Washington Gardener July 2017

JULY 2017 VOL. 12 NO. 5

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tthe magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

A Visit to Rachel Carson’s Silver Spring Slow Gardening with Bulbs

Investigating Urban Oak Deaths

Winning Street Plantings

Your Garden Task List Add Color with Coleus

A Slice of Summer:

Cucumbers

DMV Gardening Events Calendar

Meet UMD’s Sam Bahr

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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 greater DC region.

Call 301.588.6894 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR

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Barry Glick Sunshine Farm and Gardens 696 Glicks Road Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com

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www.sunfarm.com

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

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.

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WASHINGTON GARDENER JULY 2017

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.

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Local garden celebrity Peg Bier of Merrifield Garden Center poses with some familiar-looking garden art in a private garden on the Garden Bloggers Fling 2017 that took place in the Capital Region last month.

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‘Bush Slicer’ (F1 hybrid) produces full-size (6 to 8 inches long) slicing cucumbers on a vigorous, short vine that is well-suited to container gardens. Photo courtesy of ReneesGarden.com.

BOOKreviews 12-13 Tree Doctor; Swift Guide to Butterflies; Big Ideas for Small Spaces; Landscape Drawing DAYtrip 5 Rachel Carson House EDIBLEharvest 17-19 Cucumbers HORThappenings 6 Pollinator Fest; Bloggers Fling; Smithsonian Common Ground INSECTindex 7 Foliar Nematodes NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Corn ‘Sweet American Dream’ NEIGHBORnetwork 20-22 Sam Bahr, UMD SPECIALfeature 14-15 Golden Triangle BID Contest TIPStricks 10 Slow Gardening; Colorful Coleus; Suburban/Urban Oak Deaths

DEPARTMENTS

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ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER

Cucumber ‘Iznik’, a mini-slicer, growing at the Penn State Trial Gardens Research & Extension Center in Manheim, PA. In our August 2017 issue:

Youth Gardening

Growing Chaste Trees and much more...

Wildflower walk along the Rachel Carson Greenway at the Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park in Silver Spring, MD, on Rachel Carson Day 2017.

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FEATURES and COLUMNS

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by August 10 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication!

Be sure you are subscribed!

Click on the “subscribe” link at http://washingtongardener. blogspot.com/

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EDITORletter

Credits Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher & Advertising Sales Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-588-6894 kathyjentz@gmail.com www.washingtongardener.com Call today to place your ad with us!

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Ana Hurler & Mika Park Interns Cover price: $4.99 Back issues: $6.00 Subscription: $20.00 Address corrections should be sent to the address above.

Your editor posing with flowers at the Garden Bloggers Fling. Photo by Marianne Willburn.

Making a Positive ID Confession: I hate being asked to make a plant identification. I mean I really hate it. Like the kind of intense annoyance many people feel about hearing the word “moist” or getting spam text messages.

Maybe it is because most of these requests come when I am on a garden tour or social visit and am either taking plant photos or trying to soak in the atmosphere, so I can later remember the location and perhaps use it in a future article.

I try to be Zen about it and think of it as a challenge or a puzzle to solve, but instead, it feels intrusive and also like I am being used as a human Google. As my garden writer friend, Kim Howes Roman, says, “If they gave just one little hint that they had already researched it, it would not bother me as much.” To cap it off, I rarely get thanked for the free service afterwards.

The ones I don’t mind as much are those posted by a reader to our Yahoo discussion group. Usually, this person has tried a few sources and come up empty, and is sharing some photos as a last resort. Some of these are real stumpers and can have the “expert” horticultural professionals on the list debating on the proper ID. I wish there was a working “app for that” as they say, Sure, many apps promise instant plant identification through image mapping software, but few actually accurately deliver. Plants change and grow. Is it a blade of Crabgrass coming up or a young leaf on a Sweet Pea? The ones that do work best are those that employ actual humans and promise to get back to you after you upload your photos to them. I wonder what the rate of burnout is in those jobs?

Happy gardening!

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

WASHINGTON GARDENER JULY 2017

• Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine • Washington Gardener is a womanowned business. We are proud to be members of: · Garden Writers Association · Think Local First DC · DC Web Women · Green America Magazine Leaders Network · Green America Business Network To order reprints, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877.652.5295, ext. 138.

Volume 12, Number 5 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2017 Washington Gardener All rights reserved. Published quarterly.

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.

DAYtrip

READERcontt

Aby Kathy Visit Jentz to Rachel Carson’s Residence

On May 27, the occasion of what would have been Rachel Carson’s 110th birthday, a group of members of the Maryland Native Plant Society and their guests toured the Rachel Carson House and Rachel Carson Greenway in the White Oak section of Silver Spring, MD. This was the home where Carson wrote Silent Spring and spent her final years. After decades of renting homes in the Takoma Park-Silver Spring area during her tenure with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she bought this modest writer’s property in a spot near the Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park. Built to her specifications, the small residence was laid out to let in maximum light, although now the trees have grown and shaded it in. Placed in rooms throughout the home now are displays of Carson’s accomplishments and photos of her.

The home is not occupied currently and is only opened up to the public on special occasions. Dr. Diana Post and Clifford Hall of the Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance (http://rachelcarsonlandmarkalliance.org/) own the property now and take the Carson legacy seriously. They led the group around the home, pointing out what had changed over the years and what was original to Carson’s time. I was pleased to see a few bookshelves with the volumes she most used for reference and also the vintage typewriter and dictation machine in her office. There was also a lovely fireplace, which must have made winter days quite cozy and enjoyable there.

After the home tour, we briefly walked around the home’s landscape as a soft rain fell on us. Michael Ellis, a wildlife biologist, then led a group to the nearby stream valley that inspired so much of Carson’s late writings. This part of the Northwest Branch park was also a favorite of President Theodore Roosevelt, who regularly rode up on horseback to escape the city heat. It is easy to see why both Carson and Roosevelt (and many other naturalists) fell in love with the location. It is right at the fall line between the Coastal and Piedmont. The walking path is fairly easy going even in this rocky terrain. Around a bend, not too far into the park, is a steep hillside, overlooking an idyllic section of the Northwest Branch stream that is covered in Mountain Laurel. Our group timed it just right as the tall shrubs were in full bloom and below them, a little box turtle came to join us on the path. o

Reader Contest

For our July 2017 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, we are giving away three author-signed copies of The Chinese Kitchen Garden (each a $20 value).

Our reviewer, Erica H. Smith, said, “The Chinese Kitchen Garden is several books in one, as its subtitle ‘Growing techniques and family recipes from a classic cuisine’ implies.

It is a gardening book, because it explains how to grow a number of edible plants from Chinese cuisine.

It’s a cookbook, because each plant description is supplemented by a recipe, along with general information about harvesting or buying the vegetable and how it is prepared. And it’s also a memoir of several generations of one Chinese-American family, full of snippets of personal and cultural history. This book is ideal for gardeners from beginners to experienced who want to grow plants from this cultural tradition, and for cooks who want to integrate these vegetables into their dishes.”

To enter to win one of the three signed book copies, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5pm on Monday, August 31, with “Chinese Kitchen Garden” in the subject line. In the body of the email, tell us which was your favorite article in this issue and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address.

The book winners will be announced on August 1. o JULY 2017

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HORThaenings

USDA Pollinator Festival

National Pollinator Week ran from June 19 to June 25 this year, and the USDA held its 8th Annual Pollinator Week Festival on Friday, June 23, outside the USDA’s DC headquarters. The week celebrates the wide range of pollinators that are crucial to keeping gardens alive. More than 19 groups, such as the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Bee Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Million Garden Pollinator Challenge, lent their time to help educate attendees on how to support pollinators. Additionally, these organizations displayed live honey bees and bats, gave away pollinatorfriendly plants, held honey tastings, led insect-collecting activities, and much more. To end the day, there was a bat walk at the People’s Garden Headquarters.

Garden Bloggers Fling

From June 22 to June 25, almost 100 garden bloggers from across the country, Canada, and England were invited to tour gardens in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. The tours enabled bloggers to learn more about the types of gardens in the area and to connect with each other through their love of gardening. They visited the Smithsonian Gardens along the National Mall, the U.S. Botanic Garden, Hillwood, and the Franciscan Monastery. The bloggers also visited a number of private gardens, as well as a local winery, in different parts of Maryland and northern Virginia.

The Garden Bloggers Fling has met since 2008, and every year is hosted in a different part of the U.S. This was the first time it came to the Capital Region.

The Fling provides a great opportunity to meet the people behind your favorite blogs and see some beautiful gardens that you might not have been able to otherwise.

On June 26, garden bloggers who attended the fling and not returned home, or who lived in the area, went to an afterparty at the beautiful River Farm, the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society. Located in Alexandria, VA, River Farm overlooks the Potomac and has stunning grounds featuring a meadow and several gardens, 6

WASHINGTON GARDENER JULY 2017

while visitors to Surreybrooke could learn about the history of the Civil Warera house.

The Garden Conservancy has hosted Open Days since 1995 in 41 states to inspire the public by showcasing a variety of regional gardening styles.

Music in the Park making it a highly sought-after wedding location. Local horticultural professionals were also invited to attend, making the event a platform for networking and learning more about local gardening.

Attendees enjoyed a variety of pizzas and salad, as well as soft drinks, wine, and beer.

Smithsonian Completes Common Ground Exhibit

Last month, Smithsonian Gardens completed work on Common Ground: Our American Garden, a new outdoor exhibit examining American culture through plants. The garden is located in raised beds along the south side of the National Museum of American History—a space previously occupied by the Smithsonian’s Heirloom Garden.

The exhibit is divided into four sections based on the plants’ significance to Americans: Memory, Healing, Discovery, and Ingenuity. Informative panels allow visitors to learn about plants used by Americans in each category, while reflecting on their own experiences and heritage.

Twenty-minute tours of the new garden are available every Thursday starting at 9:30am through October.

Garden Conservancy Open Day in Frederick County

The Garden Conservancy held an Open Day for attendees to visit several gardens in Frederick County, MD, on Saturday, June 10. Through Open Days, visitors have the chance to tour various private landscapes and learn about regional gardening from experts.

Six Frederick County gardens participated in Open Day: High Glen Gardens, Kremers Paradise, the Jim and Sharon Lillard Residence, Meadow Brook Manor, Winpenny Tell Garden, and Surreybrooke. Staff at High Glen Gardens offered free guided tours,

Main Street Takoma hosted an evening filled with music, food, and fun on June 30. The event took place in Triangle Park in northwest DC, and the park was filled with gorgeous flowers that attendees had the privilege to admire.

The Tillery Group performed music for guests to enjoy as well. Dolci Gelati, a DC-based artisanal gelato company, provided free ice cream, which brought smiles to many faces and helped people cool off on the hot evening.

Society Hosts Meeting on Disease-Resistant Roses

The Potomac Rose Society hosted the 2nd Annual Mid-Atlantic Symposium on Disease Resistant Roses on Saturday, June 3, at the Silver Spring Library to inform attendees about how to easily grow roses in the DC area.

The symposium consisted of three parts, each emphasizing an important aspect of growing roses. First, Gaye Hammond, president of the Houston Rose Society, explained easy-care roses. A talk from American Rose Society president Pat Shanley about the American Garden Rose Selection program followed. Lastly, a panel discussed resources and growing roses without chemicals in the Mid-Atlantic region. o This issue’s “HortHappenings” were compiled by Ana Hurler and Mika Park, summer editorial interns at Washington Gardener Magazine.

See many more photos from events listed here, as well as many more photo albums of recent local garden events, at the Washington Gardener Facebook Page: facebook. com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine. Recent albums include: • Open Gardens in Takoma Park, MD • Butterfly Exhibit June 2017 • Lancaster, PA, Garden Tours with the Garden Writers Association • Willowsford Farm in Loudoun County, VA Click on the PHOTOS tab, then select from the ALBUMS.

INSECTindex

Foiling Foliar Nematodes

by Carol Allen I believe most gardeners have a utopian vision of their gardens. Flowers glow brightly and in profusion. Leaves are richly green with crisp edges. Nothing mars their perfection. The reality is that we gardeners put up with a lot of minor blemishes on our plants and consider that as normal wear and tear in the garden. However, one of the many splotches and blotches that we should not consider “normal” is the damage from foliar nematodes.

What are nematodes, you ask? They are the most abundant multicellular animal on Earth. Some of these microscopic worms are part of the incredibly complex ecology in our healthy soils.

There are nearly 20,000 species; they are extremely diverse, and can be beneficial when they feed on pests, but are pests themselves when they damage our plants.

The nematodes that feed on the leaves of our plants fall in the genus Aphelenchoides. They have been found in over 200 different plant species, including anemone, strawberry, hosta, phlox, verbena, zinnia, carnation, impatiens, begonia, ferns, and African violets. They are an emerging pest problem in the horticultural trade since they can spread rapidly and gardeners have no means of chemical control.

Gardeners should be most concerned with two species: A. ritzemabosi, known as the chrysanthemum foliar nematode, and A. fragariae, called the strawberry crimp or fern nematode.

These species have only a slight host overlap (African violet, begonia, gloxinia, Siberian bugloss, violet, and verbena), but between these two, they can infest many different plants in both the greenhouse and the landscape.

When should you suspect that you may have an infestation? You will see leaves turning brown in the spaces between the leaf veins. In plants with parallel veins, like hosta, the brown streaks run from the base towards the tip and the discoloration does not jump over the vein and affect the next section. In net-veined plants, like anemone, the areas are water-soaked in the beginning, but soon the area turns brown. Upon close inspection, you will see that the damage is bounded by the plant’s veins, giving it an angled appearance.

You can test to see if the nematodes are there by removing an affected leaf area and placing a few small torn pieces in a clean, clear glass vessel or on a microscope slide. Add a few drops of water and after a few minutes, the nematodes will swim free into the water. You will need at least a 10X magnification, good lighting, and a dark background to see the worms. The worms are fairly

large, 0.02 to 0.05 in. (0.5 to 1.2 mm) and there are usually many of them, so they can be easily visualized.

Since there is no chemical control, prevention is going to be a gardener’s best approach. The nematodes swim from plant to plant in water splashed on the leaves. Wet weather and overhead irrigation can help them spread. They can also be moved during propagation through leaf or stem cuttings. They are most active in temperatures ranging from 70–75°F (21–24°C) and need a film of water standing on the plant leaves to move from plant to plant.

Once on a leaf, they enter through the stomata and feed on the inside tissue of the leaf by inserting a stylet-like mouthpart into a cell, injecting a tissuedissolving enzyme and removing the cellular contents. When the weather is dry, they are limited in their movement and, once cold weather arrives, they move to the crown of the plant to overwinter. There are several generations per year, if conditions are right.

How can we control this pest?

1) Sanitation—remove and destroy infested leaves. Sterilize cutting tools, pots and benches when propagating.

2) Removal—it is next to impossible to eliminate foliar nematodes from a plant.

Infested plants should be removed and destroyed—not composted! Infested plants should be placed in black plastic bags and put in the full sun until the plant material is cooked and mushy.

Then place it in the landfill.

3) Inspection—Isolate and closely inspect new plants coming into the garden.

4) Selection—Look for nematode-resistant plants when considering a new plant purchase. 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 Credit: Foliar nematode symptoms on coralbells (top of page) and hosta (middle column) by Jonathan D. Eisenback of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16–August 15, 2017 • Wednesday, July 19, 7:30pm Small Water Features in the Garden Takoma Horticultural Club presents Joan Kramer, Master Gardener, talking about container water gardens and how to put them together in your own garden—especially if you don’t think you can manage such a project. Please bring a snack to share and wear a recycled name tag. This talk is free and open to the public. See details at: www. takomahort.org.

• Wednesday, July 19, 7–9pm Seed Saving Learn how to save money by saving seeds from your best crops this year.

Arlington Central Library Garden Talks Every Wednesday for free. Held at the Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St, Arlington, VA). Download the entire 2017 Gardening Talks schedule: https://afac.org/wp-content/ uploads/2013/04/GardenTalks.Central.2017.pdf.

• Thursday, July 20, 6:30–8pm Discuss Big Dreams, Small Garden with Washington Gardener Book Club For our next Washington Gardener Magazine Book Club selection, we will discuss Big Dreams, Small Garden

by Marianne Willburn at Soupergirl, right next to the Takoma Metro stop.

Plan to come a bit early to purchase and eat your dinner with the Garden Book Club.

RSVP to washingtongardener@rcn. com or at the club’s event page at facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine by May 22.

The Garden Book Club is free and open to all. We meet quarterly on a weekday evening near a Metroaccessible location in the DC-area.

• Saturday, July 22, 10am and 11am Fairy House Workshop This workshop is popular with children as well as adults. You will create your own unique, mystical house using natural materials that we have collected from the farm. You are welcome to make a day of it and bring a picnic.

Don’t forget to save time to play in the children’s garden. Cost: $18. When reg8

WASHINGTON GARDENER JULY 2017

istering, please indicate which time slot you prefer. Held at Surreybrooke, 8610 Baltimore National Pike, Middletown, MD. See http://www.surreybrooke.com/ workshop-events-registration.html.

• Saturday, July 22, 5:30–7:30pm Lotus Jazz Night Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, National Capital Parks-East, and the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative are hosting a Lotus Jazz Night featuring live jazz at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to celebrate the end of this year’s weeklong Water Lily and Lotus Festival. Bring family, friends, and a blanket and picnic to enjoy the show along with the jawdropping backdrop of the pink American lotus. Details at www.friendsofkenilworthgardens.org.

• Saturday July 22 and Sunday July 23 28th Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale Montgomery County, MD, will celebrate its agricultural heritage, promote local farms, and indulge in seasonally fresh food during the annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale at farms throughout the county. This event takes place rain or shine; however, rain may cause some events and activities at the farms to be delayed or cancelled. The Farm Tour provides an opportunity to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants, and other local products. Several farms have hayrides, pony rides, music, demonstrations, and other fun and educational activities for people of all ages.

See http://www.montgomerycountymd. gov/AgServices/agfarmtour.html.

• Thursday, July 27, 12:15—12:45pm Hydrangeas Made Simple Take the mystery out of hydrangeas with useful tips on how to grow, prune, and care for these popular summer ornamentals. They will also discuss varieties that grow well in our area and new hybrids entering the market. Meet at East Walk of the Smithsonian’s Enid A. Haupt Garden. Free. Part of the Smithsonian Gardens’ “Let’s Talk Gardens!”

Series. See http://www.gardens.si.edu/ whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens. html.

• Friday, July 28–Sunday, July 30 2017 International Tree Climbing Championship with Arbor Fair and Expo The International Society of Arboriculture has chosen the U.S. National Arboretum as the site for its annual tree climbing competition. Come and see arborists from all over the world compete in professional tree-climbing activities. Arbor Fair and Expo is a free educational and fun event for the general public that focuses on environmental issues and promoting proper tree care.

Free. See https://www.itcc-isa.com.

• Saturday, July 30, 10am–12:30pm, repeated at 2–4:30pm Floral Design Workshop: The Cutting Garden’s Bounty Learn practical floral arranging techniques and new design concepts in this hands-on floral design workshop. Fee: $65, $55 Hillwood member. Held at 4155 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Register at www.HillwoodMuseum. org.

• Saturday, July 30, 1–4pm Modern Homesteading: Pickle Magic Join Number 1 Sons for an engaging workshop on the art of preservation through pickling and fermentation. The process of fermentation and pickling not only increases the shelf life of freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, but also improves their nutritional and healing properties. Participants will take away the knowledge of how to preserve foods at home using seasonal and abundant produce from market to make a ferment. Bring a knife, board, and jar to make and take home your own ferment. Held at Accokeek Farm (3400 Bryan Point Rd, Accokeek, MD). Fee: Nonmembers $30; Members $25. See https://accokeekfoundation.org.

• Monday, July 31–Wednesday, August 2 Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council 2017 Conference The biology and ecology of invasive plants are a driving factor in their impacts on natural areas, while past disturbance, land use, soils, and other

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16–August 15, 2017 factors can strongly influence the success of restoration efforts. The conference will explore a variety of topics relating to invasion biology and restoration: impacts of invasive plants on whole ecosystems, invasive plant management partnerships at multiple spatial scales, the latest in biocontrol, and melding restoration with working landscapes. Held at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA. See http://www.maipc. org/conferences-workshops/2017-conference/.

• Friday, August 4, 6–8pm City Blossoms 8th Annual Basil Bonanza Potluck Held at the Marion St. Garden: Marion St. NW near the Shaw-Howard Metro A free, family-friendly fiesta and basilthemed community potluck. There will also be the unveiling of a new interactive garden mural. To RSVP or for more information, email info@cityblossoms. org or call 202.431-8991. See www. facebook.com/CityBlossoms/.

• Tuesday, August 8, 7pm Blooms and Bling at Kendra Scott Join veteran interior decorator Angela Scollar of Alice’s Table at Kendra Scott, (4835 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, MD) for a unique night out sipping champagne with friends and learning the art of flower arranging. She will guide you step-by-step through the process of creating your own elegant take-home arrangement. As an added bonus, all Kendra Scott jewelry purchases will be 15% off during the event. Purchase tickets by August 1 at www.alicestable.com.

Cost: $65. See https://www.facebook. com/alicestabledc/.

• Thursday, August 10, 11—11:45am Tour: Travel the Tropics Angela Weber Hetrick, US Botanic Gardens (USBG) gardener, will give a talk and walk on the “wild side” as you explore the tropics in the USBG Conservatory. Discover some of the many plants found on our diverse planet, from the Amazon Rainforest to the Yucatan Peninsula, as you trek through the canopy walk and view some spectacular bloomers. Come for a 45-minute tour

and learn about a new plant or two.

Tour meets in the Conservatory Garden Court. Free: pre-registration required, visit www.USBG.gov/Programs.

• Saturday, August 12, 10am Family Garden Day at Washington Youth Garden Family Garden Day is a time for all members of the community and their families to join Washington Youth Garden staff to experience the garden with fun games, crafting activities, garden tours, and everyone’s favorite garden veggie tastings. See more at http:// www.washingtonyouthgarden.org/fgd/.

• Sunday, August 13, 4–6pm Edible, Medicinal, & Useful Plant Walks Charm City Farms’ monthly plant walks, a great way to learn about wild plants in-the-field, to verify your plant identification with a local expert, ask questions, and meet other like-minded folks.

Each of a season’s walks takes place in a different local landscape, to offer participants a rich exposure to the wide range of edible, medicinal, and useful plants and mushrooms in this region.

Every season also offers new opportunities for encountering plants in different stages of growth, and for discovering new ones. Held near Baltimore, MD. See http://www.charmcityfarms.org/ homeskills/.

Save These Future Dates • Friday, September 8, 3-7pm Piet Oudolf Lecture and Reception Piet Oudolf, world-renowned Dutch Meadow designer, nurseryman, and author, is best known for the High Line in New York City. He will visit Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG) for a benefit lecture and reception. Commissioned to create a two-acre Meadow at DBG, Piet will be guiding the planting of the first part of the Meadow at the garden site during the first week of September.

Lecture attendees will enjoy a sneak preview of an upcoming documentary

by Tom Piper about Piet Oudolf. A limited number of Oudolf’s book Hummelo: A Journey Through a

Plantsman’s Life will be available for purchase. Held at 111 Adams Avenue, Lewes, DE. for details and to purchase tickets, go to www.delawaregardens. org/new-events.

• Friday, September 8–Sunday, September 10 Fall Open House & Native Plant Sale Fall is the ideal time to plant your garden. Shop the region’s largest selection of landscape-ready native trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns, and grasses for fall planting. Held at Adkins Arboretum.

Discount for members. Presale ordering through August 20. Friday features an early evening of light fare, music, a cash wine and beer bar, a silent auction, and shopping in a fun and festive atmosphere. See more details at www. adkinsarboretum.org.

• Sunday, September 24, 11am–8pm 2017 DC State Fair The 8th annual DC State Fair will be held at Waterfront Station in Southwest DC (375 and 425 M St. SW). This free showcase of the region’s agricultural and creative talents and daylong celebration of all things homegrown will feature contests, entertainment, educational demonstrations, and local vendors. See https://dcstatefair.org.

Still More Event Listings

See even more event listings on the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo. com/group/WashingtonGardener/.

How to Submit Local Garden Events

To submit an event for this listing, contact kathyjentz@gmail.com — put “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is August 10 for the August 2017 issue, for events taking place

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TIPStricks

Slow Gardening with Naturalizing Bulbs

A little patience can go a long way, especially in the garden. Slow gardening, promoted by iBulb, is the concept of planting flower bulbs in the fall and waiting for them to bloom naturally in the spring. iBulb recommends using several types of flowers and staying away from planting in straight lines, since flower gardens resemble nature most when there is a combination of flower species planted in unorganized formations.

An easy way to get a full garden is to use naturalizing bulbs. Naturalizing bulbs, after planted, increase their flower yield underground. Plenty of springflowering plants are good for naturalizing. iBulb suggests using flowers like the Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica) and the Camas Lily (Camassia).

Create your own cutting garden by planting spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, grape hyacinths, and ornamental onions—so pretty in a little vase along with a few flowering tree branches Slow gardening also helps the bees.

Bees have to find flowers for sustenance early in the spring. By using spring-flowering bulbs, you can help them get the nutrition they need. Flowers such as Crocuses, Snowdrops (Galanthus), and Grape Hyacinths (Muscari) are good options for a bee-friendly garden.

With slow gardening, you allow nature to take the reins and grow your flowers for you. It’s a great way to develop a beautiful garden, without much work on your part! o

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What is Causing Oak Deaths in Local Suburban and Urban Areas?

Add Color to Your Garden with Dependable Coleus

Coleus is an excellent way to add color and foliage to your garden, according to the National Garden Bureau (NGB). It comes in various colors and enhances gardens with its fullness.

It can grow in a wide variety of soil conditions and temperatures, making it popular in many different places. It thrives in warmth under 95 degrees, but does not do well in cooler temperatures. It is best to plant them when nighttime temperatures do not drop below 60 degrees.

Coleus grows best in moderate conditions. Soil that is too wet or too dry, or has a very high or low pH, is bad for it.

When grown in containers, light fertilization is recommended.

All coleus have excellent container potential if given an adequate volume of well-draining soil mix, sufficient drainage holes, reasonable nutrients, and the proper sun exposure. Avoid windy locations because coleus can be prone to breakage in extreme winds.

You can overwinter coleus plants and bring them inside once temperatures drop below 55 degrees. Just make sure to rotate them and pinch back flowers.

Grow lights are recommended as well.

A common question is whether coleus should be allowed to flower. Because flowering takes a lot of energy from the plant, the NGB suggests pinching every few weeks to curb flower formation. The energy the plant saves by not flowering promotes further foliage development.

Pinch off flowers throughout the summer to allow coleus to grow to its fullest potential. However, bees love coleus flowers. If you want to attract pollinators to your garden, there are some newer varieties that do not flower until later in the summer, so removing the flowers becomes less of an issue. Pinching and trimming the foliage is still recommended to keep the desired form. o

Oak trees (Querus spp.) are among the most common trees in the Washington, DC, region, and they have been facing significant decline recently. The Virginia Native Plant Society offers some explanations for why this is happening, and what can be done to prevent it.

According to the society, disease, such as Sudden Oak Death, is not what is driving the losses, but a myriad of issues stemming from urbanization and changing values.

Water table drops are detrimental to upland oaks. Without groundwater infiltration to hydrate the trees’ roots, they cannot survive. These issues have been caused by digging, paving, soil compaction, over-building, and other practices accompanying suburban development’s infrastructure.

Oaks have also felt the effects of suburbanization because drought is far more likely to kill trees. Curb and driveway paving, lawn chemicalization, and construction work prevent oaks from getting the rainwater infiltration they need. These practices also make oaks more vulnerable to root rot and canker diseases.

Extensive construction and infill practices in urban areas severely fragment aquifers and lower natural water tables, creating virtual deserts and greatly reduced groundwater reserves for existing trees and vegetation.

Seasonal drought has been hitting the area since the late 1990s every summer and early in the fall. This drought dehydrated trees, so the society advises watering trees during these periods to ensure they get the hydration they need for survival.

Another way to help the trees is to let native lawns be, because they help keep native oaks alive. Also, reserving space in a yard for oak seedlings and saplings to grow can help oaks become as prevalent in the area as possible. o Tips column compiled by Mika Park. She is a sophomore multi-platform journalism major at the University of Maryland. This summer, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine. She was born in Holland and raised in Brooklyn, NY.

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Rooftop to Glass at Firefly • Butterflies Flutter-by • DIY: Freestanding Garden Door Project • Bunny Blues in our Community Garden Plot See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

July-August Garden To-Do List

New Plant Spotlight Corn ‘Sweet American Dream’

Mays All-America Selections (AAS) judges selected ‘American Dream’ as their top trial choice for 2018 and it just so happens to come from the same company that introduced ‘Honey ‘N Pearl,’ an AAS winner from 1988. With its excellent germination and very tender, supersweet kernels, this newbie will make a great addition to the home garden.

‘American Dream’ matures slightly earlier than the comparisons and produces vigorous, healthy plants with cobs that have good tip fill of bi-colored kernels.

Plants grow 6–7 feet tall and mature in 77 days from seed. Perfect fresh, roasted, grilled, canned, or frozen.

Key Features: Duration Type: Annual Light Needs: Full sun Water Needs: Normal Season Type: Warm season Staking Required: No Foliage Color: Dark green Plant Habit: Tall, upright Fruit Color (Harvest): Bicolor Breeder: Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. Garden Spacing: 8 inches per plant Days To Harvest (Sowing Seed): 77 day.

‘American Dream’ has an excellent and highly adaptable growing habit.

This corn produces similarly from the Southern California Desert to the fields of Ontario, Canada. o

• The heat of summer is here. Time to start doing chores during early morning or evening. Take a break during the hottest parts of the day.

• Prune Wisteria.

•If your pond water gets low from prolonged drought, top it off with tap water and add a dechlorinator according to package instructions.

• Cut back spent stalks on common daylilies.

• Pinch back any annuals that may be growing leggy.

• Divide and cut back bearded Iris.

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

• Weed.

• Cut off bottom, yellowed foliage on tomato plants.

• Stake and tie-up any tall-growing perennials such as phlox or delphiniums.

• Wash out birdbaths weekly with diluted bleach solution.

• Water thoroughly, especially if you receive no rain for more than seven days.

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

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

• Hand-pick Japanese Beetles or shake them off over a bucket of dishwater.

Early morning is a good time to catch them, while they are still drowsy.

• Re-pot the houseplants you’ve moved outdoors for the summer.

• Pick blueberries at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market.

• Pinch back any straying strawberry runners.

• Deadhead perennials for a second flush of blooms later this summer.

• Thin out small trees and cut off any suckering branches growing from the bottom root ball.

• Inspect your garden for powdery mildew. If seen, prune back perennials to create needed circulation.

• Annuals are now hitting their peak. Keep them well-watered and add a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them going through September.

• Check your plants at night with a flashlight for any night-feeding insects like slugs.

• If you find slug damage, set out beer traps or Sluggo pellets.

• Pinch back mums so they grow bushier and won’t flower until autumn.

• Hold off on planting new trees and shrubs until the summer heat has passed.

• Caulk and seal your outside walls to prevent insect entry into your home.

• Harvest regularly from your vegetable garden to prevent rot and waste.

• Put up a hammock or a garden bench for enjoying your views.

• Turn compost pile.

• Check out gardening books from your local library to read on vacation.

• Check for any stagnant-water mosquito breeding grounds, especially your gutters. Dump out any water that sits stagnant for more than three days.

• Add Mosquito Dunks to any standing water in your yard, such as birdbaths, downspouts, plant saucers, and gutters.

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

• Harvest onions when tops die back.

• Sow seeds of fall crops such as broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, etc., in late July. o JULY 2017

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BOOKreviews is much easier. The entries have also been arranged so similar looking species appear next to each other so you can easily compare markings.

Besides photos with identifying features, each entry includes a map showing the species’ range, caterpillar foodplant, abundance, flight times, habitat, and size.

While serious butterfliers will probably get the most out of this guide, it is very user-friendly and a great resource for anyone who is interested in identifying and learning more about the butterflies they encounter.

Ana Hurler is a senior multi-platform journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park. Ana is interning with us this summer. She loves to travel, especially if it involves nature, the outdoors, and food.

A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America, 2nd Edition

by Jeffrey Glassberg Publisher: Princeton University Press List Price: $29.95 Reviewer: Ana Hurler A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America by Jeffrey Glassberg is an exhaustive field guide to identifying and learning about butterflies. With more than 350 pages of photos and identifications, the guide covers all known species of butterflies found in North America—from the extremely rare to the commonly found Monarch.

Glassberg is president of the North American Butterfly Association, and his expertise and passion shine through the compilation of this guidebook. The amount of information and detailed photos accompanying the entry for each species are sure to satisfy other butterfliers.

With that said, this book only contains information regarding identifying species you find out in the field. Those looking for more general information about butterflies will not find it in this book.

However, you don’t have to be a butterfly expert to be able to use this guide. Glassberg has arranged it into sections, neatly color-coded, based on the six butterfly families found in North America. Once you can distinguish what family the butterfly belongs to, finding the entry you’re looking for 12

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housewarming gift for someone moving into their first home. However, I do not think experienced gardeners will find many new ideas here.

My favorite chapter was the first, which discusses the ability of trees to restore harmony and balance to the urban landscape. Not only do trees add beauty to cities, they also prevent soil erosion, muffle noise, reduce storm runoff and flooding, and filter the air.

A group of mature trees counters the “heat island effect” in cities with the “oasis effect,” cooling surrounding temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. By shading buildings in the summer and blocking wind in the winter, well-sited trees can decrease energy costs by 25 to 30 percent. Some studies have even shown reduced crime rates and improved health of city residents who live near trees and green spaces. So what are you waiting for?

Plant more trees!

Jamie Moore gardens in Frederick County, MD. In addition to gardening, she loves to read; cook with local and seasonal produce; hike; and spend time with her husband, three children, and two cats.

The Tree Doctor: A Guide to Tree Care and Maintenance, 2nd Edition

By Daniel Prendergast and Erin Prendergast Publisher: Firefly Books List Price: $19.95 Reviewer: Jamie Moore The Tree Doctor is a basic instruction manual for homeowners about the care of landscape trees. It covers predictable topics such as general tree selection and placement, planting practices, pruning procedures, disease and control measures, protecting trees from damage, and when to hire an arborist.

The book is well-organized, includes many color illustrations, and is easy to read. The Tree Doctor would be a great

Drawing for Landscape Architecture

By Edward Hutchinson Publisher: Thames & Hudson List Price: $34.95 Reviewer: Mika Park Drawing for Landscape Architecture solves the disagreement between digital and physical drawings by providing options for both methods. It gives tips for those who prefer either form of drawing, making it useful for a range of people. The author, Edward Hutchinson, is a landscape designer based in London.

The book begins with showing techniques for sketches, and teaches readers how to translate these sketches into a digital form without losing the details and textures of the originals. It also focuses on the concept of seeing by hand. The book explains the various types of drawings used in landscape architecture, and highlights the most useful for conveying different information. Hutchinson includes tips for how to best translate concepts into drawings as well.

Later in the book, Hutchinson

BOOKreviews

includes some of his own work and describes his creative process, from sketching to official drawings. The visual layout of the book makes it very easy to follow and reference for specific information. It also features succinct captions with extra tips. It includes instructions for a wide range of types of drawings, such as isometric and money drawings. It also informs readers about which materials, colors, and techniques are best for different situations and how they affect what is communicated through the drawing.

The stunning illustrations and impeccable layout make the book very visually appealing. The variety of information provided makes the book accessible to anyone, from an amateur with interest to a professional in the field. The book is essential for those interested in landscape architecture or garden design, and would make an excellent coffee table or reference book. o Mika Park is a sophomore multi-platform journalism major at the University of Maryland. This summer, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine. She was born in Holland and raised in Brooklyn, NY.

Big Ideas for Small Spaces Creative Ideas and 30 Projects for Balconies, Roof Gardens, Windowsills and Terraces

By Kay Maguire and Tony Woods Publisher: Firefly Books List Price: $24.95 Reviewer: Teresa Speight This is a manual, not a book, on how to assess the space you have and create the larger vision you desire. Taking the reader from the options of where

you can garden and why, to what types of spaces one can grow, is amazing.

There is even a chapter to encourage the reader to expand the possibilities by thinking outside the box. The authors urge us to consider things that might make the available space more appealing, like lighting, art, water, or exotic plant material.

One of the options suggested was using mirrors to make a small garden appear bigger. Depending on the cost of the mirror and whatever installation costs might be incurred, this is a lowcost way to create a larger scenario.

The chapter on Projects was simply amazing—from descriptions that included everything you would need to complete a piece to a suggested plant list. My favorite was the succulent picture frame. A little mesh, a frame, some screws, and, of course, succulent plants, voila! This is a idea that is great for the backyard terrace wall and even as a gift.

a resourceful section on how to use certain plants, how to choose plants, and a listing of a few common problems you might encounter and how to solve them.

If you are looking for a manual on innovative ways to work with the space you have available and not break the bank, this is a must-read book. I would also suggest this book as great gift for anyone who is looking to make gardening just a bit more rewarding no matter what kind of space you have available.

Teresa Speight is a native Washingtonian, who resides in District Heights, MD. She owns Cottage in the Court Landscape Consulting. She can be reached at cottageinthecourt@gmail.com.

Love Reading?

Would you ever think about replacing some of those square slabs on your terrace with plant material for added interest? Consider taking out a few and inserting some groundcovers or hardy perennial plants.

What about a Gabion Coffee Table?

Such an awesome idea! These are the types of inspirational examples that encourage the reader to not forego that big idea—just find a way to creatively incorporate it into your available space.

Big Ideas for Small Spaces also has

These books were reviewed by volunteer members of the Washington Gardener Reader Panel. We are looking for a few additional volunteers who live in the greater Washington, DC, region to serve on our Reader Panel. Reader Panelists may also be asked to review new gardening plants, tools, and seeds.

To join the Washington Gardener Volunteer Reader Panel, please send an email with your name and address to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local publication and its gardening mission. o

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

JULY 2017

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SPECIALfeature

DC’s Curb-side Landscapes A Little Competition Gets Hot, Hot, Hot

By Steve Simon

One of the harshest and hardest landscapes to deal with is that portion between the sidewalk and the road, often call the “hellstrip.” In urban areas, this real estate is usually occupied by a tree planted in a bed with a few feet of growing space around it. Sometimes the box has a metal border to give it some protection, although often that is used as a spot to chain a bike or hoist a leg up on to tie one’s shoe. These plantings have to contend with trash, heat, foot traffic, poor soils, and much more. If the plants can stay alive, it is a minor miracle. If they actually survive and thrive, they deserve a prize and recognition!

The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) recently announced the 2017 winners of its annual Golden Streets contest, a friendly competition among participating commercial properties within the 43-squareblock central business district, stretch14

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ing from the White House to Dupont Circle of Washington, DC. Owners and staff of 19 participating buildings created landscaping displays around the theme “Hot, Hot, Hot” in tree and flower boxes along sidewalks in front of their buildings.

Winners were determined by a panel of expert judges who walked the streets of the Golden Triangle to determine awards for displays that exhibit the Best in Design and Best in Sustainability.

As determined by the judges, the 2017 Golden Streets award winners are: • Best in Design—1900 K Street, NW— “Oasis in the Concrete Jungle,” which featured tropical, lush, and vibrant plants and flowers, as an intended escape from the summer heat of the city. The property is owned by TH Real Estate, an affiliate of asset manager Nuveen (the investment management arm of TIAA) and managed by Hines, a Houston, TX-based global real estate

firm, with the landscaping done by Chapel Valley Landscape Company.

• Best in Sustainability—1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW—“Flight of the Bumblebees.” Judges noted the project’s good use of plants that are most likely to thrive in the local climate, while also requiring less water and plant turnover for maintenance. The property is owned and managed by Washington, D.C.-based Blake Real Estate and the landscaping is done by Rolling Greens.

This year’s judges included both amateur garden aficionados and professionals in the gardening, landscaping, and design field: • Chuck Bell, NBC4 meteorologist • Alex Dencker, Smithsonian Institution Horticultural Division • James Gagliardi, Smithsonian Institution Horticultural Division • Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine • Luis Marmol, Dumbarton Oaks

SPECIALfeature

“One of the things that makes the Golden Triangle so distinctive is that, together with our property owners, we always strive to ensure that our urban landscape is clean, safe, and attractive,” said Leona Agouridis, executive director of the Golden Triangle BID. “Our neighborhood truly prides itself on being the ‘gold standard’ and Golden Streets is a fun, but important, way to beautify the environment for the thousands of workers and visitors who walk and drive along our streets each day.”

The complete list of participating building entries and project titles for this year included: 1. 1120 Connecticut Avenue—“Good Vibrations II” 2. 1150 Connecticut Avenue—“Good Vibrations I” 3. 1211 Connecticut Avenue—“Tropical Paradise” 4. 1250 Connecticut Avenue—“Ring of Fire” 5. 1145 17th Street—“Blazing Hot” 6. 1025 Connecticut Avenue—“Flight of the Bumblebees” (pictured at left) 7. 900 17th Street—“Like a Heat Wave” 8. 800 17th Street—“Red Hot Chili Peppers” 9. 1750 H Street—“Wonders of Nature” 10. 1776 Eye Street—“Tickled Pink” 11. 1899 Pennsylvania Avenue—“1899 Penn Fierce Inferno Desire” 12. 1900 K Street—“Oasis in the Concrete Jungle” (pictured above) 13. 2055 L Street—“Fire and Rain” 14. 1901 L Street—“Feverishly Fantastic” 15. 1140 19th Street—“Hawaiian Sunrise” 16. 1146 19th Street—“The Heat is On” 17. 1900 M Street—“Sunburst” 18. 1150 18th Street—“Fanciful Spring” 19. 1801 K Street—“Some Like it Hot” All of these gardens are in the public right-of-way and can be viewed at any time this summer by visitors and locals alike. More information about the 2017 Golden Streets contest can be found at https://goldentriangledc.com/. o Steve Simon is the Director of Communications & Marketing at the Golden Triangle BID. He can be reached at ssimon@goldentriangledc.com.

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EDIBLEharvt

Slicing Open the Secrets to Growing Great Cucumbers

by Elizabeth Olson

The cucumber is a warm-weather vining plant that is grown for its refreshing, mildly flavored, and crisp fruits that are generally used and sold as vegetables.

The flavor is so distinctive that it is used to describe other types of produce (cucumber-flavored borage and burnet, for example). The fruits are harvested while they are still immature. The typical market cucumber is elongated, with a medium to dark-green skin and very pale, greenish-white to light-green flesh.

It is a source of Vitamin K, is low in calories, and has a very high water content. Specialty cucumber cultivars have skin colors that include yellow, white, red, and brown.

Slicing cucumbers are generally grown to be consumed fresh. Some cultivars have fairly thick skin that can be easily peeled. Others have naturally very thin skin and do not require peel-

ing before being prepared in dishes.

Cucumbers can be sliced and eaten plain or lightly salted, added to salads or vegetable platters, used as the primary ingredient in tzatziki sauce, lightly marinated, or made into cucumber soup. (See recipes on page 19.) Most slicing cucumbers do not pickle well; exceptions are usually noted in individual cultivar descriptions.

Growing Tips

The scientific name for cucumbers is Cucumis sativus. Cucumbers belong to the Cucurbitaceae plant family and are related to melons, watermelons, squashes, and gourds, and need to be included in the same crop rotation schedule.

Cucumbers are easy to grow in the greater Washington, DC, region. However, they are extremely cold-sensitive.

‘Green Fingers’ (F1 hybrid) is a parthenocarpic type of cucumber. It does not need pollination to set fruit. The fruits are nearly seedless, short (4 to 5 inches long), thinskinned, and slender. Photo courtesy of ReneesGarden.com.

Their seeds should be planted directly in the garden only after the soil has become very warm in spring, usually in late May to early June. If the soil is warm enough, seedlings will sprout in as few as three days. If necessary, they can be thinned by scissor-pruning at the soil line. Extra plants should not be pulled from the ground since this disrupts the root zone.

Alternatively, seeds can be started indoors in plantable pots a week or two before the soil outside is sufficiently warm. The pots should be kept on horticultural heat mats and placed close to grow lights. Also, seedlings can be JULY 2017

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EDIBLEharvt purchased from garden centers. However, they are frequently in plastic pots and often do not transplant well. The stems can break easily and great care is needed to keep from disturbing the roots.

Seedlings and young plants can be protected from birds and many pests by covering them with a floating row cover or other pest-exclusion device until the plants start to flower.

The best location for cucumber plants is in full sun, with very good air circulation in fertile soil that is slightly acidic and that has excellent drainage. Although the plants can be allowed to sprawl on the ground, they greatly benefit from being trained on a trellis. Trellising improves air circulation, keeps the fruits from ground-dwelling pests, and makes it much easier to safely harvest the cucumbers. The plants can be trained to grow on a trellis as soon as the vines are several inches tall.

The cucumber patch should be kept mulched, weed-free, and well-watered. A soaker hose or drip system may be used to supplement rainfall. Cucumber plants produce fruits with the best texture and flavor when they are not subjected to water stress. An organic vegetable fertilizer can be applied after the plants start to bloom.

A number of cultivars produce fruit of optimum harvesting size within two months after the plants sprout. Regular cucumbers will be about 6 to 7 inches long. Cucumbers should be harvested as soon as they are ready. Otherwise, they will quickly lose flavor, grow too large, and become tough. To help prevent disease transmission, the foliage should be dry when the cucumbers are harvested—never on rainy days or before the morning dew has dried.

Sharp, parrot-beaked garden pruners or kitchen shears are best for harvesting the fruits.

Cultivar Choices

The most familiar cultivars require pollination in order to set fruit. They are usually monoecious, meaning that each cucumber plant has both male and female flowers. Well-regarded American cultivars with long vines include the open-pollinated ‘Ashley’, ‘Marketmore 76’, and ‘Straight Eight’. The heirloom ‘Lemon’ is another cultivar with long vines; it is unusual because of its lightyellow coloring and short, plump shape.

In addition, ‘Lemon’ makes fine pickles.

Modern breeding efforts have resulted in hybrids that are gynoecious; they only have female flowers and will need

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . . by

Sharing Your Harvest

Plant an extra row in your garden and deliver the harvest to a local food bank or shelter. The need is great!

With your help, PAR can continue to make a difference for America’s most vulnerable.

Call our toll-free number (877.GWAA.PAR) or visit our website at www.gardenwriters.org/par for more information.

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WASHINGTON GARDENER JULY 2017

a monoecious cucumber plant nearby (one monecious cucumber plant for every 10 of the gynoecious cucumber plants). Recommended cultivars include ‘Damascus’ and ‘General Lee’.

There are cultivars with short vines— often called bush varieties. They, too, benefit from trellising, even though the trellis will be short. Cultivars include ‘Spacemaster’ and ‘Bush Slicer’. They are monoecious and produce full-size cucumbers and grow well in container gardens. Extra care is needed to ensure adequate drainage, moisture levels, and nutrition when growing cucumber plants in containers. Also, the top of the potting medium should have a thick layer of mulch to prevent crusting.

Asian cultivars called Japanese cucumbers produce long, slender fruits with thin skins and small seed cavities, and some can be made into pickles.

Trellising these tall-growing cultivars also helps the fruits grow straight.

They will be ready to harvest at 8 to 12 inches long, depending on the cultivar.

Recommended cultivars include ‘Suyo’, ‘Palace Pride’, and ‘Tasty Green’.

Seed companies now offer a number of cultivars that produce fruits intended for harvesting when they are about 5 inches long and still slender. Sometimes marketed as baby cucumbers, they are a type of cucumber called Beit Alpha (sometimes sold as Persian or Middle Eastern). The fruits are parthenocarpic—they can form without pollination—and are sometimes labeled as seedless. They have a sweet flavor, very thin skins, and small seed cavities. Recommended cultivars for home gardens include F1 hybrids ‘Green Fingers’ and ‘Mercury’. Pest exclusion netting can be used to protect the plants even after they start to flower. Please note that parthenocarpic cultivars can set seed, if they are pollinated.

Slicing cucumbers are a joy of summer. They are worthy of all the space available to them in the kitchen garden, and the tasty, fresh dishes in which they are the principle ingredient are easy to make and wonderful to eat. o Elizabeth Olson is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She is also an avid home gardener who is fascinated by the plants that she grows. She can be contacted through Washington Gardener magazine.

EDIBLEharvt • 1 T soy sauce • 1 tsp sesame oil • Fresh mint leaves for optional garnish

‘Straight Eight’ slicing cucumber is an AAS winner from 1935. It remains very popular in part due to its reliability and tolerance to anthracnose and powdery mildew.

Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, RareSeeds.com.

Basic Su

Courtesy of KitazawaSeed.com A universal, Japanese-style sweet/sour dressing that is used on many foods, Basic Su is the seasoning for making sushi rice, it is the salad dressing for the delicately sliced fresh vegetables in sunomono* and namasu, or it is the vinegar seasoning to use on vegetables for suzuke.

Ingredients: • 1 C sugar • 1 C white vinegar • Salt to taste Directions: Combine sugar and white vinegar in a saucepan on low heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat as soon as sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Basic Su can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. * Sunomono Salad: Thinly slice any Japanese, Armenian, or Thai cucumbers (or Japanese eggplants, shiso leaves, red onions, green peppers, etc.). Put in a large salad bowl. Lightly dress with Basic Su and toss.

Directions: Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out seeds, and cut into ¼-inch slices. Combine with remaining ingredients and toss to combine flavors. Garnish with mint leaves before serving.

Cilantro Tzatziki Sauce

Courtesy of Jo-Anne van den BergOhms, KitchenGardenSeeds.com There’s nothing like Greek tzatziki sauce with rich, spicy foods. This version can also be used as a sandwich spread, a dip, and as a sauce to accompany fried onions.

Ingredients: • 2½ C plain whole or low fat Greek yogurt • 1½ C finely diced cucumber, seeds removed • 2 T fresh lemon juice • ½ tsp lemon zest • 2 to 3 small cloves of garlic, minced • 2 T of finely chopped, fresh cilantro • Sea salt to taste • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste Directions: Seed and finely dice the cucumber, then place the cucumber on paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. In a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, and finely chopped cilantro into the yogurt.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more cilantro if you wish. Chill for a good hour before serving. Use within three days.

Keep chilled.

Cucumber Ginger Soup and Mini Cucumber Goat Cheese Roll-ups

Gingered Cucumbers

Courtesy of Jo-Anne van den BergOhms, KitchenGardenSeeds.com

Ingredients: • 1 large cucumber, peeled • 3 scallions, thinly sliced (including part of the green tops) • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped • 1 T rice wine vinegar

Ingredients for the soup: • 3 large Japanese cucumbers, skinned and halved lengthwise • 2 slicing cucumbers, skinned and halved lengthwise • 2 T fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 2 T freshly grated, peeled ginger root • 3 T fresh lime juice • 5 scallions, chopped (white and pale green only)

Courtesy of ReneesGarden.com The flavors of spicy ginger and cool cucumber go perfectly together.

• 1 ripe avocado, chopped • 2 to 3 C chicken stock • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper Directions for the soup: Make the soup a day ahead, so it can become nice and cold overnight.

Remove all of the seeds from the cucumbers. Chop the cucumbers and place half in a blender with the flat-leaf parsley, ginger root, lime juice, scallions, and avocado. Purée until extremely smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Place the remaining chopped cucumber in the blender; add 2 cups chicken stock.

Purée until smooth.

Pour this mixture into the first mixture in the large bowl; whisk to combine. At this point, if there are any little lumps, you can purée it again in the blender in batches. Check the consistency: it should coat a wooden spoon. If it is too thick, incrementally add more chicken stock. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients for the roll-ups: • 1 Japanese cucumber (to make paper-thin ribbons) • Creamy goat cheese Directions for the roll-ups: Using a regular cheese slicer, remove a strip of skin from a Japanese or any long, greenhouse cucumber and discard. Slice another paper-thin ribbon of cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise.

Take about ½ teaspoon of soft, creamy goat cheese; place it on the cucumber ribbon, and roll it up into a little tube, cutting the ribbon after it encircles the goat cheese. Make four miniature rollups for each bowl of soup.

‘Lemon’ heirloom slicing cucumber plants are tolerant to rust and drought. They produce huge crops of short, plump, easyto-digest, yellow-skinned fruits. Photo courtesy of ReneesGarden.com.

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NEIGHBORnwork

Meet UMD’s Sam Bahr Text and photos by Ana Hurler

Sam Bahr is a horticulturist at the University of Maryland (UMD) Arboretum and Botanical Garden who has designed and helped install several gardens at the university, and also runs the social media and blog for the UMD Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

Before joining UMD, Bahr worked as a district landscape supervisor at Miami Dade College, and as a horticulture supervisor at the Missouri Botanical Garden. We caught up with him on campus over the Independence Day weekend for a tour of some of his garden projects.

Along with UMD’s Facilities Management, Bahr works to create and maintain garden spaces that highlight and enhance the campus buildings they surround. However, gardening on campus poses unique problems: Bahr must find plants that can survive varying levels of irrigation without disturbing existing structures and underground utilities.

To get around these issues, Bahr 20

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combines his knowledge of design theory and passion for horticulture to create beautiful landscapes ranging from tropical to prairie-inspired. During the school year, thousands pass by them, most likely without realizing the extensiveness of the selection of flowering, edible, and pollinator plants Bahr and his team found for the gardens.

How did you get involved with the University of Maryland?

My position was eliminated at MiamiDade College in 2008 due to budget shortfalls because of the financial market and housing market collapse at the time. I was hired by the University of Maryland in December 2008, along with Jeff Weiser, horticulturist, through the same hiring process, to manage the significant landscape investments that Robert Smith made through donations to the University of Maryland. Jeff was hired to take care of the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts and I was

hired to take care of the Smith School of Business at Van Munching Hall, the adjacent Mayer Mall, and additional buildings in the southwest area of campus.

What is a typical day like for you?

To me, there is no typical day, which is what I like about my position. Generally, I try to read my email before going outdoors or to the Research Greenhouse to work. There have been days when there is no time to read my email until the end of the day. During the heat of summer, I try to work outdoors before lunch and do office work indoors to avoid the heat; however, that doesn’t always work out.

What are some of your favorite projects you’ve worked on for UMD? In July of 2009, I was given the opportunity to submit a planting design for Tawes Plaza as the renovation of Tawes Hall was finishing. The landscaping in

NEIGHBORnwork front of Tawes Hall was removed during the renovation—large Southern Magnolias were there that were planted too close to the foundation and were causing significant damage to the foundation, and water was leaking into the basement. Giant trenches were dug along the Tawes Hall foundation to allow work to correct these conditions.

The university accepted my planting design proposal and I supervised the installation of it by a contractor.

The university has allowed me to remain in an active role, guiding the evolving of the landscape at Tawes Plaza ever since then. The landscape changes with time as plants die or become unhealthy, while other plants do too well and get too large for the landscape and need to be replaced.

This summer, we have a large collection of tropical annuals in the Tawes Hall foundation beds. When I say annuals, I am including woody plants such as Sweet Almond Verbena, since it cannot survive the winter outdoors.

This year has been the best year for our marginally hardy Mexican Bush Sage in the central C-shaped bed on Tawes Plaza since many more shoots survived the mild winter and some shoots emerged from the mulched stems, which has never happened before. We have two cultivars of Mexican Bush Sage in this bed that have different colors that contrast nicely with each other. We are trialing a third, all-white version of Mexican Bush Sage obtained from the U.S. National Arboretum, in the north Tawes Hall front foundation bed.

The native, tall-grass, prairie-inspired planting around the pyramid-shaped sculpture on the south side of the Architecture Building has been a favorite of mine since it challenges many to reconsider what they consider landscaping.

As I was working in that bed a month ago, an administrator who was walking by asked me in an angry tone of voice “When are you going to remove those weeds?” I responded by asking, “What weeds?” She responded by stating, “Those dandelions!” I responded by asking “What dandelions?” She responded by stating, “I know what dandelions are as I have them in my yard at home.” This was followed by silence, because she knew that there

were no dandelions in this planting that I was working on. I then started telling her about this native, pollinator-friendly, and drought-tolerant planting, including the wonderful Lyre-leaved Sage, which is what I assume she was referring to as a dandelion, since it had the leaf most similar to a dandelion of any of the plants in the planting. She made body movements that indicated that she wanted to move on; however, I kept talking and educating for at least 15 minutes. Finally, she said, “I’m sorry,” perhaps in an attempt to silence me so she could pass on by; however, I hope that she eventually realized that her comment was out of line.

What mistakes and triumphs have you encountered in your work?

My mistakes are legion; however, I do try to learn from them and avoid repeating them. One of my larger mistakes at the University of Maryland was not realizing how poor the drainage was at the planting on the south side of the Architecture Building. Initially, I selected Purple Love Grass to be the primary plant with a few Whorled-Coreopsis and Lyre-leaved Sage interplanted within the Purple Love Grass. These were all native Maryland plants grown by the Chesapeake Natives organization.

There was also a border around the pyramid-shaped sculpture of a groundcover named ‘Angelina’ Sedum.

The planting was installed in June of

2010 and looked awesome in a very short period of time. The purple cloudlike appearance of Purple Love Grass in bloom is an amazing experience.

However, following that brief success, we had a very snowy and wet winter, which killed out the majority of the Purple Love Grass and the ‘Angelina’ Sedum. Once I realized what was happening, I requested that slits be cut in the concrete curb around this planting to let excessive water out. However, this still did not work since the level of the soil inside of the curb was lower than the level of the concrete sidewalks surrounding the planting. The excess of Yellow Nut Sedge plants in the area were able to out-compete the beautiful, but very short, Purple Love Grass and they multiplied with abandon. Unfortunately, the base of the plaster pyramid-shaped sculpture was at a lower grade than the surrounding sidewalks and we did not want to pile soil up on the sculpture for fear of damaging it.

I realized that this planting was never going to work and decided to make a wide drainage channel around the sculpture filled with large river rock (river jack stones). This area does not have irrigation and is a heat sink, being on the south side of a building and surrounded by concrete. This led me to think that perhaps we should try a tallgrass, prairie-style planting using North American natives that are drought- and heat-tolerant. Broom-sedge was my

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NEIGHBORnwork consider becoming a Master Gardener because they bring in excellent speakers for their annual training day. Visit nearby public gardens—we are blessed with many excellent choices in the DC area and see what is working well at those gardens. Find out which plants are considered non-native invasive plants and avoid planting them.

There are many Facebook groups where you can learn information from more-experienced gardeners. Plant identification groups abound on Facebook.

Realize that plants grow and die; they are not static things. Find out how big plants will get before deciding on the where they will be ultimately installed.

Find out the optimum conditions for a plant to grow in and consider rejecting the purchase of a plant that will be a challenge to grow, because you do not have the optimum conditions for growing it.

What plants are your favorites to use in our area?

My favorite plant is usually the one that I am looking at that is loaded with gorgeous blossoms! However, there also are some gorgeous foliage plants.

choice for a taller grass that would have an attractive winter appearance with its dried, coppery-colored leaves that would enhance the appearance of and contrast with the sharp, hard edges of the solid sculpture. Broom-sedge does look very good there; however, it also needs good drainage and I learned that the Broom-sedge plants are short-lived.

It does produce a lot of seed and plenty of new seedlings come up as replacements. However, the seeds do blow around and come up in other planting beds. I have learned to live with the fact that I do not have a perfect solution.

On triumphs, my thought is that it usually takes a whole team of many people for there to be large-scale successful projects or landscapes. In 2004, I was honored as a member of the Missouri Botanical Garden Team that received the very first award for Garden Excellence from Horticulture Magazine 22

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in the category of American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. I was a horticulture supervisor in charge of the North Gardens (about a third of the botanical garden) at the time and had seven horticulturists who reported to me and we had over 40 volunteers on our team. There were horticulturists who reported to me who were far more talented than I am.

What advice would you give to beginner/amateur gardeners in the greater DC area?

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That is how you learn. Try that plant that you want to try that everyone tells you is not going to work, if it will not set you back financially if it is a loss.

It is important to know good sources of information such as the Maryland Extension Service and their associated Master Gardeners. If you have the time,

Conversely, what plants would you advise others to avoid growing in our area?

The plants on the invasives list compiled by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, including Tier 1, Tier 2, and assessment-in-progress plants (examples include Wintercreeper, Lesser Celandine, Amur Honeysuckle, Scotch Broom, Burning Bush, and Privet). See the list at http://www.mda.maryland. gov/plants-pests/Documents/List_target_spp_for_assessment_v2-1.pdf.

Anything else you want to add or think would be of interest to our magazine readers?

We have several social media sites and web pages where you can learn about the University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Garden. See our site at https://arboretum.umd.edu/. o Ana Hurler, a senior multi-platform journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park. Ana is interning with Washington Gardener Magazine this summer.

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

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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.

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