities such as Washington Gardener Magazine’s annual Seed Exchanges. I’ve addressed garden clubs, like the Hughesville Garden Club, the Spring Garden Club, and others throughout Prince George’s County.

I’ve also done some partnerships with the Community Forklift. They reduce, reuse, and recycle materials that would otherwise go to the landfill, and they have a garden workshop every year and different programs that are environmentally friendly.

I’ve also done a couple of radio talks.

One was with the Howard University radio station. I also did a television interview at the Laurel Community Garden with the Prince George’s Herb Society. I’ve been doing this for a few years with a lot of different environments and all ages of people—from the little kids up to the senior citizen—anybody who wants to learn about gardening and has the patience to learn, I’m willing to teach.

Who is someone you’ve learned a lot from?

So many people. It hasn’t been one particular person because by being in the Master Gardener Program, I’ve been able to visit several Master Gardeners’ gardens and learn a lot about how they grow things. And while growing up, I learned a lot by watching my grandparents garden and some of the things that they did. So, the combination of those two, plus some of the garden friends that I run into on this gardening journey. We have a lot of people who know a whole lot more than I know. As a result, I can pick up things that I can home in on and pay closer attention to as I either start new gardens or develop better ways to do things that I’m already doing.

I’ve had a lot of help along the way, and still go to classes and workshops online. A lot of the universities across the country have Master Gardener

programs. I’ve been able to pick up a lot of good information from extension offices that are offering things like tips for growing garlic, beans, root vegetables—all of those things I’ve learned from a lot of different people.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like taking nature walks and going to gardens—historical gardens, arboretums, museums, anything agriculturerelated. I like to go visit to see what’s going on in other gardens in other parts of the world and country, because I’ve picked up on a lot of things just by going to other people’s spaces and seeing how they grow. Besides being in my garden and running my urban farm, those are the things that I like to do because it’s just a peaceful adventure.

What advice would you give to beginner gardeners?

Take it slow. Learn about the plants that you would like to grow, and then start with a handful, maybe three or four things. See how they grow. See if you like it. You don’t need an acre to grow many things, because there are many ways to grow without growing in-ground. And listen to some suggestions that people give you for growing things. Make sure that you get some good resources—whether they’re videos or books.

You can also have a gardening coach or somebody you can bounce things off. If you’re a new gardener, we want you to stay in the game. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to appreciate gardening and what the Earth can provide food-wise and all those things. Just take it slow, and pay attention and experiment. Gardening is not an exact science—what works for some people might not work in your area, so study your region and the things that you want to grow, and just grow them. It starts now. o Melena DiNenna is a journalism student at the University of Maryland, College Park, with minors in Spanish and sustainability studies. She is from Salisbury, MD, and is interning this fall with Washington Gardener.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City Coming Soon!

By Kathy Jentz and Teresa Speight Published by Cool Springs Press/Quarto Homes Pre-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 persimmon, beginner houseplants, and greenhouses.

You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o NOVEMBER 2021

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TIPStricks

Top Seed Storing Tips Some seeds can last for decades—melons, squash, and pumpkins. Most seeds, if stored well, will last for several years. Notable exceptions are onion family seed (including leeks), peppers (both sweet and hot), peas, sweet corn, okra, parsley, parsnip, salsify, spinach, and lettuce.

According to Barbara Melera of Harvesting History (harvesting-history. com), the three factors that contribute most to destroying a seed’s ability to germinate are moisture (primarily in the form of humidity), radical changes in temperature on a regular basis, and fungi/bacteria on the seeds because of insufficient drying.

• Moisture acts as an enabler, creating an environment for mold and/or bacteria to proliferate. Moisture softens the hard outer surface of the seed, which then allows mold/fungi to penetrate the germplasm and destroy it.

• Radical temperature changes also compromise a seed’s ability to germinate. By radical temperature changes, Melera means that within a 24-hour period, the seed is exposed to 80 degree temperatures and then 40 degree temperatures. Temperature changes that occur on a frequent basis weaken the seed. These can alter the chemical structure of the seed and render it nonviable.

• Bacteria/fungi/viruses can be introduced to seeds from many sources, but the most likely source is insufficient drying. These biologicals destroy seeds in many ways. Some seed-savers spray their seeds before storing with a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part hydrogen peroxide and then allow the seed to dry for 24-48 hours. This can work for many seed varieties, but it can also harm some seeds.

The best container in which to store seeds is a glass jar with a screw-top lid. Glass jars eliminate the problem of seed being exposed to humidity or other forms of moisture. Jars sterilized in a dishwasher, boiled in a water bath for an hour, or wiped down with bleach and allowed to dry significantly reduce the danger of mold/fungi/bacteria/viruses.

To store multiple seed varieties in a single glass jar, put each variety in its own paper bag. o 10

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How to Combine Spring-flowering Bulbs Have color for months on end by planting spring-flowering bulbs this fall. Flower bulbs provide color in the garden when the rest of the plants are still deep in hibernation. The fun starts as early as January. Did you know that there are also varieties that continue to bloom until early summer? With a combination of the right flower bulbs, you can bring color and cheerfulness to your green oasis for the first six months of the year.

The best-known spring-flowering bulbs are tulips (Tulipa), daffodils (Narcissus), crocuses (Crocus), and hyacinths (Hyacinthus). But there are many more absolute gems with beautiful flowers, such as grape hyacinths (Muscari), lapwing (Fritillaria meleagris), snowdrops (Galanthus), and alliums. If you want to find out when they will flower, just check the calendar chart from iBulb.com, above.

Most flower bulbs bloom for several weeks. How can you make sure the different flowering periods align nicely? By choosing the right combinations! An example of such a combination is snowdrops (January), crocuses (February), botanical daffodils (March), grape hyacinths (April), tulips (April / May), and alliums (June). If you plant them now, all that’s left for you to do in the spring is enjoy them.

Consider planting flower bulbs before the end of the year and turn it into a family seasonal celebration or tradition. Do make sure your bulbs are in the ground before the ground freezes. Flower bulbs need the cold to grow and bloom properly. Planting flower bulbs is done in three steps: 1. Dig a hole for a large group of bulbs or individual holes for single bulbs. The rule of thumb is to plant the bulb three times as deep as it is tall.

2. Place the flower bulbs in the soil with the tips facing up. If you’re not sure which way is up, don’t worry: the bulbs will grow and flower even if you plant them upsidedown. Large flower bulbs like to be 3 to 8 inches apart from each other and smaller ones should be set 1 to 3 inches apart.

3. Cover the bulbs with soil and water them, but only if the soil gets dry.

The range of flower bulbs is extensive. Always check the packaging for the correct flowering period, so you can create the right combinations. For instance, daffodil varieties can be early-season, mid-season, or late-season bloomers.

Many spring-flowering bulbs enjoy a sunny spot or partial shade. Check the packaging for the correct location.

Flower bulbs will grow in almost any type of soil, provided it is not too wet. Avoid places where water tends to pool, such as the bottom of a hill or under drains.

If you have a balcony or terrace, plant your bulbs in pots using the lasagna method, by planting the flower bulbs in layers. Put late-flowering bulbs at the bottom and the early-flowering ones at the top. If you plant the layers in the correct flowering order, the early bloomers will flower first, followed by the bulbs that bloom at a later time.

More information about flower bulbs is available at www.flowerbulbs.com. o

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Hardy Orange Plant Profile • Best DC Podcast Awarded to GardenDC • Greenhouses for Home Gardeners See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

November–December Garden To-do List New Plant Spotlight

Flame Thrower® Redbud

Cercis canadensis ‘NC2016-2’ PP 31,260 The ‘Flame Thrower’ Redbud won Plant of the Year 2021 at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show. In Europe, it is being marketed under the name ‘Eternal Flame.’

This new redbud boasts perfectly pink flowers in early spring and showstopping foliage that emerges burgundy-red and turns bright-yellow and green as it ages. Stunning color display is persistent throughout the season, often with four to five different shades on a single branch.

This small tree will grow to about 15 to 20 feet high and is hardy to USDA Zones 5 to 9. It prefers full sun and is attractive to pollinators.

This introduction was developed by Dr. Dennis Werner at the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University and is available from Star Roses & Plants (https://www.starrosesandplants.com/ plants/flame-thrower-cercis/). o

Photos courtesy of Star Roses and Plants.

• Switch your deer deterrent spray if you’ve been using the same one for several months. Re-apply after heavy rains.

• Have your soil tested at least once every three years.

• Cover carrots and other root crops with straw to extend the harvest season.

• Deadhead spent mums and plant them if they are still in pots.

• Don’t panic over leaf/needle drop on established evergreen shrubs and rhododendrons. It is normal for them to shed a third at this time of year.

• Bulb foliage already starting to surface? Don’t fret. It is also normal and will not affect next year’s blooms.

• Check for vole problems and set out traps.

• Caulk and seal your home to prevent wildlife from coming indoors.

• Protect fig trees from freezing by piling up leaves around them.

• Clean the leaves of your indoor houseplants to prevent dust and film build-up.

• Collect plant seeds for next year’s planting and for trading.

• Turn off outdoor water valve and store hoses.

• Store terra cotta pots in a shed or protected areas.

• Prune and mulch hybrid tea roses.

• Harvest the last of your vegetables and till compost into the beds.

• Plant garlic for harvest next spring.

• Force spring bulbs for indoor blooms this January by potting them up, watering thoroughly, and placing them in your vegetable crisper for about 10 weeks.

• Remove this year’s fruiting raspberry canes down to the ground.

• Clean out your ponds and compost annual plants. Move hardy plants to deeper water. Cover with netting to block falling leaves.

• Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools.

• Reduce fertilizing of indoor plants (except cyclamen).

• Set up a humidifier for indoor plants or at least place them in pebble trays.

• Vacuum up any ladybugs that come in the house.

• Rotate houseplants to promote even growth.

• Pot up Paperwhites and Amaryllis for holiday blooming.

• Water evergreens and new plantings to keep them hydrated this winter.

• Fertilize your lawn and re-seed if needed.

• Transplant trees and shrubs.

• Continue to divide and transplant perennials.

• Rake leaves, shred, and gather in compost piles.

• Start feeding birds to get them in the habit for this winter.

• Attend a local garden club meeting.

• Turn your compost pile weekly and don’t let it dry out. Work compost into your planting beds.

• Plant evergreens for winter interest.

• Weed.

• Take a break from holiday stress to enjoy your garden.

• Do not place live wreaths or greenery in-between your door and a glass storm door, especially if the doorway is facing south. This placement will “cook” the arrangement on a sunny day.

• Sign up all your friends and family for garden magazine subscriptions as holiday gifts. o NOVEMBER 2021

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HORThaenings

By Melinda Thompson

Landscape Designers Dupont Circle Meet-Up The Landscape Designers’ Group hosted a Garden Tour and Happy Hour Celebration on Monday, November 8.

The tour met at the house of a client of the designer, Amy Chaffman of The Pampered Garden. Tony Weaver, a member of the Landscape Designers’ Group (LDG) and the new president of the club, said the attendees listened to Chaffman explain the design and her process.

“We looked at the work that she had done there,” said Weaver. “They replaced the stone patio, installed the fire pit, and modified plantings and the water feature as well. It was a beautiful space.”

A good turn-out of about 16 to 18 people toured Chaffman’s home, in two waves over the four-hour period, Weaver said. The waves consisted of one in the beginning and one later in the evening.

Along with the tour, the Landscape Designers’ Group was meeting to honor Adele Ashkar, who was retiring from the George Washington University Landscape Design Program.

They also held a vote for LDG president due to Julie Hawley stepping down.

Weaver was announced as the new president. o

Washington Youth Garden Garlic Festival On the sunny Saturday morning before Halloween, Washington Youth Garden, 12

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an educational program by Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA), supported by the U.S. National Arboretum, hosted their annual Garlic Planting Party.

There, people of all ages gathered to enjoy the festivities planned, including garlic and bulb plantings, fall leaf crafts, and herbal tarot card readings.

Brianne Studer, the Washington Youth Garden Director of Programs, said, “The garlic planting party was a great way to celebrate the growing season we’ve had at Washington Youth Garden and the people who helped us get there. We’ve harvested and donated over 5,500 pounds of food this year, and our volunteers, teachers, families, and visitors came out to celebrate with us by making fall leaf crafts, planting garlic, harvesting sweet potatoes, enjoying delicious food, and exploring our garden.

It was so fun to be in the garden space with so many people again.”

Children and adults alike got their hands dirty to plant garlic bulbs.

A fun treat was included: food sampling! People were able to try fermented garlic-honey on a piece of bread, scooped from a mason jar. For a Halloween treat, various pies and other garlic-forward dishes were also available to sample.

While most of the bulbs were planted

by the end of the day, some of the extras were given away to guests for their home gardens. o

Daffodil Bulb Planting The annual Veterans Day Daffodil Bulb Planting was held again on November 11 at Jesup Blair Park on the border of Washington, DC, and Silver Spring, MD. Members of the Silver Spring Garden Club and additional volunteer guests planted almost 800 daffodil bulbs. The daffodils can be found in bloom next March on either side of the mansion in the urban park. In the last few years, the club has planted several thousand daffodil bulbs on the site to honor those lost in the World Wars.

Founded in 1942, the Silver Spring Garden Club brings together garden enthusiasts in the spirit of education, conservation, and volunteer service. A core component of the organization’s mission involves beautifying parts of the local community. This tradition of service has remained steadfast throughout the decades. o Melinda Thompson is a senior journalism major with a vocal performance minor and a concentration in women’s studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this fall with Washington Gardener.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales • Wednesdays through Sundays through November 2021; 11am or 2:30pm Historic London Town & Gardens Walking Tours Enjoy 30-minute walking tours of the historic area and William Brown House in Edgewater, MD. Pre-registration is not necessary. These tours are included with admission. Address and details at historiclondontown.org.

• Thursday, November 18, 6:30–8pm Fall Garden Book Club Meeting We will discuss The Revolutionary Genius of Plants by Stefano Mancuso.

You can order it new or used at https:// amzn.to/2WdiGDn. We will also choose our 2022 garden book club selections at this meeting, so bring your ideas and suggestions. To see a list of all the garden books we have previously discussed in this group, see pinterest. com/wdcgardener/garden-books/.

The book club meetings are free and open to all. Register for the Zoom link at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtdO-qqDgrH9aMKMGCrsnpbYt1diG3CCz. • Sunday, November 21, 2–4pm Preparing Your Roses for Winter & ASK Ray! with ARS Master Rosarian Ray Shipley Join the Potomac Rose Society to learn how to protect your roses from winter damage. Due to geography, Ray Shipley’s rose garden in the mountains of western Maryland has more extreme winter protection requirements than possibly any other location in the American Rose Society’s Colonial District.

However, the winter protection strategy that’s best for you will depend on the USDA Hardiness Zone and weather conditions specific to your location. In this presentation, Shipley will discuss winterization tactics ranging from little or no protection to extreme protection, depending on your local conditions.

Shipley will also discuss how pruning and fertilization affect winter protection. Register for free at https://www. potomacrose.org/event-4532736.

• Wednesday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022; closed on December 25 Outdoor Holiday Display at the U.S. Botanic Garden The outdoor displays will include festive decorations, trains, evergreens, and lights in the outdoor gardens. As part of the festivities, G-gauge model trains will run between 10am and 5pm each day in the gated outdoor gardens. All outdoor gardens are open and will have decorations. The Conservatory and public restrooms remain closed due to the closure of the U.S. Capitol campus buildings. Plan your visit at www.USBG. gov/Holiday.

equity and justice in the field of conservation landscaping. Register at https:// www.chesapeakelandscape.org/.

• Tuesday, November 30, 7:30pm Gardening with Local Ecotype Native Plants A lecture by Christopher Puttock. Held with a hybird format—in person and online. The program is free and open to the public. Hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. Register at www. mdflora.org.

• Saturday, January 29 Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens

• Tuesday, December 7, 6–7:30pm Lantern Light Tour Celebrate the holiday season at Tudor Place with friends and family. Explore the Historic House by candlelight to discover celebrations of winters past.

Then, journey through the lantern-lit gardens on a guided-tour as you learn about the Peter family’s Christmas traditions. Capacity is limited and pre-registration is required. This is an in-person program. Please review the Tudor Place Health and Safety Guidelines before registering and attending. Fee: $15 members/$25 nonmembers. Register at https://tudorplace.org.

•December 8–10 9th “Turning a New Leaf” Conference The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council’s information-packed program includes talks from a diverse array of talented and knowledgeable speakers. This year’s conference will comprise two virtual, online sessions on Days 1 & 2, followed by three optional regional field days—one each in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia—on Day 3. The 2021 themes focus on normalizing sustainable practice and working collaboratively to ensure diversity,

• Saturday, December 18, 1–2:30pm Winter Solstice Celebration in the Garden Come to Green Spring Gardens to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the beginning of winter. Learn about one of the most ancient rituals in the world with legends, crafting, and games. Fee: $10 per person. Register online at www. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes with code 8ED.8SQU.

Looking Ahead to 2022

• Saturday, February 5 Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Green Spring Gardens • Friday, February 18 GreenScapes Symposium Hosted by Brookside Gardens, this a day of virtual lectures focuses this year on native plant for tough garden conditions and how to design a small garden space that will still provide ecological benefits for pollinators and wildlife.

To learn more and register, visit www. brooksidegreen.org

Event Listing Updates See updated event listings on the Washington Gardener discussion list.

Join by emailing WashingtonGardenersubscribe@googlegroups.com.

How to Submit Events To submit an event for this listing, email washingtongardenermagazine@gmail. com with “Event” in the subject line.

Our next deadline is December 5 for the December 2021 issue, for events taking place after December 15. o

Your Ad Here

Contact kathyjentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates.

The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 2021

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DAYtrip

The Ephemeral Temperance Alley Garden

By Charlotte Crook Tucked away in the middle of Washington, DC, lies the Temperance Alley Garden… for now. The small garden, a center for the community at 1909 13th Street NW, is worth the trip. If you’re not looking closely, you might miss the park. The garden really is in an alley.

Located between U, T, 12th, and 13th Streets, it may be hard to find, but that is part of why it is so special.

The garden provides an oasis from the noise and crowds of the city. Its landscape is calming and comforting.

With ivy growing up the surrounding fence, one feels truly enveloped in the environment.

Being in the city, the garden park is accessible. It’s just a short walk around the block from the U Street/AfricanAmerican Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metro stop.

Started and managed by the U Street Neighborhood Association, this garden park is temporary. The space will be developed into apartments and retail spaces in 2023. The association has made the most of this space while they can. This issue is not so straightforward, though.

In October 2020, the U Street Neighborhood Association made a deal with EastBanc, a real estate and technology company. They signed a three-year lease with the company to occupy the space. The area had been set for development, but at the time, was an empty lot. The lease said the association could use the space as a community garden.

Once the lease is up, the community is expected to hand the land back over to EastBanc for the construction to begin.

For now, the community and visitors can still enjoy this haven. The park has lots of seating. A pavilion sits in the cen14

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ter of the garden, with tall grasses, flowers, and plants spreading out around it.

At first glance, the garden might seem to be overgrown. That’s not the case.

This landscape mimics a natural one.

The wildness is what makes it so special. At the same time, it doesn’t conflict with the city landscape-- it embraces it. The result is a blend of urban and natural environments, allowing it to fit perfectly into the community.

Many call this space a “time machine.” In the garden, it feels like you’ve gone back in time. You are transported to a serene space—what this area may have looked like before development. The association calls it a “tamed meadow,” rather than an “engineered fantasy.” Its elements of naturalism are vital to this garden’s aesthetics and function. The garden even has its own time capsule.

For fall, pumpkins and mums decorate the entrance with a handmade sign attached to the doorway, a testament to the community’s involvement in this garden. The space is perfect for a picnic, with tables and chairs set up throughout. Small paths meander around the garden, leading to different plant beds and the seating areas.

There’s a café garden, a story circle, and a labyrinth.

Although the garden is a good spot to visit, it was created for the community. It has a space for local residents to grow vegetables, but this is primarily a meeting place for the community.

Neighbors can convene here for weekly workshops and events.

Events are held year-round to build community. Weekly morning meditations promote wellness in the community. The calming environment provides

the perfect backdrop for this type of event. In November, you can head to the garden for those morning meditations on Wednesdays from 8 to 9am.

This is a great way to start your day if you are in the area, and all supplies are provided.

No additional upcoming events have been announced for November, but earlier in the season, the association hosted fall-themed events. In September, the association hosted a harvest moon gathering, a yoga session, and an autumnal equinox celebration. In October, the garden hosted a pumpkincarving event.

They also host events in the garden that don’t necessarily have to do with gardening. In months past, events have focused on mutual aid and grief related to climate change. Recently, events were centered around the arts. Just this season, there was a nonfiction writing workshop, an Art of Memory 101 program and a garden photography class.

There’s truly something for everyone here.

The U Street Neighborhood Association has said that the space is a living classroom. Their goal is to involve the community as much as possible. They want each visitor to be a part of the evolving history of the space.

Construction is set to officially begin on the apartments in 2023 and end in 2026. The current development plan, according to the U Street Neighborhood Association, is not up to the current zoning code, so the association has monthly meetings with one of EastBanc’s vice presidents of development.

The company filed an application for development to the Historic Preservation Review Board in the spring of 2021 and plans on submitting a zoning application in the winter.

Although looming construction plans will displace the garden, that won’t stop the U Street Neighborhood Association from using this space to its fullest potential for now. o Charlotte Crook is a senior journalism major minoring in history at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this fall with Washington Gardener and is passionate about raising house plants (to varying degrees of success).

PLANTprofile

Pyracantha

By Kathy Jentz

Firethorn (Pyracantha sp.) is an evergreen shrub that is loaded with colorful red or orange berries. This easy-to-grow plant can be pruned into various shapes and used as a hedge, espalier, bonsai, or landscape specimen. The best time to prune Firethorn is late winter or very early spring, to avoid having an impact on the number of berries you will get later in the growing season.

Depending on the variety of Firethorn that you select, it is generally hardy to Zones 5 to 8 and can grow up to 10 feet wide and high. You can shear it annually to contain the size. The ‘Mojave’ cultivar was developed right here in DC at the U.S. National Arboretum and is very heat-tolerant. It is also considered to be reliably deer-resistant.

Firethorn prefers full sun, but will tolerate part sun. It likes well-drained, sandy soils and is drought-tolerant once established. Pick your planting location carefully because it does not like to be moved or transplanted. Firethorn can be propagated by taking cuttings in the summertime.

It is in the rose family and has sharp thorns that make it useful as a natural security barrier. Birds and small mammals like to hide inside Firethorn and build nests in them, because it provides excellent protection from large predators.

Birds love to eat the long-lasting berries as well. This plant is originally from Eurasia and is sometimes mistaken for Cotoneaster, which is thornless. o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.

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EDIBLEharvt

Cut-and-Come-Again Lettuce

By Kathy Jentz

Cutting Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), also known as cut-and-come-again lettuce, are salad greens grown for their leaves, rather than to develop a head. Cutting lettuces come in red and green varieties, as well as several combinations of the two colors. The leaves can be flat, ruffled, or curly.

Lettuce greens are a cool-season crop and do best in the spring and fall here in the Mid-Atlantic United States.

When the summer heat moves in, the plants bolt and send up a flower shoot that produces seeds. You can collect these seeds to plant the next season. Note that lettuce seed must by fresh for it to have good germination.

The seeds are tiny and can be planted directly into the garden soil or in a shallow container. Cover them with a fine layer of soil and water in well. Lettuce prefers rich garden soil and does not need fertilizers. For continual harvests, you can sow additional rows of lettuce seeds every week or two.

When the plants are several inches high, use a clean pair of kitchen shears to cut off the largest leaves down to an inch or so above the root crown. Harvest only as much as you will consume right away. In a few weeks, these lettuces will grow back up again and you will be able to have another round of cutting. Depending on the length of your growing season, you can usually get at least three or four rounds of cut greens from the plants.

Slugs and rabbits love tender lettuce leaves as do many other garden pests. You can protect your lettuce seedlings with a wire cage or cover cloth. The cloth can also act to shade the tender leaves as the weather heats up in late spring and insulates the plants when the autumn frosts move in. o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.

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BOOKreviews

How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Identifying 29 Wild, Edible Mushrooms Author: Frank Hyman Publisher: Storey Publishing List Price: $16.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3DmwQT8 Reviewer: Charlotte Crook Frank Hyman’s newest book, How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying, is a comprehensive field guide to foraging for mushrooms. Hyman wears many hats. He works as a stonesman, a gardener, and a writer. He is a certified mushroom forager who teaches mushroom identification to chefs, arborists, organic farmers, and the general public. Hyman lives in North Carolina, but the information in this book is applicable to anyone, especially beginners.

How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying, released in early October, is a true field guide. Hyman makes it clear that this book is meant to help people identify fungi while they forage. He writes, “My goal is to teach you to clearly identify mushrooms in the field rather than wait to take a spore print at home.” Hyman gives the readers the tools to actually do this, too.

The first section of the book defines terms used by foragers and describes commonly used identifiers so even those just starting to forage can understand.

The book is colorful and visually engaging, with multiple photos for each species of mushroom. Including these

photos makes it even easier to identify while in the field, especially because each picture looks a little different. You can actually see how these fungi look in the wild.

Each mushroom gets a few pages of photos and information. There’s even an entire section dedicated to mushrooms to completely avoid.

The details for each mushroom are broken down in “digestible” ways. Each section gives you information about where and when you can find them; how to identify them; how to eat, preserve, and farm them; and even some common lookalikes. This is especially helpful for beginners. Because the sections and information are divided up, it’s easy to flip to the page you need and get the details quickly.

Hyman also uses tables and charts in such a smart way. He compares and contrasts visually similar mushrooms, but describes each point of how they differ. This is helpful with specific mushrooms in providing an at-a-glance guide. You do not want to mix up the Velvet Foot mushroom with Funeral Bells, so this is where you would turn to identify them.

Want an easy way to determine if a mushroom is a delicious morel or a toxic false morel? Slice it in half—“if it’s hollow, you can swallow,” Hyman says.

Hyman weaves in a few anecdotes to give the book some humor and personality. Each story teaches you a lesson about foraging and ends with a positive flair.

How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying ends with a description of how to use your mushrooms in the kitchen. Hyman doesn’t outline specific recipes—this is not a cookbook. He instead highlights techniques to prepare mushrooms, which is a helpful.

Hyman’s book provides an in-depth guide for every step of the foraging process. Foragers of all skill levels can use this guide, even in the field, to bring them success the next time they hunt for mushrooms.o Charlotte Crook is a senior journalism major minoring in history at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this fall with Washington Gardener and is passionate about raising house plants (to varying degrees of success).

The Hidden Histories of Houseplants: Fascinating Stories of Our Most-Loved Houseplants Authors: Maddie and Alice Bailey Publisher: Hardie Grant List Price: $19.99 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3HosFbW Reviewer: Melena DiNenna The Hidden Histories of House Plants

by Maddie and Alice Bailey is a collection of intriguing houseplant profiles that explores exactly what is said in the title: Hidden Histories. Houseplants, as they say in the introduction, are a hot trend recently. But what does the general public really know about these little (or big) organisms sitting in their living room, or window sills, besides how to care for them? The Bailey sisters examine 20 houseplants and tell their stories—not only as pot-bound features for indoor decor, but also as a part of a larger ecosystem when grown in the wild.

The book has six chapters: Leaves, Flowers, Inside Plants/Medicinal, In Culture, Interesting Adaptations, and Carnivores. Because of this wide variety, readers learn about plants ranging from the interior design staple String of Pearls to Charles Darwin’s favorite carnivore, Drosera.

With each profile, the authors provide its origin and the Latin and common names. The Bailey sisters often delve NOVEMBER 2021

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BOOKreviews into how that plant thrives in the wild and what role it plays in the ecosystem.

They also often discuss how that plant became a common houseplant—which sometimes was accidental. My personal favorite was the story behind closed terrariums.

Each profile stands on its own, so don’t start each one thinking you know what you’re getting. The characteristics, stories, and facts presented about each plant depend on what is unique to them. For some profiles, they share legends and other old wives’ tales that add to the mystery behind these unique plants. For others, you’ll learn about pollinators or even uses for helping construct a walking bridge over a flooded river (yes, really), which was another personal favorite.

While I wish each profile included multiple real photos rather than one artistic rendition of the plant, the stories themselves paint a memorable picture. If you’re interested in learning about houseplants with “unique and unusual behaviors,” this is certainly a great book to check out. o Melena DiNenna is a journalism student at the University of Maryland, College Park, with minors in Spanish and sustainability studies. She is from Salisbury, MD, and is interning this fall with Washington Gardener.

Common Sense Natural Beekeeping: Sustainable, Bee-Friendly Techniques to Help Your Hives Survive and Thrive Author: Kim Flottum Publisher: Quarry Books List Price: $24.99 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3x301Zn Reviewer: Melinda Thompson The threat to honey bee survival is an issue concerning all gardeners. With Common Sense Natural Beekeeping

by Kim Flottum with Stephanie Bruneau, gardeners and beekeepers can learn a more sustainable way of beekeeping to increase the population of honey bees.

This book is a thorough guide to caring for bees in a way that puts the bees in control—not the beekeeper. Flottum writes that conventional beekeeping is so focused on honey yields that it ignores the natural ways that bees manage and repopulate themselves.

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The method of common-sense beekeeping mixes conventional beekeeping with letting the bees “keep themselves.”

“Common sense natural beekeeping, respecting the intrinsic value and natural intelligence of the bee, seeks first to learn, then to partner and participate, rather than dominate,” Flottum writes.

The book outlines three main sections that are split up into chapters. It’s good for both beginner and long-time beekeepers because it outlines every step of the process and why the bees prefer it. While long-time beekeepers might know some of the information, the book shows how to change the sole purpose of beekeeping from harvesting honey to increasing the bee population.

“Where Do Bees Choose to Live” is the first section, which describes where and how bees would live in their natural habitat. This is important because it gives insight into what bees like and how that information can be used when creating a common-sense hive. A recurring theme that is first mentioned in this section is that bees don’t like to be moved around.

“Wild bee colonies, of course, are not opened up on a regular basis for inspection and manipulation,” Flottum writes. “The bees carefully structure the hive’s atmosphere along several parameters, including humidity, heat, and nest scent. The integrity of this highly regulated internal environment is disrupted when beekeepers remove combs for inspection.”

The second section, titled “Home Sweet Home,” has three chapters that

go through the housing preferences, options for a common-sense hive, and other details about the design and placement of the hives. Some of the common-sense hives include the Langstroth hive, which is most common in contemporary beekeeping, the Warré, top bar hives, and more.

Not only does this section detail the pros and cons from the viewpoint of the bee, but it also gives a history behind the methods and how to fix them.

For example, the Langstroth style of hive is built horizontally despite the fact that bees build their combs vertically.

The Warré style was created because Abbé Émile Warré noticed that and placed “new boxes underneath the existing ones.”

Each type of common-sense hive has something the bees don’t like, but this book gives ideas for how to improve on these designs. It suggests adding insulation and trying to change the amount of free space left in the box.

Flottum repeatedly emphasizes that honey can still be harvested, as long as the beekeeper only takes the excess so the bees have food for the winter.

The last section of the book, “Common Sense Natural Beekeeping in Practice,” gives a variety of examples of common-sense beekeeping being used all around the world.

This book shows that there is a common bond throughout the world: wanting to save and repopulate the honey bee. o Melinda Thompson is a senior journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD, with a vocal performance minor and a concentration in women’s studies.

She is an intern this fall with Washington Gardener.

Women and Gardens: Obstacles and Opportunities for Women Gardeners Throughout History Authors: Judith Mundlak Taylor, MD and Susan Groag Bell Publisher: Taylorhort Press List Price: $19.99 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3ow0nDV Reviewer: Charlotte Benedetto Is your garden haunted by “Ms. Willmott’s Ghost”? Who is Ms. Willmott and why is her shade hovering about the sea holly and potentilla?

BOOKreviews Judith Mundlak Taylor and Susan Groag Bell’s Women and Gardens is revealing: Did you know that some vegetables are “impolite,” and certain women were considered “surplus”? Do you include “weeds” like hellebore or daisy in your compositions, like I do?

We have Beth Chatto to thank for the “acceptability” of that, but her contributions have been obscured by traditional histories.

Women and Gardens traces a “Ushaped curve,” like a tulip, a skirt, or a bosom. The history of women and gardens is curvaceous, say the authors; “not a straight line throughout history.”

But 21st-century women are still as ignored as ever, it seems. For instance, Podophyllum versipelle ‘Spotty Dotty’ is a deeply desirable plant—it populates Instagram feeds all over the world—but do any of the captions or hashtags credit still-living, still-breeding Oregonian Janet Egger, its originator?

Women and Gardens features profiles and vignettes that are academic, yet conversational—erudite, to be sure, but not snooty. On every page lurks an unfamiliar giantess of accomplishment.

An intellectual work, but never elitist or stiff, this is a fine book to take along and read on a lunch break or commuter trip, with selections for lifetime learners throughout. You will find yourself learning, but never being condescended to, on every page. Professors should look at this book as a syllabus selection for college-level surveys of the history of gardens.

When I was a little girl, there was one coneflower, and it was purple. Now there are dozens, and in a spectrum of colors and shapes. Dr. Jian Ping Ren, a still-living scientist employed by the PanAmerican Seed Company in California, personally “broadened the range of colors very effectively,” but her work is little known and uncelebrated. Hers is one of the brief, fact-driven entries and profiles of singular women and the singular species they created that fill Women and Gardens.

With a readable voice and a highly contemporary point of view, Women and Gardens is packed with hearty, untold stories, drawing the reader in and on. Co-author Groag Bell was a kind of high priestess of women’s-stud-

ies texts; she was famous for creating one of the first college-level texts about women’s studies in the 1970s.

Pioneers never have it easy, and Mundlak Taylor and Groag Bell remind us of this throughout the text. For example, while women gardeners at Kew received “the same (low) wages as the men,” they had to contend with the “trainloads of salacious men [who] would go to Kew to ogle the women doing their jobs” in trousers. This real-life intersection of sexuality and gardens is completely omitted from contemporary narratives about Kew, but Mundlak Taylor and Groag Bell tell these unknown women’s stories without a grudge or an ideological axe to grind.

Women and Gardens illuminates the dialectic of women gardeners, and the many meaty, hearty stories weave a narrative-driven understanding of the gendered history of women horticultural workers. For millennia, women with families were expected to “grow their own,” and to doctor their families by creating homemade herbal “physicks” and other curatives from the kitchen or yard. Industrialization created the medical profession and from then on, healing was professionalized—and women were displaced, even from midwifery. At this moment, the ”symbiosis between women and their gardens no longer mattered.” This truncation was persistent; it was not until the 1848 American Married Women’s Property Act that the masculine stranglehold on garden works began to crumble.

In the English-speaking world, “mil-

lions” of women were unable to marry “for lack of a dowry,” and later, for lack of a mate after the bloodbaths of World War 1. These “surplus women” were trained as the horticulturalists of the future by the Countess of Warwick: “a solid livelihood was a lifesaver for them, offering dignity and social acceptance.”

Gardening became a safety valve for women who didn’t fit in a tightly controlled society that allowed no “unharnessed” female energy.

Jiang En-tian is largely unknown to westerners (the Chinese also love roses), but Women and Gardens does not overlook the jaw-dropping 3,000 rose cultivars En-tian bred in the late 20th century (while simultaneously navigating Chinese regional politics). Australian breeders of their native Banksia and Xerochrysum are included by name and specialty, while Black women and Africans have, sadly, mostly been ignored. Women and Gardens strives for inclusion and circumglobality.

American Alice Vonk bred the first snow-white marigold, using elementary Mendelian breeding techniques, and gave Luther Burbank himself a run for his money. Vonk’s triumph of the “little guy” is a story so American in timbre, I can’t believe it hasn’t been made into a feel-good hit starring Frances McDormand. In an earthquake-prone garden halfway across the world, New Zealander Hilda Hemus Ashworth bred the chocolate-purple Lathyrus odoratus that I prefer—but the seed catalogues would have us believe their varieties sprang up from nowhere. Who will tell these women’s stories, if we don’t learn them from Women and Gardens?

This book is full of the tales and personalities that make history make sense. It tells the stories of these women who haunt our libraries, plant names, and seed catalogs. Compelling and relevant stories are found in this work—stories that demand to be known.

Educators and readers should invest in Women and Gardens to engage with and harness the power of these empowering, previously untold legends.. o Charlotte Benedetto is a writer, artist, and gardener living in Great Falls, VA. She is enrolled in the Northern Virginia Community College horticulture program and is an intern this fall with Washington Gardener.

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INSECTindex

2021: The Year of the Insect Plagues

By Carol Allen

If 2020 is infamous for the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 seems to be the year for insect plagues for the Mid-Atlantic region. Almost everyone weathered the Brood X cicadas without too many losses of trees or shrubs. This 17-year wonder was heralded by lots of press, and they were a sight to behold. Videos of piles of cicada carcasses made the nightly news and there were even interviews with dog owners about their canines’ cicada dining habits.

In their aftermath, came the oak mites that fed on the cicada larvae and in turn, the mite populations flourished.

They rained down on unsuspecting humans, causing weeks of itchy misery from their bites. Many people are very glad that is over.

Then the third plague hit. The outer suburbs around Washington, DC, are known for their abundance of spring azaleas and the flowing, green lawns surrounding McMansions. That was where the latest insect plague hit—right in the tall fescue! The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a pest native to the warm to tropical regions of North and South America. With several generations per year, the moth’s ability to fly strongly for several miles 20

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and with the help of storm winds moving from south to north, they can be visitors to as far north as Ottawa.

They usually hit our area in late July to early August, and are typically an issue with agricultural crops and hay fields. To the dismay of both homeowner and turf farmer, they also happily feed on turf grass. The moths lay their eggs on their preferred host or nearby.

The eggs hatch in just a few days and the larvae feed for about 16 days in the summer and go through six larval stages.

It is in the last three stages that the feeding becomes voracious and turf damage becomes very noticeable.

Suddenly, homeowners were noticing that large areas, sometimes even the entire lawns, had turned brown. Close examination revealed large numbers of brown-ish worms, decorated with raised black dots and lighter stripes running the length of their inch-long bodies.

Heavy infestations had more than three to four worms per square foot of turf.

The insect cannot over-winter in this area, so one generation per year is typical. However, due to the late frost, a second generation was reported throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

Unfortunately, the fall armyworm has shown to be resistant to some of the typical insecticides used to control this pest. At this time of year, the larvae have already pupated and will die with the cold weather, so no pesticide is needed. For those folks with damaged lawns, it is already past the time to renovate and overseed for this year. Plan on overseeding in the spring, but you may not be able to apply a crab-grass preventer if you do. If the damaged area is manageable, consider preparing the soil and applying sod through the month of November.

As we go to press, it seems the warmer weather has initiated another insect wave; this time, a bumper crop of Asiatic lady beetles. These alien, but beneficial, insects normally try to overwinter in a protected area. That area is often inside your house. Now is not too late to check screens and repair any that are damaged, as well as caulking windows and cracks in walls to keep them out. Consider using any days of milder fall weather to do this house maintenance. It will cut down on your heating bill as well. If you have the lady beetles inside, gently remove them to the out-of-doors. They are wonderful predators in our gardens. o Carol Allen describes herself as a committable plant-aholic. 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 ISA-Certified Arborist.

She can be contacted at carolallen@erols. com.

Fall Armyworm photo by Frank Peairs, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; CC BY 3.0 US, via Wikimedia Commons.

Asian Lady Beetle photo by Melissa McMasters from Memphis, TN, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

GOINGnative

Christmas Ferns Polystichum acrostichoides

By Barry Glick It’s time that you heard more about what is most likely the most indestructible fern in the world: the “Christmas Fern.” Known to plant geeks as Polystichum acrostichoides, here’s an evergreen, native fern that can take almost anything you can throw at it.

This fern can be found growing naturally in every state east of the Rocky Mountains.

I’ll share what my buddy, Dr. Gerald Klingaman of the University of Arkansas, has to say about this durable plant: “The association with Christmas is an old one, for the fronds were once harvested by the tons, baled into bundles, and sold to florists for wreath-making.

We no longer rely on evergreen ferns for wreaths. Now we’ve got plastic!

“The Christmas Fern grows to about 18 inches tall and wide, with all of the fronds emerging from a central crown.

As the plant ages, it produces more fronds, but the usual number is about 20 on the typical plant. Given good growing conditions in the home garden, plants produce many more fronds than you’ll see in the wild. The base of the frond and the central crown is covered with brown scales.

“The fronds are pinnately compound, meaning there is a central axis with the individual leaflets (pinnae in fern

lingo), produced at right angles down its length. The pinnae are up to 2 inches long, but get proportionally smaller as you move down the midrib. Typical pinnae have a thumb-like lobe at the top, giving them a mitten-like appearance.

Some see a Christmas stocking in outline, but they are wrong. It’s a mitten.”

About two-thirds of the way down the length of the frond, the pinnae get abruptly smaller. These are the sporebearing pinnae that, on the under-surface, have two rows of spore dots down their length. Under magnification, these sori (the name used by fern experts) produce a number of curled, snail-like cases.

While Christmas Ferns are evergreen, their fronds are not immortal. In early spring, just as new fronds begin to uncurl, the old fronds wither away.

There are several other reasons that Polystichum acrostichoides has ended up with the common name of Christmas Fern. One of them is because of its evergreen nature. But my two favorite reasons, that I never miss an opportunity to demonstrate to folks on hikes that I lead, are that when you pull off a single leaflet (pinnae) and hold it horizontally, it looks like Santa standing up on the back of his sled. If you hold it vertically, it resembles a Christmas stocking or what Dr. Klingaman envisions as a mitten.

These long-lived plants are so tough that you can transplant them almost any time that the ground isn’t frozen.

They are hardy from Zones 3 to 10.

They prefer light to full shade, although in most northern states, they can take a lot of sun. The richer the soil, the larger they grow, but I’ve also seen them quite happy in dry, shaley, poor soil. 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..

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BIRDwatch

White-throated Sparrows

By Cecily Nabors Seasons come and seasons go, and how do we keep track? Bird migration is one way to tell time on Mother Nature’s clock.

White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) breed farther north, but they’re with us in the Mid-Atlantic from midOctober to early May. The autumn return of these handsome sparrows to our yards and gardens makes the thought of impending winter more bearable.

White-throats are “differential” migrants: Females go farther south than males, because they’re smaller and less able to handle cold. At our latitude, it’s likely that we see more males than females.

These birds keep the same bright plumage all year. As their name implies, all White-throated Sparrows have white throats. Dark crown stripes and eyelines are common as well. But this species has two color morphs, seen in the central crown stripe and eyebrow color: tan in one morph, white in the other.

What’s fascinating is that the two usually mate: a white-striped male will seek a tan-striped female; a tan-striped male will mate with a white-striped female.

Studies have shown that white-striped 22

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birds are more aggressive in territorial defense, while tan-stripes are more nestoriented. The pairing of white and tan forms creates a good team for raising young.

Since they don’t breed here, we don’t hear much White-throat song, but can listen for sharp chip notes and soft “seet” calls as a small flock forages.

When they do sing, often on a bright winter day, their tremulous whistle, a song that Theodore Roosevelt called “singularly sweet and plaintive,” is instantly recognizable. Males of both morphs and white-striped females sing.

Their familiar song, with its two slow opening notes followed by three triplets, is often represented as “Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody,” or for our northern neighbors, “O sweet Canada, Canada, Canada.” However, a shortened version of the song, with duplets rather than triplets, originated in western areas and has spread across North America in the last 20 years. Research by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology indicates the new song was learned and spread on the wintering grounds where the birds gather in flocks. The tune went viral as they dispersed for nesting.

White-throats nest in the northeastern U.S. and as far north as the boreal forests of northern Canada. They build cup nests of grasses and weed stems, usually on the ground tucked under shrubs, or in the lower shrub branches. They feed their nestlings soft-bodied insects.

Like most sparrows, adult Whitethroated Sparrows are mainly groundfeeders and seed-eaters, most active near dawn or dusk. Sparrows forage in gardens, forested areas, and brushy edges, scratching backward with both feet to overturn leaf litter in their search.

They glean seeds of crops and weeds (ragweed sufferers, take note!), and eat fruits and berries, including dogwood berries, grapes, blackberries, and rose hips. They’ll also take any insects they happen to uncover.

Here in winter, white-throats visit wellvegetated yards and come readily to feeders. They usually hop around under hanging feeders, cleaning up spilled millet and black-oil sunflower seeds. Their short, thick bills are ideal for crushing the hard seeds to get to that richness inside. If feeders are fairly near shrubs or other places that provide good cover, these (and other) sparrows will venture out, snatch spilled seed, and skitter back under cover. This laudable caution has doubtless saved many small songbirds from predators.

If a gardener builds a brush pile from fallen sticks and branches, white-throats and other small birds will use that as an escape hatch. It’s amusing to watch a Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk swoop down and then step around atop the brush pile in obvious frustration, as the prey birds huddle in safety underneath.

White-throats are abundant and widespread, a “species of least concern” to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, in recent decades, the overall count of White-throated Sparrows, as tallied by the Breeding Bird Survey, has declined.

This winter, we’ll appreciate our lively migrants as they bounce around our gardens. Perhaps the birds will teach each other (and us) new songs. 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.

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Jentz Prints

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