Washington Gardener Magazine September 2021 by Kathy J

SEPTEMBER 2021 VOL. 16 NO. 7

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WASHINGTON

gardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Cold, Dry Winter Predicted Attracting Eastern Bluebirds

Fall Lawn Care Tips Phlox Plant Bug Castor Bean Plant Profile Great Blue Lobelia

Why You Should Protect Your Rare Plant Collection Meet Karin Reber, Sustainable Landscape Designer DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar

The REACH

DC’s Newest Memorial Landscape

Roadside Wildflowers Help Reduce Runoff New Cascade Hydrangea

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

o oo o oo

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

��

Izel Plants

Online Marketplace for Native Plants

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

We offer cost effective options to cover a lot of ground, including containerized plants and retail-elusive plugs. Easily find the species that are best suited to your specific needs, from popular ones to those that are rare and hard to find.

$10 OFF your next order use code: WG191 at checkout.

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.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

expires 4/15/19

izelplants.com

INSIDEcontents

FEATURES and COLUMNS

Bluebirds forage for insects from low perches. Per the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, our “sky birds” can sight their tiny prey items from 60 feet or more away.

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.

17 Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica L.) is a good plant for attracting pollinators with its brilliant blue-violet flowers in mid-late summer, when many other things in the garden are starting to look tired.

Geoff Valentino of Hollander Design Landscape Architects explains that one of the guiding design principles of the REACH at the Kennedy Center was to incorporate material and ecological innovation such as this almost-vertical green wall.

BIRDwatch 22 Eastern Bluebird BOOKreviews 18-20 Unearthing the Secret Garden; Woodchip Handbook; Taming Fruit; Heritage Roses DAYtrip 6-7 The REACH GOINGnative 17 Great Blue Lobelia HORThappenings 12 Pepperfest, Brookside Plant Sale, UMD Research Farm Tour INSECTindex 21 Phlox Plant Bug LOCALnews 14 Celebration of Trees NEIGHBORnetwork 8-9 Karin Reber, Sustainable Landscape Designer NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Cascade Hydrangea PLANTprofile 15 Castor Bean Plant PLANTresearch 16 Cold, Dry Winter Predicted TIPStricks 10 Protecting Rare Plants; Fall Lawn Care; Roadside Wildflowers

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest GARDENDCpodcasts LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERreactions RESOURCESsources

23 11 4 5 16 13 11 3 5 2

In our October issue: Trees Matter Goth Gardening and much more . . .

Be sure you are subscribed!

Click on the “subscribe” link at washingtongardener.com SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

Credits

EDITORletter

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

Your editor at Putnam Hill Nursery in Forest Hill, MD. Photo taken by Zoe Zindash.

It Takes a Village

I tried to get away for a week to the beach this summer, and preparing for it taught me how many roles I play and that a support network is really vital in this modern world. A neighbor and I trade cat-sitting duties, so that was the easiest thing to check off my list, once I confirmed my travel dates and hers didn’t conflict. Next on my list was watering our community garden plot. Luckily, a garden plot neighbor and I easily traded watering coverage for each other’s summer travels. Then there was watering all the containers and plants in my home garden. This is a task that can take a couple of hours every other day in the height of summer and is not something you can easily ask someone to do as a favor, so I turned to the Silver Spring Timebank. I posted a request for anyone wanting to do watering in exchange for time hours that I’d “banked” in my account. Two timebank members responded and after having them visit to show them the water sources and thirstiest of pots, I felt much more at ease about leaving for a few days without coming back to a dead garden. That added up to four people just to maintain the most basic care of the furbabies and plants. No wonder I’m so tired! Happy gardening,

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener KathyJentz@gmail.com 4

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

• 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 Montgomery · Green America Business Network Volume 16, Number 7 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.

READERcontt

READERreactions

Reader Contest

For our September 2021 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away five pairs of passes to the Fall Maryland Home and Garden Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds (prize value: $18). Exhibitors in more than 400 booths will be on hand with thousands of ideas. Whether you need to spruce up those well-used spaces, are ready for a complete remodel, or want to get your home ready for the holidays, you’ll find the experts and advice you need for indoors and out. Did you know fall is a great time to install your new backyard landscape? The region’s most-talented designers will show off the latest outdoor trends in patio gardens, complete with dining areas and water features. The Fall Maryland Home & Garden Show runs Friday, October 15, through Sunday, October 17. See more details online at www.mdhomeandgarden.com/fall. To enter to win a pair of passes to the Maryland Home & Garden Show, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on September 30 with “Maryland Home & Garden Show” 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 October 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.

Thoughts on August 2021 and Other Past Issues I really enjoyed the article about Joy Columbus, Smithsonian Gardens’ new director. As a volunteer at the gardens, It was great to read more about her background and goals for the gardens. I see great things ahead. ~ Anne Hardman, Silver Spring, MD My fave article is “Sunflowers at McKee-Beshers WMA.” Why? Because they make me happy every year and are so beautiful. Interesting history of the planting. Part of me wants to keep it a secret as it is getting more crowded out there, but the more people can enjoy them the better, especially during these trying times. ~ Jane Godfrey, Takoma Park MD My favorite article was on food preservation of garden produce. Even a small garden can be very productive, and learning how to preserve it for the fall, winter, and beyond is important. Thank you! ~ Madeline Caliendo, Washington, DC My favorite article was about McKeeBeshers WMA because I am always interested in engaging gardens and natural sites in the area to visit. And if I don’t get around to visiting, at least I was able to get a virtual experience. Thank you for keeping us informed! ~ John Rebstock, Cheverly, MD I always appreciate the Garden To-Do List column. It’s one of my go-tos to keep on target of where we are in the yearly cycle. ~ Aliza Robin, Gaithersburg, 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.

My favorite article was “Outstanding in the Field” (Editor Letter). I enjoyed the honesty of the editor’s comments, “I’m not exactly camera-ready, but I’d rather capture the moment than wait for another time when I’d be perfectly styled, because that may never come.” I know I can relate to this sentiment and try to just live in the moment these days. I also love sunflowers and am happy with the color and growth (from seeds) this year. Be well. ~ Dawn Ellis, Washington, DC o SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

DAYtrip

The REACH at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts By Kathy Jentz

The Garden Conservancy recently hosted a panel discussion and tour of the REACH, the first-ever expansion of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The new addition includes three contiguous pavilions set in 130,000 square feet of landscaped property, created to integrate the REACH’s interior and exterior space. It forms a unified campus with the Kennedy Center’s original Edward Durell Stone building and creates a connection to the adjacent Potomac River and other signature Washington, DC, monuments. The $250 million complex was designed by renowned architects Steven Holl and Chris McVoy of Steven Holl Architects and by Hollander Design Landscape Architects. “The landscape at the REACH is significant first and foremost in that it is a full partner in the overall design with the other ‘built’ structures, rather than merely providing decoration around the edges or just background for the sculptures,” said James Hall, president and chief executive officer of the Garden Conservancy. “Interacting with the site 6

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

encourages people to discover the overlaps with the architecture and rewards the curious with a greater understanding of the entire greenspace. “I was also impressed by the (relatively) intimate scale, as compared to the gigantic, imperial feeling of many of Washington’s other green spaces. In a more functional, but equally important way, the designers also elegantly solved the long-standing challenge of access to the river from the Kennedy Center.” This new landscape is a living memorial to 35th United States President John F. Kennedy. It is considered to be part of the same grouping as the nearby Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington memorials on the National Mall. It is open to the public and “a home for non-traditional programming with an emphasis on active participation and access; the open, informal spaces of the new expansion draw visitors directly into the creative process and inspire new connections and collaborations between creators of multiple genres and disciplines,” according to the Kennedy Center.

The REACH opened officially in September 2019, but has not had programmed events for most of the last 18 months due to COVID-19. This fall, the programming has ramped up again. The REACH’s grounds include outdoor sculptures, green walls, a great lawn, and the Victura Park Wine Garden and Café, an outdoor beer and wine garden. The site is full of symbolism. Victura is named after John F. Kennedy’s beloved sailboat. There is a Presidential Grove of 35 Ginkgo trees with picnic tables arranged under them. The Ginkgo trees lose all their leaves in a short period of time, normally in mid- to late November in our region. It is hoped that the timing of that dramatic leaf fall and the anniversary of Kennedy’s passing on November 22 coincide for even greater symbolic effect. According to Geoff Valentino, Hollander Design Landscape Architects director of the firm’s Chicago office, one of the biggest challenges of the location was its elevation. “The location for the expansion of the Kennedy Center was

DAYtrip initially selected by the center to be at the upper south podium, closer to the Edward Durell Stone building,” he said. “However, Steven Holl’s winning competition submission proposed a terraced building and landscape composition that stepped down and connected to the Potomac River. There is about a 30' grade change from the center terrace to Rock Creek Park. We needed to step or ramp the landscape down and achieve the connection to the river. “One of the biggest landscape challenges were the ‘Swoops.’ The sedum Swoops are one of the most interesting and challenging design components of this landscape… inspired by the sweep of a glissando in music and geometry. The Swoops, entirely [mounted] on structure, are an extension of the curved building walls, creating a warped vegetated plane varying from almost completely flat to 100% vertical. The challenge was to create a potpourri of sedum that read as one carpet by varying the growing media and irrigation based upon the slope conditions. “Areas of the Swoops with less than 50% slope are composed entirely of light-weight soil media with no soil stabilization needed. From 50% and greater, we used a hydrotech guardnet system for slope stabilization and we slowly began to introduce Rockwool into the soil media until we hit 100% Rockwool at 80% slope and above. The guardnet allowed us the flexibility to hold and shape the soil media against a warped plane curving in two directions. The irrigation in each sedum area is broken up into numerous zones based upon the vertical location. The irrigation system has an advanced computer system that runs 24/7, 365, with the ability to con-

firm water flow, water pressure, water temperature, self-empty prior to frost, and refill right after temperatures warm up. Green walls often fail in the winter because during a warm spell, the plants will come out of dormancy. If there is no available moisture in the soil, the plants will begin to fail. One of the reasons we chose sedums for the Swoops [was] their ability to hold water.” The green roof and wall systems at the REACH are certianly impressive and were no easy feat to create. The sedum plantings were sourced from Sempergreen, which has a nearby location in Culpeper, VA, Valentino explained the trials that took place before the Swoops were planted. “We built an extensive mockup and tested all the slopes we would encounter at the site. It was important to construct and observe the mockup to study how the plants would react to the varying slopes over the four seasons. We learned that we needed to provide just enough water to allow the sedum to survive, but not too much to allow it to flourish. If certain species did too well at a given point during year, they would block out and eliminate the species that were meant to provide interest during other times of the year. We were able to make the appropriate adjustments and improvements to the design over the year that we studied this mockup.” The innovative green walls and roof system will serve as inspiration for

other urban landscapes. “Green roofs are certainly here to stay,” Hall said. “I am optimistic that the technology has finally caught up with our dreams of the benefits they could offer. Functionally, they allow previously ‘lost’ space to become useful, and to become a public or private asset. Much of the green roof at the REACH is over a parking structure, replacing a surface parking lot that was paved with asphalt. This helps mitigate the age-old problem of choosing either parking or greenspace… you can have both! “I predict that this space will continue to be extremely popular with the public. Its accessibility for a variety of users has a great deal to do with that, in addition to its connection to other pedestrian and bike paths, and, of course, its proximity to the river. Programming (i.e., performances, movie nights, etc.) will be key to making the space vibrant and enjoyed. That will be the responsibility of the Kennedy Center. The designers from Steven Holl Architects and Hollander Design Landscape Architects have provided the perfect stage. Now it is the responsibility of the Kennedy Center staff to use it appropriately and creatively (this is not always self-evident). The REACH, including the plantings and the structures, must also be maintained immaculately for it to continue to feel welcoming and loved.” o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener. SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

NEIGHBORnwork

Karin Reber

Sustainable Landscape Desig�er By Melinda Thompson

Karin Reber is a sustainable landscape designer. In 2016, she designed the Kensington Library Literary Garden as a place for people to relax while reading their books. The garden is the home to a variety of native plants found around the region. She also works as a landscape designer for Campbell and Ferrara in Alexandria, VA. Q: Can you share a little bit about your background? A: I am from Kensington, MD, which is why this site means so much to me—this is my hometown. I grew up here. I live in Arlington, VA, right now, but my parents still live in Kensington. They are only a few blocks away. And as part of my master’s thesis through George Washington University (GW), I needed to pick a watershed site and plan to make a landscape master plan at a location within that watershed. For a year, I was walking down Rock Creek Park and studying all the wildlife that was going on, all the plant life that I could see, drainage issues, just the general climate . . . I incorporated everything that I learned and came up with a master plan for the library. The full plan is for all three acres of the 8

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

library grounds, but we quickly came to realize that unless we got some kind of huge donation [that was beyond our means]. At some point, maybe we could do more, but with the reality of the situation, this is what we ended up with. I’m grateful that we have this little plot of land, and it really makes an impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Q: How does the Kensington Library Literary Garden affect the local community? A: It started out as just grass—the walnut trees and the dogwood were here, but everything else was just lawn. It wasn’t until two years after we first broke ground on the garden that we got a paved walkway. Once the walkway went in, people started noticing it—folks who had never been here before. It changed everything. All of a sudden, it made it look like a destination. Since then, almost every time I’m here, someone will stop and talk to me and say how much they appreciate the garden. People have told me that they come here to meditate. They do yoga out here. We started doing events normally in the library, like children’s reading

hour, outside—especially with the pandemic. It’s been nice to have a place outside that people can go. People come here and they take inspiration for their own gardens as well by reading all the plant labels. To me, one of the most obvious things, but one of the best things, is that people come out here and read their books after they’ve just gone into the library. They’ll come and they’ll pick a bench, and they’ll start reading their book. Q: Why did you choose to use all native plants? A: I had always kind of been interested in native plants, but it wasn’t until my last year of grad school at GW that I really started feeling passionate about them. The entire last year of the program revolved around stormwater management and taking care of erosion problems and keeping stormwater on your property—things like rain gardens and bioswales—but the part that I liked most about that last year was the indepth study of native plants and the wildlife that depends on them—if you plant this, then this animal will come, and you know if you have Black-eyed

NEIGHBORnwork Susans in the garden, you’ll probably get goldfinches. If you plant native honeysuckle, you’ll probably get hummingbirds. I really loved the fact that it’s a “build it and they will come” mentality with native plants. Q: How did you choose specific plants and where to plant them? A: The plants that are in this garden were largely chosen because they’re what I could get on a very, very limited budget. I scoured plant sales, and one time, I did a Dumpster dive—somebody threw away this Arrowwood Viburnum that just didn’t look good enough to sell, and they didn’t want to keep it around in the nursery. I got a bunch of plants that way. The shrubs didn’t do too well with that, but a lot of the smaller stuff, like the ferns, did, I have some Cinnamon Fern and some Christmas Fern, and my prized plant that I saved for the garden is a Trillium. People are obsessed with Trilliums, and I was lucky enough to be able to save one from certain death and bring it to the garden. The rest of the plants were donations and stuff from the $5 section of some nurseries. When we started, in terms of placement, we didn’t have any power equipment. We didn’t have a sod cutter. We had a group of volunteers who had heard that this was happening and wanted to be a part of it, and we had some shovels, so it was however many plant beds we could create in one weekend and then throwing in plants and hoping that they would work. Some stuff didn’t make it. A lot of it did.

really got me thinking about what I have accomplished here. Having people learn about native plants. Having people enjoy being outside. Just having a peaceful, calming place to go. That is something that I have accomplished, so every time I see the plant beds that haven’t been tackled, haven’t been freed of weeds yet, I remember what he said to me. And that is when my passion is renewed. Q: From your experience, what are the most difficult plants to take care of? A: My philosophy here is that if it can’t survive on its own, it’s not supposed to be here. One common plant that I personally have never had luck with is Coreopsis. I have never had any luck with getting it to live. And it’s such a beautiful plant and pollinators love it. I’ve tried several times to get it to grow, and I can’t get it to live past one season, so it’s not in the library garden anymore. We do not have irrigation here. We have to rely on Mother Nature to do her part. Q: What activities do you like to do outside of gardening? A: I’m married, and I like to hang out with my husband, Tyler. I go out with him when he’s doing wildlife photography. I’ll go on hikes with him. We have two fluffy cats who we’re probably more obsessed with than we should be. I am an animal person. And I like doing Zumba.

Q: Do you have a garden at home and what type of plants do you have? A: I have a mixture of native plants and plants that I find cool because in my own personal garden, I’m not as strict about just having native plants. Last summer, I got some Canna from my dad because he loves tropicals. I got Elephant Ears. I just created this whole tropical paradise with Banana trees and Coleus. Nothing native to be seen, but it did look amazing. Q: What advice would you give to beginner gardeners? A: The best advice I can give is to do your research and ask people who are more experienced in gardening about what they know and what they have learned. A great resource is the Wild Ones Chapter and the Maryland Native Plant Society, and joining organizations like those. The members of these groups know so much, and there’s so much to learn from them. The other thing I can tell a beginner gardener is that plants don’t always listen to what they’re supposed to do. A plant book might say it’s only going to get to 4 or 5 feet tall, but if it’s really happy right there, maybe it’ll get to 6 or 7 feet. 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.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What is the most fulfilling part of your profession? A: One of the neighbors who lives across the street, I see him in the garden all the time. He likes to come here and meditate. And he was up here washing his car—I think because he just likes that it’s quieter and a little more peaceful than being right on the busy street. He asked me, “Do you ever come and just enjoy the garden?” and I had to think about it for a second, because so many times when I get here and I look at what hasn’t been done. I look at the weeds. I haven’t put out the new signs. This needs to be done, that needs to be done. He SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

TIPStricks

Wildflowers Help Reduce Runoff in Roadside Soils

Turfgrass is typically planted in the soils along roadsides after construction. It provides an effective way to minimize the runoff leaving roads when it rains. But is there an even better option for reducing runoff? According to Utah State University’s Erin Rivers, writing on the Soils Matter blog, “Runoff from roads typically contains harmful pollutants and contaminants. Streams, rivers, and lakes can be harmed by these contaminants if the runoff is not infiltrated by soils on the roadside first. In regions that receive a lot of precipitation year-round, this can be a big problem.” Rivers and her team wanted to see how effectively wildflowers soak up runoff in tilled soils compared to turfgrass. They found both turfgrass and wildflowers absorbed the same amount of runoff, but wildflowers come with other benefits. Besides their aesthetic properties, wildflowers increase pollinator habitat and reduce the need for mowing, which causes soil compaction. Learn more about this study at https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com. o

Fall Lawn Care and Maintenance Tips

Regularly mowing your lawn promotes vertical growth and lateral density; it also provides the manicured look you desire. However, it is best to reduce mowing after the summer months. It’s recommended that you mow your lawn a lot less during the fall months. This is good for warm-season lawns like zoysia, bermuda grass, and St. Augustine grass. Keeping your warm-season lawn slightly higher will encourage deeper root growth during the fall, so the grass will survive through winter dormancy. For cool-season lawns like bluegrass and fescue, a mowing height between 2.5–3.5 inches during the fall is ideal. This mowing height will also help prevent snow mold in snow-prone regions. However, if it gets too long, it will create a mat layer, which is ideal for disease breakouts. To learn more about mowing heights for each grass type, visit the Lawn Mowing Guide at sodsolutions.com/ lawn-care-guides/mowing/. o 10

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

Why You Should Protect Your Rare Plant Collection By Katherine Fleishchman

Collecting rare plants has become “a thing” in recent years, although it certainly became more popular during the COVID-19 lockdown when people were focused on their homes. The demand has driven prices through the roof, with collectors plunking down thousands of dollars for the specific plants they want. In the UK, a man is selling leaves from his Rhaphidophora tetrasperma variegata for £12,000 each. Why are they worth so much? Because this is a genetic mutation of an ordinary plant, and he has the only (known) one in the world. Here are some things you should consider before starting your rare plant collection. • Do your research. It’s time to dust off the high school Latin textbook. Even the most-experienced green thumbs will need to up their game when it comes to rare plants. Generally speaking, the most-valuable plants are variegated—or a mutated form, such as the one mentioned above. The mutations manifest in a number of ways, such as the colors, size, and shape of the leaves. Another key factor, of course, is the number of sellers who are growing a particular plant—as with anything, the fewer there are, the higher the cost. Most of these plants are sold on online auctions, so it’s even more important that you know what you’re looking for. • Have the room ready. Like all plants, your new housemates will require particular conditions to thrive. Depending on where you live and where your plants are from, you may have to replicate their natural environments—including the right amount of sun exposure, humidity, and so on. If you don’t have the ideal space inside, it’s a good idea to build a greenhouse before making any purchases. • No pets allowed. Unfortunately, your plants are not only lovely to the eye; they may also appear to be a tasty treat to your dog or cat. It is imperative that you keep your animals away from them, first, because many plants are toxic to animals and can cause illness and even death; and second, because a few good nibbles could injure the plant and possibly affect its value. • Make sure your family or staff knows how to care for them. It may have been relatively easy to care for your collection while on lockdown. Now, as the U.S. opens up and normal life resumes, chances are you will be out of the house or traveling, perhaps for extended periods of time. If your family members, household employees, work staff, or property management company is not educated in rare plant care, it’s time to bring a horticulturist or other expert on board. The same is true for your outdoor collection—your gardener may be very skilled when it comes to the local flora and fauna, but a rare tree or shrub from the other side of the world may require a specific body of knowledge. • Use technology. Digital tools, particularly all-in-one solutions, are incredibly useful with regard to collectibles for a number of reasons. Apps allow you to catalogue your items, with their photos, history, and value, and assign tasks to yourself and others. The real beauty of these tools, however, is that they create a communication hub between you and colleagues, employees, and so on. Let’s say you’re away from home and have assigned tasks for the plants’ care for your staff or a member of your family. That person can and should send regular, visual updates so you know the plants are thriving. If a plant is showing signs of distress, you can loop your horticulturist or other expert into the conversation without having to bounce back and forth between different email or text threads. Collecting rare plants is not only an investment, but a serious responsibility. You are, in effect, choosing to become a protector of living things whose existence is endangered. They require a great deal of care and expense, but if done right, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience that empowers you to not only beautify your own environment but preserve beauty for the world. o Katherine Fleishchman represents EstateSpace, which has developed the world’s first management solution that provides a single point of record for a family’s real estate and physical assets. This intelligent financial management solution enables and simplifies how families manage valuable physical assets to increase and protect generational wealth. Learn more by visiting www.estatespace.com.

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Autumn Daffodils for Bloom Day • Obedient Plant Profile • Pepper Growing Report See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

September–October Garden To-Do List New Plant Spotlight

Fairytrail Bride™ Cascade Hydrangea Meet the first-ever Cascade Hydrangea® available in North America. It has a unique horizontal growing habit, with each trailing stem absolutely brimming with blooms. Its summerborne florets are filled with deckleedged petals, bringing a frilly, lacey look to the landscape. There are no limits to the ways you can use Fairytrail Bride® in the garden. It’s ready to wow your neighbors in hanging baskets, containers, cascading over retaining walls, and filling in mixed beds. It prefers full to part sun. It is hardy to USDA Zones 7–9. It will grow to 4 feet high and wide. Fairytrail Bride® Cascade Hydrangea® is part of the Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. | Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Shrubs collection. See more at mypwcolorchoices.com. o

Photos courtesy of Proven Winners® ColorChoice®.

• Keep an eye out for the first frost date. In Zone 6, it is expected between September 30 and October 30. In Zone 7, it is predicted for between October 15 and November 15. • Divide and transplant perennials—in particular, peonies and iris. • Pick apples at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market. • Pot up rosemary and chives for over-wintering indoors. • Take cuttings from coleus and begonias to propagate and overwinter indoors. • Look out for poison ivy vines, which will turn crimson in the fall and be easy to distinguish from other vines. • Check your local garden center for end-of-summer bargains. • Put netting over your pond to prevent the accumulation of leaves and debris. • Start feeding birds to get them in the habit for this winter. • Attend a local garden club meeting or plant exchange. • Pick mature tomatoes and peppers to ripen on your window sills. • Turn your compost pile weekly and don’t let it dry out. Work compost into your planting beds. • Remove undeveloped or shriveled fruits from fruit trees and compost them. • Plant evergreens for winter interest. • Plant garlic bulbs. • Collect plant seeds for next year’s planting and for trading at the annual Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchanges. • Plant hardy mums and fall season annuals. • Fertilize your lawn and re-seed if needed. • Dig up your Gladiolus, Canna, Caladiums, and other tender bulbs; cut off foliage; let dry for a week; and store for the winter. • Transplant trees and shrubs. • Harvest your herbs often and keep them trimmed back to encourage leafy growth. • Bring in houseplants if you took them outdoors for the summer. • If your conifers start shedding their needles or your spring bulb foliage starts peeking out of the ground, don’t worry. This is normal for our autumn cycle. • Leave hummingbird feeders out until October 15. • Start bulb plantings of early-spring bloomers at the end of the month. • Watch your pumpkins/squash. Harvest them when their rinds are dull and hard. • Divide ornamental grasses. • Cut herbs and flowers for drying indoors. • Plant strawberries in a site with good drainage for harvest next spring. • Look out for slug eggs grouped under sticks and stones—they are the size of BBs and pale in color. • Plant cover crops in vegetable gardens and annual beds (for example, rye, clover, hairy vetch, and winter peas). • Begin conditioning the Poinsettias and Christmas cacti to get them ready for the upcoming holiday season. • Bring Amaryllis indoors before a hard freeze. Repot every other year at this time. Store in a cool, dark place and do not water until flower buds or leaves emerge. • Your summer annuals will be reviving now with cooler temps and some rain. Cut back any ragged growth and give them some fertilizer. They should put on a good show until the first hard frost. o SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

HORThaenings

Friends of Brookside Gardens Plant Sale By Melinda Thompson

The Friends of Brookside Gardens sale at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, was practically over before it even began. Their annual plant sale, held on September 11, sold out almost immediately. “I would call this a blockbuster event, something I’ve never seen in all the eight years I’ve been volunteering,” said Nithya Raghavan, a Friends of Brookside Garden board member and plant sale volunteer. “We sold out within the first hour and a half, almost. This being a pandemic, we were unsure how much inventory we should get, so we got a reasonable amount. The greenhouse was full—we had over 1,083 plants—and by 9:45 this morning, 90% of the stock was sold.” Around 11:00am, there were just 10 plants left for sale. Stephanie Oberle, director of Brookside Gardens, said, “Friends of Brookside Gardens is a nonprofit volunteer organization. Their dedication and commitment create great events. This morning, the crowd descended like a horde of locusts to buy these plants. I think that speaks to people’s interest in gardens and the need to be in green spaces and connected to nature.” 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.

Pepperfest 2021

By Charlotte Benedetto Pepperfest, a production of Arlington, VA, Extension Master Gardeners at Potomac Overlook Park, was a vibrant, colorful celebration of horticultural flavors. Packed with lively young families partaking in prismatic tastes, smells, shapes, and colors, the pepper-pushers plied us with a rainbow of perky pepper snacks and recipes. Laser-red sweet pepper jelly seemed to glow in its jar; satisfying bruschetta, roasted shishitos, pickled jalapeños, and more were provided. “There’s a pepper for every12

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

thing!” an attendee said from within a crowd. “Of course, we have to thank the Peruvians for this wide variety of peppers,” said Judy Swensen, a Master Gardener and Pepperfest volunteer. “But they’ve gone into each country and made so many variations.” A crimson, round fruit, apple-heavy, magicallooking had an eccentric turban-like tip. “This variety is from the Ukraine,” Swensen said. “It’s the shapes, the sizes, the colors—so different,” said another volunteer. “They provide a lot of variation in cooking. Tomatoes get long, but they don’t get weird and curly. Peppers just have more character.” 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.

Crops Twilight Tour & Ice Cream Social

By Jackie DiBartolomeo The Crops Twilight Tour and Ice Cream Social at the Central Maryland Research & Education Center farm in Upper Marlboro, MD, on August 4 was put on by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station, and the University of Maryland Extension. For more than two hours, wagons loaded with excited spectators drove around the expansive farm to view

experiments and projects being worked on throughout the farm. The tour brought together University of Maryland students and notable educators, as well as farm staff, to discuss their work. One highlight was Veronica Yurchak and associate professor Cerruti R.R. Hooks’ experiment to use living and dead cover crops to suppress weeds in sweet corn. Yurchak presented the study at the first tour stop. The study’s findings determined that living mulch systems suppressed weeds just as well as conventional herbicides. Another project, presented by undergraduate student Matthew Dimock, was created to determine the impact of intercropping edamame with broccoli on populations of insect pests and beneficial insects. The targeted pest was the Harlequin stink bug, and samples of the bug were passed around in glass for spectators to get a closer look. Several other interesting projects on the twilight tour covered everything from developing a system for pest control in cantaloupe to incorporating crabgrass into grazing and hay systems. To learn more about the innovative projects constantly going on at the research farm, visit https://agnr.umd. edu/research/research-and-educationcenters-locations/cmrec/ upper-marlboro. o Jackie DiBartolomeo is a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and was an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is also a staff reporter with The Campus Trainer.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales • Wednesday, September 22, 5:30– 8:30pm Tudor Place 29th Annual Garden Party Traditionally held on the last Wednesday in May, this year’s gala is scheduled for September due to health guidelines and recommendations from the Office of the Mayor and the CDC. Details at https://tudorplace.org/support/spring-garden-party/. • Thursday, September 23, 12noon Getting the Most Out of Small Space/ Urban Gardens Using examples from DC-area gardens, Kathy Jentz, editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, will illustrate basic design principles for maximizing garden space. She will address common small-space challenges such as creating privacy and adding light to shady areas. She’ll offer innovative low-or-no-budget solutions as well. Sign up for free at https://gardens. si.edu/learn/lets-talk-gardens/. • Saturday, September 25, 9am–3pm Family Fall Festival Green Spring Gardens hosts their annual Family Fall Festival with activities for the entire family, including classes for children and adults, a silent auction, a book sale, and a bake sale. Vendors will be selling a large variety of plants and other items. Grab a meal at the food truck and enjoy some musical entertainment in the White Gazebo. Admission is free. Sponsored by the Friends of Green Spring (FROGS). Details: www.friendsofgreenspring.org. • Saturday, September 25, 1–4pm 14th Annual Public Azalea Sale The Northern Virginia Chapter of the Azalea Society of America is hosting their annual sale at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, 8336 Carrleigh Parkway Springfield, VA. There will be a large selection of evergreen and deciduous azaleas, including varieties hybridized by chapter and/or society members. Many of these beautiful varieties are not found in commercial nurseries. Details at www.nv-asa.org/sale.

• Sunday, September 26, 1–2pm Indoor and Container Gardening 101 If you love plants but have limited space and time, and you’ve always wanted to garden, this is the class for you. Learn the basics of indoor gardening and how to make a sub-irrigated planter to deal with watering when you go on vacation. Non-refundable materials fee of $10 per class is included for those who want to take home a plant. Held at Cultivate the City, 910 Bladensburg Road NE, WDC. Register at cultivatethecity.com. • Saturday, October 2, 9am–12n FONA Bulb Sale Get all the bulbs you need for your spring garden at the fall Bulb Sale at the U.S. National Arboretum. Mark your calendar—more details to come at www. fona.org. • Saturday, October 2, 9am–2pm Northern Alexandria Native Plant Sale Come find native perennials, shrubs, and trees for sun or shade from 12 vendors from Virginia, Maryland, & Pennsylvania who will be hosted at this event, the largest native plant sale in the DC Metro region. Held in the parking lot of The Church of St. Clement at 1701 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA. Please wear a mask. (Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.) Vendors are listed at NorthernAlexandriaNativePlantSale. org. • Friday, October 8, 7–8pm DIY Holiday: Forced Bulbs for Beautiful Arrangements & Gifts Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, will teach you the basics of forcing bulbs like Paperwhites and Amaryllis just in time for the holiday season. Then, she’ll cover secrets behind tricking springblooming bulbs like tulips and daffodils to flower indoors over the winter. Register now at https://homesteadgardens. com/upcoming-events/. Held via Zoom. Hosted by Homestead Gardens. • Saturday–Sunday, October 9–10, 9am–4pm Harvesting History Bulb Sale Harvesting History will be selling heirloon flower bulbs, onions, shallots, and seed garlic. Held in the parking lot of

the New Freedom Business Park at 60 E. High St., New Freedom, PA. Details at https://harvesting-history.com. • Saturday, October 9, 10am–11:30pm Dealing with Deer and Other Mammal Pests in Your Garden Learn some proven and humane tactics to keep your edible and ornamental gardens safe. Hosted by Brookside Gardens. Held online. Register at https:// apm.activecommunities.com/montgomerycounty/Activity_Search/dealing-withdeer-and-other-mammal-pests-in-yourgarden/122604

Looking Ahead • Thursday, October 21, through Saturday, October 23, 5–9pm An Illuminated Celebration of Fall This Ladew Topiary Gardens Ladew tradition celebrates the season with fascinating artistic creations, entrancing entertainment, and festive family fun. See www.ladewgardens.com. • 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. Note that we will also be choosing 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 the list at 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/tZUtdOqqDgrH9aMKM-GCrsnpbYt1diG3CCz .

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 October 5 for the October 2021 issue, for events taking place after October 15. o SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

LOCALnews

The 2021 Celebration of Trees By Charlotte Benedetto

Have you ever enjoyed a gorgeous buckeye, or placed a stunning autumn leaf on your mantel? Fan of foliage? Mad about bark? Hold onto your acorn caps, get limbered up, and maybe write a note to your favorite squirrel—the 2021 Celebration of Trees is here and it is truly monumental. Cultural stress and the ache of environmental anguish have us worn out beyond belief. Maybe it’s time to call on the copse and take a forest bath. Rip out the vines that bind, or maybe set up a hobby woodland. The 2021 Celebration of Trees has so much to offer, folks might feel a little stumped about where to begin. This fall marks the launch of a fiveyear native tree campaign, a collaborative effort to encourage residents and businesses across Northern Virginia to plant more native trees and preserve the ones we have already. “This is our deputization campaign,” Margaret Fisher of Plant NOVA Trees told Washington Gardener, “We put out a call, and, well, they responded!” Individuals and groups, both public and private, have created a dizzying array of tree-oriented events that are happening all over Northern Virginia through November. “We want to remind people that they like trees and that they need trees,” Fisher said. Native trees specifically are an essential part of our local ecosystem, supporting our butterflies, songbirds, and other wildlife. Native trees can: • Cool our environment and reduce air conditioning costs. 14

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

• Provide a windbreak in the winter. • Capture stormwater and protect our streams and the Chesapeake Bay. • Clean our air and water. • Promote human health. Among the events being offered is Shinrin-yoku, or “Forest Bathing”—a nature-reverent health practice. The positive psychological effects of being near trees are well known—give it a whirl at the Forest Bathing session at Laurel Hill. Maybe you’d feel good about planting a seedling for a better future. The Celebration of Trees has multiple tree planting and restoration events, running all autumn in locales from Manassas to Lorton. Get into nut collecting, a foraging and plant identification activity—find, then identify, a nut, then mail it to Virginia Department of Forestry for germination. Seedlings will be grown on and placed in developing forests to sequester carbon. Kid-friendly events are running weekly during the celebration from Aldie to Annandale: tree scavenger hunts, a “Jurassic Gardener” and “Big Trees and Bees” meetup for little guys; older kids might enjoy Trees for Love planting, tree rescue instruction, planting events, or hike-and-draw activities. The whole family can stroll in gatherings such as Purcellville’s Hail to the Trail Green Expo. Parkland and trees all over the Washington, DC-area are often entirely shrouded and draped in vines. Lake Accotink’s Klub Kudzu teaches removal and identification techniques. Volunteers release their aggressions by showing invasive vines like kudzu, wisteria,

and English ivy just how we feel about their unwanted advances. “If people only knew how damaging these vines are!” said Fisher. These nasty vines are strangling, “choking out” our native trees. Feel more comfortable in your den? The Celebration of Trees has you covered, too. You can connect with the forest remotely. Explore the philosophical “Mother Tree,” sit in on the Urban Tree Summit, or observe the Steering Committee meeting; learn about selecting native trees, four-season native design, managing pests, or the Climate Action Group. “The key is connecting individuals to native trees,” explained Fisher. “You don’t need a whole education to choose the right native tree or shrub, nor specialist tools. With Plant NOVA Trees and the volunteers at the Celebration, anyone can do this! You don’t need a lot of space. Shrubs are just small trees; they offer the same benefits. And, you don’t need decades. You’ll see results. The trees work fast!” Native plant sales can be found all over the region during the Celebration, and the Town of Vienna is even giving away native plants and shrubs in early October. Find all of the event listings and details at www.plantnovatrees.org. “The lands that most need native trees so often are private lands,” Fisher said. But navigating plant selections can be a challenge. Volunteers went into garden centers on their own time and “red-tagged” and labeled native trees and shrubs, to better point homeowners toward native selections. “The key is connecting native plants to individuals [by activating local tree ecology] with the immense power of organized individuals,” said Fisher. This teamwork is probably the greatest boast of the Celebration of Trees; a portentous achievement. It seems obvious that to survive the future, we need to work together to plant, honor, and celebrate trees, and “we cannot wait,” said Fisher. 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.

PLANTprofile

Castor Bean Plant By Kathy Jentz

Castor Bean Plant (Ricinus communis) is also known as the Castor Oil Plant. This exotic-looking member of the Spurge family is native to East Africa and is not in fact a bean at all. This annual plant is grown for its tropical looks and drama in the garden. It can reach heights of 10 feet or more in a single growing season. The plant then dies when temperatures dip below freezing. It prefers full sun and rich, moist, but well-drained soil. It blooms in late summer and then forms spiky seed pods. To plant Castor Bean Plants, direct-sow the seeds in warm soil—about two weeks after the last frost in spring. Give it plenty of water and fertilizer. If you want to limit its size, it can be pruned back. Warning! The seeds are extremely poisonous! The plant can self-sow, but the seedlings are easy to identify and pull if you do not want them, or you could cut off the seed pods before they disperse. Wear gloves when handling any part of this plant, because the foliage can cause skin irritation. Note that all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. The plant is cultivated for medicinal uses and is prized by beekeepers. In addition to the bountiful pollen the flowers produce, there are extra nectaries along the stems and leaf stalks. Popular cultivars include the dark-leaved ‘New Zealand Purple’; ‘Carmencita Rose’ with blue-green foliage and peachy seed pods; and ‘Red Spire’, which has red stems and seed pods with bronze leaves. o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.

SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

PLANTrearch

Season of Shivers:

A Cold and Dry Winter Predicted for the DC Area 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 garden soils, phlox, and small-space gardening. You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o 16

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

By Melena DiNenna The 2022 Old Farmer’s Almanac (OFA) predicts a “Season of Shivers” this winter. In the Mid-Atlantic, the upcoming season will be colder than normal with less snowfall than usual. The OFA’s famous weather predictions come with each annual issue, where they predict average temperatures and precipitation rates all across the country. It has an average of 80% accuracy, according to OFA senior editor Sarah Perreault. The coldest months in the Mid-Atlantic region, it predicts, will be December, midJanuary, and early- to mid-February. November will see an average temperature of 42 degrees, and December is predicted to drop to an average of 35 degrees. January’s predicted average temperature—29 degrees—is the lowest for the winter’s predictions, at 6 degrees below average. And the DC region isn’t the only region with this kind of chilling forecast: “The entire country is actually going to be a little bit colder than is normal,” said Perreault. The snowiest months in the region will be in mid- to late-December, early- to mid-January, and mid-March, the OFA predicts. The almanac also predicts a couple potential snowstorms in December and January. However, the region will have a drier winter overall, which is “a little bit out of the ordinary,” said Perreault. A lowtemperature, low-precipitation winter means that plants have to be “well-insulated,” she said. “You would want to cover…around your plants with either bark mulch or pine needles that have fallen,” she said. “Some people do insulate with leaves, but a lot of critters are hiding in there, [like] bugs.” The lack of precipitation can actually be good for plants, she said, since snow can “shock” the soil—but so can extremely cold temperatures. Given that, she said that some gardeners in the region could even practice pulling out certain bulbs, like dahlias, and storing them in sawdust, packing peanuts, or any other material that won’t attract moisture and will keep the plants cool. However, gardeners who plant according to their hardiness zone “should be fine”—as long as they insulate their plants well, said Perreault. The DC area is in Zone 7, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After winter, gardeners in the Mid-Atlantic area should expect an earlier-thanusual hot spell, Perreault said. In April and May, temperatures will be above average—roughly in the high 50s and 60s—with less rainfall than normal. “That means [there’s] not a whole lot of moisture for the plants,” she said, “and you’ll need to plant drought-tolerant varieties.” 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.

GOINGnative

The Blues You’ve Been Dreaming About

Lobelia siphilitica By Barry Glick These days, it seems that just about every gardener I speak with is searching for pollinator plants. There’s a major focus on Lobelia cardinalis, and with good reason, although its cousin, Lobelia siphlitica, is being sadly overlooked. And not with good reason! The Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) surely does its job of attracting swarms of a multitude of butterfly species, hummingbirds, and several species of bees. There’s no doubt about that. (See more about Lobelia cardinalis in the July 2020 issue of Washington Gardener.) However, Lobelia siphilitica also attracts many interesting insects with its nectar and pollen. You may not see as many butterflies or hummingbirds, but you will see many different bee species, including yellow-faced bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees, bumblebees, and more. The display that Lobelia siphilitica puts on is two or three weeks after Lobelia cardinalis, in late August to midSeptember, when not much else is happening in the garden.

One of the most used common names of Lobelia siphilitica says it all—“Great Blue Lobelia” because it’s a more robust and taller plant than Lobelia cardinalis and the deep-blue color of the flowers is striking, to say the least. While both species love to have their feet wet, Lobelia siphilitica is more dependent on moisture; that’s why you see it growing more often in roadside ditches. I’ve seen it attain heights of over 36 inches in areas where it rarely dries out. In a drier situation such as a perennial bed that doesn’t get any supplemental water, it will reach heights of about 12 to 18 inches tall. These plants can take full sun, if they are constantly wet, and if they’re happy, they’ll naturalize well and provide you with a long bloom period of the deepest blue color that you could ever wish for. I’ve seen several specimens of Lobelia siphilitica alba, a purewhite and very attractive version of the species. Many folks labor under the misconception that the Lobelias are in the Lamiaceae (Mint) family. Not true!

They happen to be members of the Campanulaceae (Bellflower) family, home to Campanula, Platycodon, and many genera of tropical plants. Lobelia siphilitica is native to almost all of the United States, excepting nine Western states, and several provinces in midCanada. Deer and other varmints pay them no mind and I’ve never seen any insect pests or any type of disease affect them. Both species die back to a rosette to overwinter. If they happen to form multiple rosettes, which they usually do, you can pry the new ones off in the spring when they have sufficient roots and replant them. The seeds produced are dust-like and can be sown over grit in pots to produce copious amounts of seedlings. Oh, in case you’re wondering where the name came from, the Genus name, Lobelia, honors Matthias de l’Obel (1538–1616), a French physician and botanist, and the specific epithet, siphilitica, arose from a prior medicinal use of the plant in the treatment of venereal disease. Don’t try this at home, kids!.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..

SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

BOOKreviews

Unearthing The Secret Garden: The Plants and Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett Author: Marta McDowell Publisher: Timber Press List Price: $25.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3tOjHhR Reviewer: Beth Py-Lieberman Celebrating its centennial this year is the classic children’s novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The children’s classic, which has never been out of print, still holds a place of distinction among the National Education Association’s Top 100 Books for Children. It has served as inspiration to artists and musicians, with its story retold in film, theater, and even a Japanese anime television series. Those of us who love its story of the dour, neglected 10-year-old Mary Lennox will jump at the chance to dive into Marta McDowell’s painstakingly researched new tome, Unearthing The Secret Garden. McDowell has recovered the lost story of how Burnett came to give this precious novel its enduring heartbeat. Digging into Burnett’s childhood and early life, gathering up details from her notes and letters, and chronicling her life through a rich archive of photographs, McDowell narrates the author’s well-lived life. “As bona fide fairy tales go, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s life isn’t bad. Hers is a riches-to-rags-to-riches story, set in the dark city and the pastoral countryside. There are heroes and villains, love and hate, intrigue and adventure,” writes McDowell. 18

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

The story of Mary Lennox after her parents’ untimely death includes a journey to the Yorkshire country house known as Misselthwaite Manner, home of her uncle Archibald Craven. There, while left to her own devices, Mary learns of the family’s unfortunate tale of a lost mistress who died young, leaving behind her husband, the brokenhearted Craven, who travels far and wide hoping to assuage his grief. Mary soon meets her ill cousin, Colin, who is prone to dreadful temper tantrums that leave the manor home staff subject to his every whim. The two neglected, spoiled cousins become unlikely friends and Mary, while exploring the grounds, finds a locked door nestled in a stone wall. A chirping Robin leads her to where the key is buried and when the door is opened, the magic begins. A local boy Dickon and the manor’s head gardener Ben Weatherstaff take up the conspiracy to restore the secret garden behind the locked door and to bring Colin in his wheelchair to the rose-covered realm where his health is miraculously restored. When Archibald Craven arrives home from one of his sad journeys, he finds his son flushed and fresh after winning a race with Mary. Happily ever after ensues. For any fellow gardeners, whose green yearnings were birthed at the first reading of what Mary Lennox found when she unlocked the door into the walled secret garden, McDowell offers a treat in the details of Burnett’s latent gardening mastery. Citing The Secret Garden as a “horticultural trigger” or the “gateway drug for gardeners,” McDowell takes the reader on a journey to each of Burnett’s homes in England, Long Island, and Bermuda, where after the age of 50, the novelist turned her focus to gardening with a passion that can only be described as robust. With her considerable wealth and a staff of strong-backed helpers, Burnett, until she died at the age of 74 in 1924, commanded an extraordinary gardening life. Born in 1849 in Manchester, England, Burnett’s early life was one of family poverty, but her love of writing offered a way out; by age 19, she was a published author and her stories would guarantee a life of comfort.

Soon her marriage to Swan Burnett in 1873 brought two sons. Lionel, who died young, and Vivian, who would come to share in her passion for the pleasures of the garden. After her divorce in 1898, she sublet her house in London and took a lease on the spacious mid-18th century manor known as Maytham Hall in Kent. Surrounded by great oaks, horse-chestnuts, and beeches, the novelist took up horticulture as her “new fad.” At Maytham, she hired a head gardener, Bolten, “a nice old thing …who is secretly filled with joy because I am ‘a lady as loves flowers.’” In Bolten, she would find the seeds for crafting the character of Ben Weatherstaff, the gruff old caretaker who befriends Mary Lennox. The home was a place for friends to gather and entertain. “I have artfully arranged things so that instead of seeing my friends in rooms crowded with people I see them in old gardens crowded with roses,” Burnett wrote to one of her editors. Maytham would be just the beginning of Burnett’s spectacular gardening rehabs. McDowell’s tireless researches and delightful prose recount anecdotes and details of Burnett’s efforts to make a life for flowers at her subsequent homes in Long Island and Bermuda, where she spent her winters. Rich in details, lavish with illustrations, including many from the story’s various print versions, this book is a must-have for anyone whose first horticulture passions were triggered by that gateway drug to gardening, otherwise known as The Secret Garden. o Beth Py-Lieberman is Smithsonian magazine’s senior museums editor. She gardens at home with visiting deer in Silver Spring, MD, and is the volunteer liaison for the Fenton Street Community Garden.

The Woodchip Handbook: A Complete Guide for Farmers, Gardeners and Landscapers Authors: Ben Raskin Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing List Price: $24.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3lvbWtw Reviewer: Andrea F. Siegel There’s a lot more of value to say about woodchips than you’d expect, which is something that makes The Woodchip

BOOKreviews

Handbook: A Complete Guide for Farmers, Gardeners and Landscapers a resource for readers interested, learning more about soil improvement and ecology. Ben Raskin’s book relies on science, studies, and experiences to tell readers that woodchips have multiple beneficial uses, including as part of agroforestry. Raskin is the head of horticulture and agroforestry at the Soil Association in the UK. Most of what’s in this volume is applicable in the USA as well as the UK. Let’s start with this: The woodchipper (you’ll recall the equipment from the movie “Fargo”) didn’t exist until the 1880s. Its invention has made it possible to turn wood into woodchips in less time. Raskin makes a compelling case for the potential of using woodchips in more than the old familiar ways. Backyard gardeners use mulch to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and prevent topsoil from blowing away. And wood has long been used for fuel and creating sustainable paths. Of particular interest to gardeners with small and backyard gardens are discussions of properties of various tree species, composting woodchips, and why not to chip treated wood. For many of us, woodchips can be economical: They’re free from some companies doing tree trimming or removal in communities.

Sections related to farming, woodchip uses on estates, and the like may be of less practical value to small-space gardeners, but of special interest to landscapers, farmers, and others with a lot of trees or a lot of property. The book explores modern uses. The author explains them, including for which the type of wood makes a difference, such as the role that salicylic acid in willow chips can have in preventing disease in trees. Among the newer ways are as bedding for livestock; Raskin does go into the differences in trees as he discusses bedding, cautioning that some tree species such as black locust may be poisonous to livestock, while noting that eucalyptus has some antimicrobial benefits. Among woodchip uses described in this book is as a form of nitrogen fertilizer, because they leach out nitrogen when placed on top of soil—particularly useful for large potted plants, which have limited access to soil and its nutrients. Woodchips, Raskin notes, are a viable medium for growing specialty mushrooms and are useful in plant propagation; they can help reduce soil compaction and help improve the soil while storing carbon in it. On the environmental side, wood is a renewable resource, and making good use of tree trimmings makes sense. The author also discusses the potential for locking up carbon long term to keep it out of the atmosphere. o Andrea Siegel is a master gardener in Maryland.

Taming Fruit: How Orchards Have Transformed the Land, Offered Sanctuary, and Inspired Creativity Author: Bernd Brunner (translation by Lori Lantz) Publisher: Greystone Books List Price: $29.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/39e2gxI Reviewer: Stacey Evers Much of the time, gardening is an up-close activity, requiring a focus on what’s right in front of you right now: What is that bug, why are my tomato leaves curling, how do I stop the squirrels from committing daily larceny? At certain points in the year, we pull our gaze back so we can plan the next year’s garden and crop rotation, but we

don’t routinely consider our place in the sweeping history of plant cultivation or the long lineage of gardeners trailing behind us. German author Bernd Brunner gives us much to think about in Taming Fruit, a 260-page tour of fruit cultivation that extends back tens of thousands of years and travels all over the globe. Along the way, he intertwines history, archeology, botany, human development, horticulture, religion, environmental science, art, and the art of seduction to produce a lively overview of how orchards have been organized and have connected nations and time periods. This is not a tedious or dull journey. Brunner’s vivid imagination re-creates the social and work life surrounding orchards. He brings to life low-status gardeners in ancient Egypt “without even a head covering to protect them from the heat,” the overhaul of the Mesopotamian landscape to harness the Tigris and Euphrates, Pompeii residents weaving wool in the shade of encircling grape vines, and “stressedout members of the Roman elite.” A French book on the history of fruit cultivation inspired Brunner’s research, in particular a description of an archaeological site in northern Jordan estimated to be around 300,000 years old where archaeologists found stone tools and the remains of fruits and nuts. “I was fascinated by how very long ago, someone had gathered the ancient fruits and nuts found at this SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

BOOKreviews site,” he writes. “[E]ven back then in the Lower Paleolithic, our ancient ancestors were picking and processing bounty from the wild.” Starting in this prehistoric era, Brunner steers the reader through ancient Egypt, the Middle East, Greece, and Rome, then to monastery orchards (including the papal gardens of Avignon, where seven popes held court while Italy was in turmoil), Versailles, the walled gardens of northern Europe protecting fruit from cold and wind, North American apple orchards and California citrus groves, and Central American and Amazonian fruit cultivation. One of the 16 chapters is primarily dedicated to the Garden of Eden and its impact on orchard design among 17th-century Christians, who wanted to answer the question of what makes a garden truly a paradise. Other chapter, deep-dive into apples, pears, cherries, and citrus, including a brief exploration of the origins of oranges. No oranges have ever been found in the wild, so there’s much speculation about how this beloved fruit came to be. Although I only read a PDF, the book is beautiful, filled with colorful, mouthwatering art depicting orchards and fruit through the ages. Brunner also has provided a thorough index for quick research and a list of recommended reading to learn more. “It is valuable to imagine what our fruit used to be like and to think about how many hands all the seeds, twigs, and trunks must have passed through and what distances they traveled—geographically and through time,” Brunner concludes. “Those who plant fruit trees do so not just for themselves but as an investment in the future. In this regard, creating an orchard is a forward-looking project that links generations.” o Stacey Evers is a garden educator and the director of Grow a Row FC, a Northern Virginia community initiative supporting gardeners who grow food for donation. Note: These book reviews include links to Amazon.com for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine may receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

Heritage Roses: A Collection of Essays and Lessons Author: Connie Hilker List Price: $25.00 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3khRLQh Reviewer: Jim Dronenburg Disclaimer: Connie Hilker is a personal friend of the reviewer. This is a slim book, a collection of “essays and lessons” published previously in various rose publications. It is a very good beginner’s reader for the case of growing old—“heritage”—roses, and propagating them so they are not lost. The text—which jumps around from essay to essay, as collections tend to do—is accompanied by magnificent photographs, primarily of old roses, and mostly in the author’s garden collection. Your reviewer was hooked with the essay on “rose rustling,” which is the saving of old roses (and other things) from destruction on abandoned sites, from extinction when found in, say, old cemeteries, from being forgotten and lost to cultivation. You don’t dig up the plant in these cases; just take cuttings. Hilker provides a very clear explanation of how to do it and get them to root. While you can get old rose plants from specialty nurseries, Hilker does point out that these specialty nurseries have been closing over the past decade, and besides, when you see

a nice rose neglected by the wayside, how do you know its name? Much better to stop and take cuttings, leaving the original plant. Find out the name, if you can, after you have saved the rose to your garden. You have no idea if your rose-in-the-wilderness will even be there next year. The Heritage Rose Foundation will help with identification, if the rose is known. If not, they will be happy to have found a “new” one. Occasionally, it’s obvious that an old rose may have had a name (being found in multiple locations argues for the rose “being in the trade” at one point), but the original name is now lost. When that happens, a rose is often named for the location where it was found as a working name. Sometimes it proves to be a known rose. Sometimes it doesn’t, and the “working name” sticks. The author also talks about the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA, and other cemeteries. Hollywood was an example of a “garden cemetery,” where you can find remnants of things planted both by the cemetery and relatives of the departed, in a site preserved for over a century. In Hollywood’s case, since 1847 or so… Other such cemeteries exist. One of the essays is about the roses of Walter Van Fleet. These were some of the roses connected with your reviewer’s youth. They were “ramblers”—large, wonderful growers; magnificent display; ferocious thorns; tended to be once-bloomers but also to be indestructible. Yet, some appear to have been totally lost. Hilker enumerates those she has, and those she cannot find. This book is not a list of varieties, or the care of them, nor what their size is. It does not tell you recipes for soil preparation or watering or the like. But your reviewer can’t think of a better starting book to get you hooked on old roses. This book may or may not be something for your personal collection, but march down to your library and ask them to get it. It’s well, well worth the reading. o Jim Dronenburg is a retired accountant and now gardens full-time in Knoxville, MD.

INSECTindex

Phlox Plant Bug

By Carol Allen Practitioners of integrated pest management understand that control of a disease organism or insect pest on a favored plant often involves a multilayered approach. It often includes understanding a plant’s environmental and cultural needs, proper sighting, choosing resistant varieties, accepting a few blemishes, trying to outwit a pest by knowing its vulnerabilities, or simply not planting the host plant. With that in mind, let’s look at the phlox plant bug. The phlox plant bug (Lopidea davisi) is a true “bug,” belonging to the order Hemiptera and feeding by “sucking.” These insects use a straw-/stiletto-like mouthpart to inject a cell dissolving saliva into the leaves or stems of a plant, then suck out the juice. As phlox plant bugs are gregarious and gather in high numbers, so they can inflict considerable damage to a stand of tall garden phlox, their preferred phlox host. This insect overwinters as eggs laid in phlox stems. Cutting the stems down to the ground and disposing of them is part of a good control strategy. Composting is probably not reliable unless the pile temperatures can get over 130°F and kill the eggs. Probably those stems should go in the trash or be burned. The first-generation eggs hatch in May to June and a second genera-

tion hatches in July and feeds until September. There are five instars and the bugs go through an incomplete metamorphosis, each instar looking similar, but getting larger than the previous. The smaller nymphs are bright orange and as they mature, they take on the typical black-and-orange pattern that indicates to birds that this insect does not taste good or is toxic. No control help from them!

How do you know you have them? The small insects are distinctive in coloration even though they are slightly less than a quarter of an inch when mature. The sucking damage leaves brown spots, curled leaves, and eventual defoliation of the phlox plant. Start scouting early in May, but what to do for control? If the phlox are in bloom, the use of a pesticide is out of the question because the phlox will be covered in pollinators. Remember that insecticidal soaps, neem oil, or horticultural oil sprays are generalist pesticides and will damage beneficial insect populations as well as pests. If the phlox are not yet in bloom, these sprays would have a relatively low impact on beneficial insects if applied carefully. In gardens with large patches of phlox, this pest can be devastating. It may be necessary to remove all of the tall garden phlox from the garden for several years to break the phlox plant bug life cycle. Sorry. o Carol Allen describes herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, with a special interest in plant pests and diseases; is a Licensed Pesticide Applicator in the state of Maryland; and is an ISACertified Arborist. She can be contacted at carolallen@erols.com. Photo credits: Missouri Botanical Garden.

SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

BIRDwatch

Eastern Bluebird By Cecily Nabors

Royal blue on his back, rusty red on his breast, a male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) looks ready to fly over that fairytale rainbow. Females’ coloration is more subdued but still lovely. This sweet, small member of the thrush family is always a treat to see. But what color is a bluebird? It’s not a trick question! The answer is, it depends. In bird feathers, blue is a structural color, not a pigment. The feathers’ construction, and the tiny spaces within their filaments, reflect only the blue wavelengths of light. In dim light or when backlit, the bird may merely look dark. When Henry Thoreau wrote, “The bluebird carries the sky on its back,” he was right; like the sky, a bluebird sometimes looks gray, but it’s usually a brilliant sky-blue. Eastern Bluebirds favor low perches from which to search open ground for insects, so they’re partial to areas with scattered trees and short vegetation. Pastures and meadows, orchards, hikerbiker trails, golf courses, and open areas in parks are all good places to hunt for them. If you hear a soft, melodious warble, look around for a flash of blue. Both males and females sing, but males are louder (no comment). In our Mid-Atlantic area, we are privileged to see bluebirds all year; our winters are usually not cold or snowy enough to keep them from finding food. Their main diet is insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, but in fall and 22

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

winter, bluebirds eat large amounts of fruit, including black cherry; hackberries; and the berries on holly, dogwood, pokeweed, and juniper. They will sometimes supplement with their diet meat like worms or tree frogs. If you see a bluebird drop from a perch, grab an insect, and fly off with a beak full of flutter, the bird is probably carrying food for its young. Eastern Bluebirds are cavity-nesters, often using old woodpecker holes. Bluebirds suffered after the introduction of the much more aggressive House Sparrow and European Starling. Nest theft by these two nonnative species, combined with pesticides and changes in habitat, sent bluebirds into sharp decline until humans intervened. For information about how Dr. Larry Zeleny sparked the building of bluebird nest-boxes to save the species, check out the North American Bluebird Society at www.nabluebirdsociety.org. During courtship and nesting, Eastern Bluebirds lose their shy, confiding air and claim their chosen tree cavity or nest box with lots of song and chasing off intruders. Males seek out suitable spaces, while females choose among those offered. Individuals appear to have strong preferences for particular types of nest site, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, with older birds more likely to choose a nest box than a natural cavity.

The female (pictured below) does most of the nest-building and incubates the eggs. At night, the male may stay at the nest with the female, after bringing her some food. The young are fed with caterpillars and soft insects. When the first brood fledges, the parents may build another nest in the same cavity. Occasionally, one of the young from the first brood will act as a “helper at the nest,” bringing food to the second set of nestlings. A pair of Eastern Bluebirds may bond for several years. However, studies suggest that females sometimes breed with more than one male (no comment). Suburban yards may not have enough open area to appeal to bluebirds in breeding season, when a large supply of insects will be needed to feed the everhungry young. In fall and winter, though, other food sources such as a plentiful supply of fruit and berries assume a great importance. Planting shrubs and small trees such as American holly, juniper, pyracantha, and the native dogwoods will help entice bluebirds to local gardens. In winter, bluebirds will also visit birdfeeders. Most books advise providing mealworms to coax bluebirds to the feeder area, but they will also come readily to suet and shelled peanuts. When the view from the kitchen window across a wintery yard includes a beautiful Eastern Bluebird, a gardener can truly enjoy that “bluebird of happiness.” 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.

ADVERTISINGindex

Your Ad Here

BACK ISSUE SALE!

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:

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.

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

MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Cherry Trees

MAY/JUNE 2007 • Roses: Easy Care Tips • Native Roses & Heirloom Roses • Edible Flowers • How to Plant a Bare-root Rose

MAY/JUNE 2005 • Stunning Plant Combinations • Turning Clay into Rich Soil • Wild Garlic • Strawberries

JULY/AUGUST 2007 • Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass • How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head • William Paca House & Gardens • Hardy Geraniums

JULY/AUGUST 2005 • Water Gardens • Poison Ivy • Disguising a Sloping Yard • Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 • Succulents: Hardy to our Region • Drought-Tolerant Natives • Southern Vegetables • Seed Saving Savvy Tips

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 • Gardening with Children • Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics • National Museum of the American Indian • Versatile Viburnums

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Bulb Planting Basics

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 • Dealing with Deer • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Delightful Daffodils

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

SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • Growing Hops

MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heuchera)

U MAY/JUNE 2008 DO SOL • Growing Great Tomatoes UT! O • Glamorous Gladiolus LD ! SO • Seed-Starting OUT Basics D L •SFlavorful Fruiting Natives O

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

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007 • Indoor Gardening • Daphne Care Guide • Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes • Houseplant Propagation

MARCH/APRIL 2009 ! OUT Tips D • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden SOL ! T • Spring Edibles Planting Guide OU LDfor a Fresh Start • Testing YourSO Soil ! Selection and Care UTTree • Redbud O LD Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells • SOBest

MARCH/APRIL 2007 • Stormwater Management • Dogwood Selection & Care Guide • Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips • Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens

MAY/JUNE 2009 • Top Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat • Salad Table Project • Grow and Enjoy Eggplant • How to Chuck a Woodchuck

FALL 2009 • Apples • How to Save Tomato Seeds • Persimmons WINTER 2009 • Battling Garden Thugs • How to Start Seeds Indoors • Red Twig Dogwoods • Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region SPRING 2010 • Community Gardens • Building a Raised Bed • Dwarf Iris • Broccoli SUMMER 2010 • Fragrance Gardens • Watering Without Waste • Lavender • Potatoes FALL 2010 • Vines and Climbers • Battling Stink Bugs • Russian Sage • Garlic WINTER 2010 • Paths and Walkways • Edgeworthia • Kohlrabi SPRING 2011 • Cutting-Edge Gardens • Final Frost Dates and When to Plant • Bleeding Hearts • Onions SUMMER 2011 • Ornamental Edibles • Urban Foraging • Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star • Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic FALL 2011 • Herb Gardens • Toad Lilies • Sweet Potatoes • Cool Weather Cover Crops WINTER 2011/EARLY SPRING 2012 • Green Roofs and Walls • Heaths and Heathers • Radishes 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 WINTER/EARLY SPRING 2014 • Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic • Chanticleer Gardens • Beet Growing Basics

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.” Please also include your first name, last initial, and what city and state you are writing from. Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.

Advertising Index A big THANK YOU to all of our Washington Gardener advertisers. Please tell them you saw their ad in Washington Gardener!

Audubon Naturalist Society GardenDC Green Spring Gardens IzelPlants.com Jentz Prints MD HGIC MG Handbook Plant-a-Row GWA Summer Creek Farm Sunshine Farm & Gardens The Urban Garden Book Washington Gardener Back Issues Washington Gardener Speakers White’s Nursery

2 16 2 2 24 2 5 2 2 16 23 2 2

To advertise with us, please contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 today.

Next deadline: October 5

SEPTEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON GARDENER

Jentz Prints

Antique Botanical Prints for the decorator, collector, connoisseur, and art lover. Jentz Prints can be purchased on most Saturdays at the Eastern Market, and some Sundays at the Georgetown Flea 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, to make a private appointment, or to get a detailed show schedule, please contact Jentz Prints by email at UllrichJ@aol.com. You can also find Jentz Prints on eBay.com under the seller ID: printyman. 24

WASHINGTON GARDENER

SEPTEMBER 2021

Washington Gardener Magazine September 2021

Articles inside

BIRDwatch

BOOKreviews

INSECTindex

GOINGnative

LOCALnews

HORThappenings

PLANTprofile

LOCALevents

TIPStricks

NEIGHBORnetwork

EDITORletter

DAYtrip