MAY 2015 VOL. 10 NO. 3
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ggardener
the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region
Top Local Spots for Azalea Viewing May-June Garden Tasks Kniphofia: Red Hot Poker Tomato Terms and Types Defined New Strawberry Cultivar Meet Ari Novy, Executive Director of US Botanic Garden
Garden Tours Round-Up
Explore the Best Private Gardens in our Region Easy Basil Growing Tips Local Garden Events Listing
GoGardeners Garden Coaching
Elise Stigliano Garden Coach elise@gogardeners.com • 301-518-8333
www.gogardeners.com
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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 wgardenermag@aol.com for available dates, rates, and topics.
A Cannabis Concepts Event....
Washington, DC Cannabis Cultivation Seminar
RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR
Saturday, July 18, 2015 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Barry Glick Sunshine Farm and Gardens HC 67 Box 539 B Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com
Learn to grow cannabis from a experienced cultivator with experience growing legal cannabis in Amsterdam. Visit:
www.sunfarm.com
www.thecannabisconcepts.com
Specializing in Garden
Renewals & Renovations Yard By Yard Makeovers, LLC 7304 Carroll Avenue, #229 Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-4642 yardmakeovers@yahoo.com www.yardmakeovers.com
We can reshape and beautify neglected yards.
Green Spring Gardens
www.greenspring.org
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A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round gold mine 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.
INSIDEcontents
FEATURES and COLUMNS
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Dr. Ari Novy is responsible for leading and planning day-to-day operations and major programs at the U.S. Botanic Garden on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
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Win passes to 11th annual DC Green Festival Expo June 5-7 at the DC Convention Center! See page 5 for entry details. The contest entry deadline is 5:00pm May 29.
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Basil plants need enough space between plants and rows to allow for good air circulation. Photograph of ‘Thai Red’ basil by KitazawaSeed. com.
BOOKreviews 6-7 Seed Libraries, Container Gardening, Allergy-Fighting Garden and Stopping Asthma DAYtrip 8-9 Local Azalea Viewing Spots GARDENtours 14-15 Spring 2015 Tour Listings EDIBLEharvest 16-17 Easy Basil Growing Guide NEIGHBORnetwork 20-21 Ari Novy, USBG Exec. Director NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Strawberry ‘Sweet Sunrise’ PLANTprofile 18-19 Kniphofia TIPStricks 10 Tomato Terms and Types, New Master Gardener Web Site
DEPARTMENTS
ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue RESOURCESsources
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ON THE COVER
Poplar Grove, the home of Charles Prillaman and Parker Jennings, on the Historic Garden Week in Virginia Garden Club of Fairfax Tour: Clifton/ Fairfax Station, VA.
In Our Next Issue: JUNE 2015 Dragonflies
Kniphofia ‘Orange Vanilla Popsicle’ is the earliest bloomer in the Popsicle series. It is a rebloomer with short, grassy leaves and a compact habit. Photo courtesy of www. terranovanurseries.com.
Visit to Sunshine Farm in WV
Microgreens and much more...
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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 wgardenermag@aol.com www.washingtongardener.com Call today to place your ad with us! Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Cover price: $4.99 Back issues: $6.00 Subscription: $20.00 Foreign subscription: $24.00 Kathy Jentz at Redlac Drive on Virginia garden tours. Photo by Sue Hauser.
Other People’s Gardens Here I am (pictured above) on yet another garden tour. This spring, I have spent far more time in other people’s gardens, than in my own and that is pretty typical of how my life is every April through June. Oh, I am not complaining! I love visiting other gardens and meeting all the lovely gardeners as well as chatting with fellow garden tour visitors. I just wish there were more hours in the day so I could spend those vital spring months tending my own home garden. What little time I do get for gardening is mostly spent on my community garden plot. I run over for an hour here and there just trying to keep up with harvesting the early spring crops and planting summer edibles in time for them to settle in before the heat sets in. My home garden has to wait until garden tour season ends in mid-June and I normally don’t consider it “ready for company” until well into July. In this issue, I share a page of highlight photos from this spring’s tours that have already taken place, along with a listing of upcoming tours. I hope you will get a chance to go on at least a few of these. They provide a wonderful chance to see what is working well in other local gardens, It is always nice to get outside and enjoy the beauty of our region and to get away from our regular routines. I always return from these tours full of ideas and renewed energy for tackling my own garden. If you enjoy the tour photos you see here, please visit and “like” the Facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine page. I post photo albums from each tour I visit there, as well as photos from other local gardening events that take place throughout the year, from local garden club plant swaps to visiting expert speakers. I hope you will stop by the page and comment plus share your garden photos, too! Happy gardening!
Address corrections should be sent to the address above. • 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 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 Retail stores wishing to sell our publication should contact Kathy Jentz at the contact information above. To order reprints, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877.652.5295, ext. 138. Volume 10, Number 3 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2015 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.
Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener wgardenermag@aol.com
All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz. 4
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READERcontt
Reader Contest
Local Gardening Calendar
Each month includes a list of what to do in the garden for local DC-MD-VA and Mid-Atlantic gardeners, along with a gorgeous photo of a seasonal flower from a local public garden collection in our area. Go to http://www.cafepress.com/ washgardener to order this new calendar for gifts and to treat yourself! Be sure to note on your order what month you want the calendar to start with. This calendar is a keeper that you can use for years!
For our May 2015 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away 25 pairs of passes to DC Green Festival (prize value: $12 each). Celebrate the 11th annual DC Green Festival Expo taking place June 5-7 at the DC Convention Center, now three days long. Shop for everything you need to live a more sustainable lifestyle with over 200 green brands! Taste vegan and vegetarian food and beverages. There is something for everyone to enjoy including educational and inspirational presentations from well-known chefs and sustainable fashion designers, test drives in the new electric BMW i3, and pet adoptions through the Green Festival Saves Lives Campaign. Green Festival Expo will even be run on clean energy through sponsorship with Arcadia Power. Ride your bike to the DC Green Festival, bring your helmet to the box office, and receive free admission. Visit greenfestivals.org for more information and ticket specials. To enter to win the DC Green Fest Passes, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on Friday, May 29, with “DCGreen” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Please also include your full name and mailing address. The pass winners will be announced and notified on June 1. See Washington Gardener Magazine at Booth #407 at the festival!
Caption Contest
This swan topiary on a yew hedge is at Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, MD. We asked our Facebook page followers: If it could talk, what would it say to the garden’s visitors? Look for more monthly caption contests at the Facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine page.
Winning Captions:
“Help, I’m drowning in yew.” ~ David Hobson “From this angle, it looks like it might be saying, ‘Hi-ho! Kermit the Frog here!’” ~ Julie Blackwell “When I’m calling yew-ew-woo-woo...” ~ Tom Jones “For my next high jump, I’m practicing the swan dive.” ~ Carol Anne Simms “Way down upon the Swanee River... when did it get so full of brush?” ~ Kevin E. James “Don’t mind me, I’m just swanning around.” ~ Carin Berns “I’m a sitting duck!” ~ Tyler James Jr. “Just a little off the top, please.” ~ Joan Ames “Feeling a bit green up at this height!” ~ Aaron Reeves
Topiary Swan photo by Kathy Jentz.
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BOOKreviews Container Gardening By Ian Hodgson Publisher: Mitchell Beazley List Price: $19.99 Reviewer: Erica H. Smith Container gardening is becoming increasingly popular, as many people who have small properties, or apartments with balconies, want to grow ornamentals or food plants. The publishing world has taken note, and there is no shortage of books on the subject. This one, from a UK publisher and the Royal Horticultural Society, would be a fine choice for someone getting started with growing in containers. The book covers general principles and specific techniques, as well as many examples of plants (edibles and ornamentals) that can be grown in containers. It’s a compact and handsome volume, with many clear and attractive photos and drawings. It provides a thorough overview, including: types of containers (pots, baskets, raised beds, window boxes, grow bags — even green walls!) and how to select them; best choices for vegetables, herbs, fruit, trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, bulbs, indoor plants, and more; tips for buying and planting each of these; design basics; information about growing media, drainage, feeding, watering, replanting, plant protection, using supports, moving containers, pruning, etc.; and some pests and diseases that may be encountered. I like the practical approach to all the topics discussed. You won’t just learn how to pop plants into containers, but how to nurture them as part of your garden through a season or through many years. The author makes clear that, while many plants can be container-grown, some will work better than others, and that production may be lower and water needs higher than with the same plants grown in the ground. The rewards of container growing are also made clear, but won’t happen without some work and thoughtfulness on the gardener’s part. Beginning container gardeners are likely this book’s main audience, but more experienced growers could pick 6
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up some pointers, too, as well as benefiting from the plant lists. One small disadvantage to the book is its British origin, but as long as readers are willing to translate words and phrases such as “aubergine,” “potting compost,” and (a new one for me) “Chelsea chop” (the technique of pruning back straggly perennials in early summer to encourage new growth), the prose is completely understandable. Occasional references to supplies not available in this country, or pests that are not common here, detract very little; you might want to double-check another source on suitability of plants to this climate. All in all, this is a nicely compact and fairly complete source for information about a trending topic. I don’t think anyone will be able to read it without wanting to pot up at least one growing thing. Erica is a Montgomery County Master Gardener, runs the Grow It Eat It blog for the University of Maryland Extension, and grows vegetables in her own community garden plot and in the MG Demonstration Garden in Derwood, MD. She is the author of several novels; visit her web site at ericahsmith.wordpress.com.
The Allergy-Fighting Garden: Stop Asthma and Allergies with Smart Landscaping By Thomas Leo Ogren Publisher: Ten Speed Press List Price: $22.99 Reviewer: Kathy Parrent If you’re feeling weepy, sleepy, sneezy, or dopey and it happens every year at this time, this book will help give you relief by showing you how you can choose allergy-free plants for your garden. The best treatment for allergies and asthma, Thomas Ogren believes, is replacing male trees and plants with females. The author, a horticulturist with a master’s degree in agricultural science, has devoted over three decades to research on allergens and plants, bridging the gap between medicine and horticulture. Ogren’s interest in the subject grew out of his wish to help his wife, who suffered from both allergies
and asthma. He describes how to prevent allergies and asthma by removing the most common offending substance — pollen. Each of us has a threshold of how much exposure to allergens we can tolerate, so it can make a big difference in the quality of your life to make adjustments to your immediate environment. Both allergies and asthma have increased dramatically over the past few decades. In the 1950s, about two to five percent of Americans suffered from allergies. By 1999, 38 percent of the population did and that number is still climbing in some urban areas. In the U.S., asthma is the number one chronic disease among children. According to the author, most urban and suburban landscapes are planted with male trees that produce pollen. In the 1940s, the USDA began recommending male trees to urban planners and nurseries and home gardeners as an easy solution to the “messiness” caused by female trees that produce fruit. Then, in the 1960s and ’70s Dutch Elm Disease swept across the country, killing millions of trees. Many of those fallen trees were replaced with male trees. The problem, as Ogren describes, is that male trees produce pollen. (Lots and lots of the stuff!) Females produce seeds or fruit and sometimes nectar. And they not only produce no pollen, but they trap and remove pollen from the air, so the systematic replacement of female trees with males over many decades has coincided with the dramatic increase in allergies and asthma. It is, he says, yet another example of manipulating large ecosystems without anticipating the harmful side effects. Much of the book serves as a tutorial on the sex lives of trees and plants. And it turns out that the love lives of plants are just as complicated as those of humans! Dioecious plants are separately sexed. Then there are monoecious (unisex) plants that reproduce on their own and grafted plants that are neuter. There are also androidioecious, gynodioecious, and polygamous plants! To simplify and keep track of a plant’s allergenic effects Ogren devel-
BOOKreviews are store-bought. One library had these rules; however, they also sponsored a seed swap for their patrons, thereby still engaging the community and adding a different touch to the seed library and what it has to offer. As we sow seed this season and save seed of our tried and true crops, the content of this book is like a blueprint for seed-saving success. Seed saving is a great way to build community and I definitely recommend this book as a must read for our seed-saving/-sharing efforts.
oped a rating system he calls the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS), now used by the USDA. The book contains 3,000 plant listings, each rated 1 to 10. Since few nurseries or garden stores include the OPALS index on plant labels, the author has written this book as a guide to take with you. If you are worried that changing to females will be bad for the birds, bees, and butterflies, Ogren says the sterile male airborne-pollinated environments we’ve created have coincided with the decline in butterflies and honeybees. He claims that allergy-free gardens and landscapes with female plants are actually better for pollinators. As for Ogren’s wife, the changes in their landscaping have freed her from the fear, fatigue, and misery she once faced. Kathy Parrent is a freelance writer and amateur nature photographer. She was trained as a Master Gardener and runs “Green Thumb to the Rescue” on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ GreenThumbToTheRescue.
Seed Libraries and Other Means of Keeping Seeds in the Hands of the People By Cindy Conner Publisher: New Society Publishers List Price: $19.95 Reviewer: Teresa Speight First and foremost, Cindy Conner — sign me up. Everyone needs a seed library in their community. Why? As it is repeated throughout this wonderfully information-filled, compact book: “whoever controls the seeds, controls the food supply.” Eleven chapters of usable content, ranging from a short history of the seed saving movement, information about the role of public libraries, how to get a seed-saving movement started where you are, and, of course, how to keep the enthusiasm going. Cindy also offers alternate ways to share and save seeds, to keep this movement at the forefront of the horticultural community. One of my favorite sections in the book is Chapter 3: The Role of Public Libraries. I can see how this could be the perfect combination for educating the community on seed saving and sharing. Cindy Connor shares with her
audience how Andrew Carnegie was not able to afford a subscription to the library as an impoverished child. After becoming wealthy, he built libraries to foster change in the community and make knowledge available to all. In 2012, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh — Main Seed Library was born. It is a public seed library and seed bank that offers public interaction via classes and programming. This project is a model for more seed libraries to form around this country. Developed through trial and error, seed libraries are certainly a learn-as-you-go process. Cindy creates a literal quilt, where each square demonstrates how beneficial a seed library is to communities. Libraries are meant to be places where one can learn about many things. Libraries are already part of our community and our tax dollars pay for them, so why not use them to their maximum potential? By incorporating seed libraries into our existing public libraries, we keep seeds in the hands of the public, without chemicals or big business. The theory behind this movement is simply amazing. This book provides some resources that are useful if starting a seed library is something you are considering for your neighborhood. There are laws that could determine whether this is an option, depending on where you live. Some places require that the seed have a specific germination rate and
Teresa Speight is a native Washingtonian, who resides in District Heights, MD. She owns Cottage In The Court Landscape Consulting. She owes her interest in gardening to her father and the Central Rappahannock Master Gardeners, who taught her how to be a true “steward of the land.” She can be reached at cottageinthecourt@gmail.com. o
Love Reading?
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. This will consist of about two email exchanges per month. Reader Panelists may also be asked to review new gardening books and test out new garden plants, tools, and seeds. To join the Washington Gardener Volunteer Reader Panel, please send an email with your name and address to: wgardenermag@aol. com. We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local publication and its gardening mission. o MAY 2015
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DAYtrip
Top Local Spots for Azalea Viewing Best Blooms in the Region by Kathy Jentz
What is a spring in the Mid-Atlantic without abundant azalea blooms? Masses of bright blossoms make for a wonderful sight after a long, cold winter. Sure, they can be over-used at times, but the reason we love them so much is because they are so successful and reliable in our gardens. Azalea season runs from April through June with early-, mid-, and lateseason blooming shrubs. (Though technically, with the new re-blooming varieties, the flowering season can extend through fall.) Be sure to re-visit some of these locations through-out the several weeks of bloom so you can enjoy the changing mix of colors as different varieties wax and wane. Washington Gardener Magazine recently asked local azalea fans for their favorite bloom viewing spots in our region. “I’ve always enjoyed the ride along Prosperity Avenue between Little River Turnpike and Route 50 in Fairfax 8
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County, VA. Many homes have beautiful, mature azaleas,” said Rick Bauer, president of the Northern Virginia Chapter, Azalea Society of America. “My first place vote will always go to the National Arboretum,” said Mike Welsh, city gardener for Takoma Park, MD. “It has everything: a great collection, many different forms and varieties, wonderful lay of the land for viewing, and a central location. By far, a fascinating lore and history. It gets better, year after year. All one needs do is to go and look at the faces of whose visiting and witness first-hand their expressed pleasure and their interaction with those beautiful azaleas.” Mike’s gardening domain is the parks of Takoma Park, which is well-known for its many beautiful azaleas, in both private and public gardens. The location is the former home of Benjamin Y. Morrison, the famed horticulturalist who was the founder and first director
of the National Arboretum. Morrison is noted for cross-breeding different strains of azaleas to produce the Glenn Dale azaleas, which are prevalent today throughout the eastern United States. Morrison lived near Piney Branch Road and many of his Glenn Dale introductions can be seen throughout the city’s private home gardens and public parks. “Azaleas have a glamorous presence that few other plants have; beautiful azalea viewing can be anywhere and everywhere,” added Mike. Indeed, most all of these azalea-viewing suggestion are free and open to all. A few are on private property and we ask you to respect the home owners by not trespassing and staying in the public right-of-way to take any photos. • Brighton Dam in Brookeville, MD, has more than 20,000 azaleas and is provided by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. • Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD,
DAYtrip features more than 300 varieties of azaleas represented by 2,000 plants. • Landon School in Bethesda, MD, hosts an annual Azalea Festival on the first weekend of May. The Perkins Gardens include 15,000 azaleas. • The U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC, is where thousands of azaleas cover the flanks of Mount Hamilton in a blaze of color. You can track what is in bloom and when at: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/ collections/azaleablossom.html. • McCrillis Gardens in Bethesda, MD, was the private collection of an azalea gardener before being given to Montgomery County parks in 1978. • Franciscan Monastery in Washington, DC, features a hillside of azaleas in its 40-acre grounds. • Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens in Washington, DC, includes hundred of azaleas sprinkled throughout the many garden rooms. • Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA, has a small collection of natives and some Asian varieties. • Rachel Carson Conservation Park, in Olney, MD, is known, in part, for Rachel Carson’s famous wild azaleas (pinxters), which are in full bloom in mid- to late-May. • Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, VA, contains an azalea collection with more than 50,000 plants representing more than 550 species in full bloom. They also host an annual Azalea Celebration Week in early May. • Cylburn Arboretum in Baltimore, MD, is known for its Azalea Trail and offers guided walks on occasion. • Maymont in Richmond, VA, includes a Japanese Garden with spectacular combinations of azaleas, Japanese Maples, and spring-flowering trees. • Annmarie Garden in Solomons, MD, has about 500 shrubs in its Glenn Dales collection established in 1997 and tended by volunteer gardeners. Did we leave any of your favorite local azalea viewing spots off this list? Let is know where you go to be amongst “he royalty of the garden,” o
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.
Kathy Jentz is editor/ publisher of Washington Gardener. She can be reached at wgardenermag@aol.com. MAY 2015
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TIPStricks
Tomato Terms and Types
by Joan Casanova Tomatoes need the right combination of good soil, water, and heat. Use seedling transplants; they’re faster than starting from seed and easier to grow. Transplants offered in biodegradable pots are planted directly in-ground, preventing transplant shock, and saving millions of pounds of plastic from landfills. Find a sunny location (at least six hours of sun) with good drainage. If you plant tomatoes each season, it’s a good idea to rotate the spot in the garden where you plant them. Also, tomato plants are the only variety you plant deep: two-thirds down into the soil. Tomato plants are classified as either indeterminate or determinate. Indeterminate plants grow all season, continuing to bloom and produce fruit as long as weather conditions are favorable. (Examples: ‘Bonnie Better Boy,’ ‘Early Girl,’ ‘Sweet 100,’ ‘Sun Sugar.’) Determinate plants are the compact bush type, like Better Bush, they grow to a certain size, set fruit, and stop growing, bearing fruit all at once. This type of tomato is popular with gardeners who like to can and make sauce. (Examples: ‘Bush Goliath,’ ‘Patio,’ ‘Roma,’ ‘Solar Fire,’ ‘Sweet and Neat,’ ‘Husky Red.’) 10
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Tomatoes are often designated by the terms early, middle, and late, which refer to when the fruit will be ready to harvest. Early-season tomatoes are the first to ripen, late-season are the last to ripen, and middle-season types fall somewhere in between. Planting some of each type is a good strategy for enjoying ripe tomatoes throughout the summer. An heirloom tomato is any variety that is at least 50 years old and is not a hybrid, like ‘Mortgage Lifter.’ This heirloom tomato got its name because a mechanic in West Virginia who developed the variety made so much money selling the seeds he paid off his mortgage! (Examples: ‘Arkansas Traveler,’ ‘Black Krim,’ ‘Cherokee Purple,’ ‘German Queen,’ ‘Mr. Stripey.’) A hybrid tomato is a tomato bred by plant breeders crossing existing varieties. Hybrids offer fruit with better disease-resistance, higher yield, and other improved traits. (Examples: ‘Juliet,’ ‘Bonnie Original,’ ‘Big Boy,’ ‘Summer Set,’ ‘Tami G.’) Now it’s time to pick your plants: While tomato lovers have a seemingly endless list of varieties to plant in their gardens, tomatoes fall into three basic categories: small salad (cherry) tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, and thick-walled tomatoes ideal for making sauces. It can be confusing to pick the perfect tomato best suited for your needs; you might want to check out the “Tomato Chooser” on Bonnie Plants web site at http://bonnieplants. com/tomatoes/choose-your-tomato/). You can sort through tomato varieties to find just what you want; if you check off the traits that you’re looking for, the “Tomato Chooser” will do the work for you, bringing up all the varieties that match your search. If local temperatures are rising fast, as they usually do in our region in late May-early June, choose a heat-set tomato variety that is able to set fruit in high temperatures compared to many other varieties. You might try ‘Arkansas Traveler,’ ‘Florida 91,’ ‘Husky Red Cherry,’ or ‘Super Sweet 100.’ For these and other heat-set variety descriptions see http://bonnieplants.com/products/ vegetables/tomato-varieties/heat-tolerant. o
New Web Site by Fairfax County Master Gardeners
by Pat Dickey The Fairfax County Master Gardeners Association has launched a new public web site, Fairfax Gardening (www. fairfaxgardening.org), with a focus on gardening information for Northern Virginia, particularly the climate and soil types of Fairfax County. Homeowners will find the site useful for gaining practical knowledge about what is growing in their yards or in containers and inside or outside their residences, and how to care for it. Garden hobbyists will gain a better understanding of botany, plant selection, garden design, soil health, and organic gardening. The web site will feature essays, papers, recommendations, questions and answers, and blog posts authored by FCMGA members. Content focuses on research-based horticultural concepts and practices, providing access via links to research papers on horticulture, especially those written by Virginia Cooperative Extension scientists. It explains technical gardening concepts in layman’s terms and simplifies gardening best practices that may be intimidating to the public. The web site features information on flowers, ornamentals, vegetables, trees, edibles, houseplants, and landscape architecture that is more accessible and readable. Photos, videos, drawings, and writing will infuse interest and entertain readers. This web site will bring awareness to existing and new services provided by more than 200 members of the Fairfax County Master Gardeners Association, including plant clinics in 12 farmers markets and six libraries in the county. Visit the web site for the schedule and locations. Visitors may discuss gardening issues and bring samples of problem plants for diagnosis. Master Gardeners are also available to answer questions Monday-Friday at the Virginia Cooperative Extension Help Desk from 9:30AM to 12:30PM, at 703324-8556, or by email at mgfairfax@vt. edu. o
GARDENnews
Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts
• Lilacs: You Can Grow That! • Container Gardening Basics • Invasive Alert: Dealing with Lesser Celandine • First Strawberries and Carrots of the Season See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com You might also enjoy the Cats in Gardens blog: http://catsingardens.blogspot.com/ Photo by Chad Finn, USDA-ARS.
New Plant Spotlight
‘Sweet Sunrise’ Strawberry
High-yielding, June-bearing Cultivar ‘Sweet Sunrise’ (U.S.PP 25,223) is a new strawberry cultivar from the Corvallis breeding program, which is led by ARS plant geneticist Chad Finn. Sweet Sunrise was released in cooperation with the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station and Washington State University’s Agricultural Research Center. The new strawberry is a high-yielding cultivar that ripens in June. It produces large, firm, attractive fruit with excellent quality. According to Finn, ‘Sweet Sunrise’ was high yielding in every trial and location. Yields were comparable to, or higher than, those of other recent releases such as ‘Charm,’ ‘Valley Red,’ and ‘Sweet Bliss’ or the industry standards ‘Tillamook,’ ‘Totem,’ and ‘Hood.’ In all evaluations, ‘Sweet Sunrise’ was rated excellent and comparable to Totem for commercial processors. The most outstanding characteristics of ‘Sweet Sunrise’ are its outstanding fruit quality, its medium-large fruit size, and its early ripening. These characteristics make it well suited for the fresh or processed fruit markets. “‘Sweet Sunrise’ was selected in 2000 from a cross made in 1998 between ‘Puget Reliance’ and B 754. ‘Puget Reliance’ is a standard in the Pacific Northwest, especially for the fresh-market strawberry industry, because it is high-yielding, large-fruited, and well-adapted to the region’s climate and disease complexes,” says Finn. “B 754 was an advanced selection in ARS’s Beltsville breeding program in the 1980s and 1990s. I identified it as being potentially valuable germplasm for the breeding program in Oregon because of its large, attractive fruit; very good eating quality; and perceived high yield.” o
May-June Garden To-Do List
• If you started seeds last month, thin them and start the hardening-off process. • Cut back spent tulip and daffodil blooms, but not the foliage! • Divide and replant crowded daffodils. • Feed your roses and new plantings with slow-release fertilizer sparingly. • Provide supports for fast-growing perennials such as delphiniums, peonies, and lilies. • Tie up clematis and other fast-growing climbing vines. • Hose off aphids, white flies, or spider mites on your roses or other perennials. • Deadhead spent blooms on your annuals and perennials to encourage re-flowering. • Water your newly planted shrubs, trees, and perennials. • Weed regularly. • Go on a local house and garden tour to see what plants are thriving in other’s area home gardens. • Pinch back mums, salvias, and other late-season bloomers to encourage bushy, not leggy, growth. • Check pots and containers daily for water needs. • Plant dahlias, gladioli, caladiums, and cannas. • Direct-sow annual flower seeds. • Thin vegetable seeds sown directly in the garden. • Move your houseplants outdoors for a summer vacation on your porch. • Put out slug traps around your vulnerable edibles and hostas. • Prune back forsythia, spirea, and other early-spring blooming shrubs. • Check for black spot on your roses — remove and discard any affected leaves in the trash, never back into your garden or in your compost — apply a fungicide with Neem oil every two weeks during the growing season. • Cut some flowers to enjoy inside — make a small arrangement for every room. • Sow squash and melon seeds. • Plant seedlings or direct-sow sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. • Fertilize azaleas and rhododendrons, if needed. • Divide crowded perennials and share them. • Turn your compost pile. • Start a water garden or renew yours for the season. • Mark and photograph your bulb plantings now, while they are still visible. • Keep a sharp eye out for fungal diseases and pests. • Replace cool-season annuals with heat-loving ones. • Be vigilant for mosquito breeding spots — any standing water from a bottle-cap to blocked gutters — and clean them out immediately. Ask your surrounding neighbors to do the same. Put Mosquito Dunks in any areas that accumulate water. • Plant tomatoes and peppers. To get them started off right, put cages/stakes in at same time as you plant them, so you are not disturbing their roots later. Place a collar (cardboard tube or cat-food can) around the tender plants to prevent cut worms. Put crushed eggshells first in the planting hole of tomatoes for extra calcium and mix lime in the soil you surround the plant with to prevent blossom-end rot. Fertilize with kelp extract or fish emulsion. • Hand-pick cabbage worms from cabbage and broccoli. MAY 2015
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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ May 16-June 15, 2015 • Friday, May 22, 12noon-1pm Rooting Out or Rooting for Weeds A talk by Dr. Lena Struwe, director, Chrysler Herbarium, Rutgers University. What are weeds good for and where did they come from? These common plants have evolved closely with human civilization and provide joy, pain, problems, medicines, and food for humans worldwide. In this talk, the evolution of weediness in plants will be explored, as well as society’s views on the good and bad aspects of weeds in urban, suburban, and rural areas. U.S. Botanic Garden’s Conservatory Classroom. FREE: Pre-registration required at usbg.gov. •May 22 – June 1, 10am-4pm Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea Bonsai These stunning bonsai are miniature in form, but covered with brilliant, multicolored, full-sized flowers. This annual exhibit showcases the most spectacular examples in a formal display. National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave., NE, Washington, DC. Free. See www.usna.usda.gov for details. • Saturday, May 23, 9:30am-3pm Baltimore Herb Festival Herb lectures and over 20 vendors. Held at Leakin Park, 1920 Eagle Drive, Baltimore, MD. Admission is $7 for adults, children 12 and under free. Parking is free. For more details, go to www.baltimoreherbfestival.com. • Sunday, May 24, 2-3pm Fruit Tree Growing in the Mid-Atlantic (Washington DC Region) Held at the Community Forklift in Edmonston, MD. From paw paws to peaches, discover the fruit trees that grow best in our region. This talk is especially suited to those gardeners lacking growing space or live in urban areas. Speaker: Kathy Jentz is editor, publisher, and founder of Washington Gardener Magazine. Free, registration required at www.communityforklift.org. • Tuesday, May 26, 7-8:30pm Gardening on a Slope Arlington County Extension Agent Kirsten Buhls will lead this program, 12
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which focuses on selecting plants that do well on slopes, techniques for slowing down water runoff, and preventing soil erosion and how to capture and use rainwater to benefit the landscape. Advance registration is requested. Free. Presented for the Over 55 Senior Center at Walter Reed in Arlington, VA. To register, contact Marcia Kot, Senior Center manager, at 703-228-0949 or email mkot@arlingtonva.us. • Wednesday, May 27, 7:30pm No Greenhouse, No Problem: Orchid Growing Inside and Out The Beltsville Garden Club hosts the talk and meets in the multi-purpose room of the James E. Duckworth School at 11201 Evans Trail in Beltsville, MD. Speaker Linus Chen will talk about how to grow both temperate orchids that can be left outside all year, and tropical orchids, indoors all year and outdoors during the summer. Tropical orchid culture will touch on traditional growing media (bark, spaghnum moss, mixes), along with the “semi-hyrdo” technique. The outdoor orchids will focus on growing bletillas, cypripediums, pleiones, and “bog” orchids (Calopogon tuberosus, Dactylorhiza, and Spiranthes odorata). Find out how you can fit orchids in to your house and outdoor garden. Members are asked to bring a plant or plant-related item for the door prize table. Mr. Chen will donate an easy to grow orchid to be raffled after his talk to benefit the UMD scholarship fund. Also, contributions of sweet or savory refreshments are always appreciated. • Thursday, May 28, 1-3pm Expert Plant Talks: Coral Bells Discover why Heuchera (coral bells) are the Perfect Shade Plant. Join Mt. Cuba Center’s Research Horticulturist, George Coombs, for his tips on growing this popular native perennial and its colorful varieties. Held at the Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Rd., Hockessin, DE. See mtcubacenter.org. • Saturday, May 30, 9am-4pm Willow Furniture Workshop Led by Bim Willow, furniture maker, artist, gardener. Come with a hammer and
leave with your choice of projects. Bent willow furniture is the perfect rustic accent and an American tradition. Price varies depending on project chosen. Base Fee: $61. Choose between end table, two trellises, or a plant stand. More projects available for an additional fee. Held at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. Visit BrooksideLearning. org for more information. • Saturday, May 30, 10am-12noon Special Joint Tour: Tudor Place & Dumbarton Oaks - Georgetown Garden Treasures Tour two of DC’s, most celebrated landscapes with the people who know them best: Directors of Gardens & Grounds Gail Griffin of Dumbarton Oaks, and Suzanne Bouchard of Tudor Place. From roses to hay bales to tea houses, learn how these storied landscapes evolved aesthetically and functionally since the 1800s and what challenges and triumphs surround their preservation today. Members (either site): $15. Nonmembers: $20. TudorPlace.org. • Saturday, May 30 and Friday, June 19 (the same class will be repeated on June 19), 9am-3pm Starting Your Urban Farm (or Garden) This course is designed for the home gardener or community garden member, and to a smaller extent, the container gardener. We apply principles of efficiency from our “market gardening” courses to the personal scale to help you produce a healthy and consistent abundance of vegetables in you plot. We will walk and work through the Edmonston Urban Farm, combining lecture and discussion with hands-on experience. This course is a great complement to AGR-320, Composting for Urban Agriculture, as we discuss additional strategies for fertile soil building, crop rotation and cover crops, pests and disease management, and other related maintenance topics. Location: 4913 Crittenden St., Edmonston, MD. Cost: $165 Register at www.pgcc.edu. • Wednesday, June 3, 6:15-9pm & Saturday, June 6, 9-11:30am Invasive Plant Class
TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ May 16-June 15, 2015 This class will cover invasive plants and how they are threatening our native landscapes. Participants will learn how to identify and control species of non-native, invasive plants found in the Washington, DC-area including beefsteak plant (Perilla frutescens), Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), and mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata). Native alternatives to common and incoming invasive plants will also be discussed. This course consists of two parts on two different days: a 2.5-hour classroom session on June 3 at the Casey Trees headquarters in Brookland neighborhood of DC (including a delicious free dinner), and a 2.5hour field session in Rock Creek Park on the morning of June 6th. Register at http://caseytrees.org. • June 4-6 The 2015 Native Plants in the Landscape Conference Held at Millersville University, in Millersville, PA. Speakers for the conference include Doug Tallamy, Rick Darke, Kirk Brown, Dale Hendricks, Dave Jacke, Miriam Goldberger, Bill Johnson, and many more, Inspirational field trips, educational workshops, engaging topics of concern, native plants and book sale, and native plant merchandise – this is a conference you don’t want to miss. Continuing education credits are available for LACES, APLD, Delaware Certified Horticulturist, Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist, New York CNLP, and Maryland CPH. Plant and Book Sale will be open to the public on Friday, June 5, 2015, from 4:00-6:00pm and on Saturday, June 6, 2015, from 8:00am-12:00noon. To view the conference brochure or to register, visit www. MillersvilleNativePlants.org. • Saturday, June 6, 9am-3pm Garden Party at Behnke Nurseries Beltsville, MD Love to garden? Want to meet area garden clubs, plant societies and garden vendors, while you buy raffle tickets to benefit Friends of Brookside Gardens? Then you must join the Garden Party at Behnke’s Nurseries, Beltsville, MD. Come celebrate gardening! Behnke’s
is hosting this all-day event for gardeners and garden lovers. There will be a room with garden clubs, plant societies, vendors, and Master Gardeners to answer your gardening questions. Bring a labeled plant to swap for the Plant Swap. Featured talk: Grow Your Best-Tasting Tomatoes EVER! (1:303pm), sponsored by Espoma® Organic, with Mike McGrath, organic gardening expert & WTOP radio personality. There will be food for sale and a wine tasting, plus live music to entertain while you mingle, shop, and buy raffle tickets. Call 301.937.8150 or see behnkes.com. •Saturday, June 13, 9am-12noon How to Prune Azaleas and Rhododendrons Learn how to improve the health and appearance of your azaleas and rhododendrons with coaching from The Pruning School director, Peter Deahl. This outdoor, hands-on pruning class takes place at the White Gardens in Falls Church, VA. Directions will be emailed before the class date. Bring gloves and pruners. Fee $25/person. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312. Register on-line at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ greenspring using code 290 202 9601 or call 703-642-5173. • Saturday, June 13, 11am 8th Annual DC Plant Swap Hosted by Washington Gardener Magazine. Meet at the U.S. National Arboretum’s R Street entrance parking lot. Anyone is welcome and it is FREE to participate. Bring your well-labeled plants and seedlings to share. See full details at http://washingtongardener. blogspot.com/.
Save These Future Dates: • Saturday, June 20, 6-9pm Music in the Garden Twilight Walk Enjoy music and the landscape as an evening of beauty and talent unfold in the gardens at Surreybrooke in Middletown, MD. Various musicians perform classical and folk music as visitors walk on candlelit pathways. Hammered dulcimer, harp, and classical guitar can be heard while enjoying the fragrant eve-
ning gardens. Try your hand at dancing with the Scottish Dancers. Register at www.surreybrooke.com. • Sunday, July 12, 2-4pm Garden Photo Show Reception You are invited to view the winning images of the 9th annual Washington Gardener Photo Contest at an art show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. All 17 stunning photos were taken in DC-area gardens. Both inspirational and educational, this show represents the best of garden photography in the greater DC metropolitan region. The reception is open to the public and is free to attend. You may also come by and view the photos any time during the normal Visitor Center hours (10am-7pm daily). The photo show runs through August 31. • Thursday, July 16, 7:30am-2:30pm Green Industry Professional Seminar The Professional Grounds Management Society, D.C. Branch and the Northern Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association are holding their annual Field Day and Trade Show at American University in Washington, DC. The Field Day will have talks and demonstrations by professionals and vendors on topics including trees, landscape maintenance, and landscape architecture/design, and a session for Spanish-speaking employees. For more information, visit www. greenindustryseminar.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, please contact: Wgardenermag@aol. com — put “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is June 10 for the June 15 issue, featuring events taking place from June 16 to July 15, 2015. o
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GARDENtours
Gardener Magazine’s o Washington Spring 2015 Garden Tours Round-Up
Highlights and selected moments from the Spring 2015 Garden Tour season in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Historic Garden Week in Virginia Garden Club of Fairfax Tour: Clifton/Fairfax Station, VA.
87th Georgetown Garden Tour in NW Washington, DC.
58th CHRS House & Garden Tour in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC.
42nd Annual Takoma T Park House & Garden Tour, “In the 1890s,” Takoma Park, MD. 11th Shepherd Park Garden Tour in NW Washington, DC.
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GARDENtours
Washington Gardener Magazine’s Spring 2015 Garden Tours Round-Up
o
Don’t despair if you missed many of the tours on the proceeding page! There are still several local garden tours coming up this season. Here is a partial listing: • Saturday, May 23, 10am-4pm Private Gardens of Mink Hollow Visit some of the most inspiring private gardens in our area at the height of gardening season. This year’s Brookside Gardens benefit tour features gardens that have been artfully created by their owners over a number of years: a painter’s palette of blossoms arranged by room, a veritable botanical library of specimens, and more. Fee: $20 All-garden Pass ($5/garden at the door). Map to gardens will be sent to registrants. Details posted at montgomeryparks.org. • Saturday, May 30, 10am-5pm Washington County House and Garden Pilgrimage The Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) runs for five weekends each spring. A long-standing Maryland tradition, the tour provides access to some of Maryland’s most noteworthy private properties and enables residents to see their home state with fresh eyes. The 2015 tour includes 44 private homes, gardens, farms, wineries, churches, and historic sites in five counties. Advance tickets for each tour are $30 per person ($35 if purchasing day-of). Catered lunches will be available on all tours. Purchase tickets and get more information at mhgp.org or 410-821-6933. • Saturday, June 6, 12noon-5pm and Sunday, June 7, 12noon-5pm Secret Garden Tour Homeowners in the Annapolis Historic District will open their private gardens to the public to benefit the historic Hammond-Harwood House. During the rare opportunity, participants are given a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most stunning gardens in the area. All the gardens are within easy walking distance of each other. Tickets for the 2015 Secret Garden Tour can be purchased online or by calling 410-263-4683. The event is rain or shine. Go to http://hammondharwoodhouse.org/event/secret-garden-tour/. • Saturday, June 6, 10am-4pm and Sunday, June 7, 10am-4pm Garden Conservancy Open Days: Barnes Alumni Gardens The Barnes partners with the Garden Conservancy to offer two days of tours of the gardens of Barnes Horticulture Alumni in the Philadelphia, PA, area. This is your chance to see some of the best large and small private gardens in our region. Interested in volunteering at the Garden Conservancy Open Days? We are looking for people to do two-hour shifts at one of the gardens. Volunteers get free access to each of the open gardens that weekend. Contact Diane Newbury at newburyd@verizon.net to sign up. The fee is $7 per garden, or register online for discounted tickets at www.barnesfoundation.org. • Sunday June 7, 12noon-5pm Brookland House and Garden Tour A terrific showcase for those outside Brookland neighborhood in NE Washington, DC, to get to know a fantastic part of the city. Get advance tickets online at the Greater Brookland Garden Club web site at www.gbgc.org. • Sunday June 7, 10am-4pm Annual Garden Tour - Horticultural Society of Maryland A tour of four gardens that reflect years of dedication and evolution. Discover a connoisseur’s collection of rare conifers, the revival of an historic farm, the grounds of a manor house, and an enchanted woodland garden that will entertain, educate, and satisfy all visitors. Admission is free for MD Hort Society members, $35 in advance for the public or $40 at the first garden. See: http://www.mdhorticulture.org/GardenTour.htm
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EDIBLEharvt
by Elizabeth Olson
Basil is a tender annual herb that is started from seed and is grown for its delicious leaves. There are numerous cultivars. Many belong to the species Ocimum basilicum, but there are other species represented as well. Basil is a member of the Lamiaceae family, which also includes mint, oregano, and thyme.
Many Basil Cultivars
The diversity of cultivars is remarkable. Mature plant heights range from eight to twenty-four inches. Different cultivars may produce green leaves, purple leaves (‘Amethyst Improved,’ ‘Purple Opal,’ ‘Red Rubin’), or green leaves with purple stems and veins (‘Thai Red’). The leaves may be smooth or blistered. Some cultivars produce very small leaves, while others produce extra-large leaves (‘Mammoth’ and ‘Salad Leaf’). 16
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Basil is known for its aromatic qualities. The most familiar fragrances are clove and sweet. Others are cinnamon, mint, lemon, anise, and musk. Some cultivars have aromas that are perceived as blends. Seeds are widely available from garden centers and by online order. Seedlings are available in the herb section of many garden centers.
Culinary Uses
The most familiar culinary use for sweet or Genovese style basil is pesto. (Author’s note: For pesto that does not have a clove scent, try ‘Profumo di Genova’ from ReneesGarden.com.) Other uses for fresh leaves include adding them to salads and sandwiches, layered with cheese and tomato slices, and finely chopped and mixed in herb
‘Sweet Broadleaf’ basil seedlings from John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds. Photograph courtesy of KitchenGardenSeeds.com.
Easy Basil Growing Tips
butter. The leaves of lettuce-leaf basil can grow to four inches long and they make excellent mini-wraps. Basil is wonderful as a seasoning. It is well-known as an ingredient in tomato sauce and it makes a surprisingly delightful jelly. Another use is to infuse white vinegar with color from purple basil leaves or flavor from lemon basil leaves. Cultivars that are traditional in Asian cuisine can be eaten fresh as a garnish or in salads, but are often used in stirfrying, simmering pots, soups, and rice, fish, and poultry dishes. Flower stalks are usually removed when they start to form to encourage more leaf development. However, basil flowers are decorative, attract pollinators, and are edible. They should be harvested soon after blooming and before they form seeds to avoid changes in texture.
How to Grow Basil
The seeds germinate quickly, sometimes in as little as three days in very warm weather. The fast-growing sprouts can easily succumb to damping off, so start seeds indoors in plastic or peat pots filled with sterile potting medium and set on horticultural heat mats near a bright window or under grow lights. The containers may be placed outdoors in a protected location if the air temperature is reliably warm at night. Water the containers from the bottom only. Carefully transplant the seedlings to the garden when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Alternatively, the seeds can be sown directly in the garden, but the sprouts need extra protection from pests and should be thinned by scissor-pruning. The thinnings are edible. Transplants and seeds may be planted in the garden after the soil has thoroughly warmed in late spring. Spacing between plants and rows is very important as basil needs good air circulation throughout the growing season. Good cultural care, including crop rotation, is necessary as basil is susceptible to diseases such as wilt, leaf spot, and downy mildew. Site the plants in full sun in wellworked, fertile soil that has good drainage. Fertilize with an all-purpose organic vegetable fertilizer.
EDIBLEharvt
Our Favorite Basil Pesto Recipe courtesy of John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds Ingredients
1½ cups packed home-grown basil leaves ½ cup olive oil 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ¼ cup pignoli or pine nuts 2 garlic cloves, peeled
Directions
Wash and dry the basil leaves: Salad spinners work wonders. Toast the pine nuts on a cookie sheet (with sides) until just golden. Watch the seeds carefully: They go from pale to dark (burnt) very quickly. Put all of the ingredients in a good blender or food processor and puree, scraping down the sides, until well-blended. Alternatively, the traditional method of blending the ingredients is to use a mortar and pestle.
Uses for Pesto
Pesto is terrific at room temperature on fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese or served warm with pasta, potatoes, and boneless breast of chicken or swordfish steaks. Add a bit of pesto to winter soups or stews for extra zing. For an easy appetizer, spread a thin layer of pesto over soft goat cheese in a little baking dish; warm briefly, and serve with fresh, crusty baguette slices.
How to Preserve Pesto
Put a half-cup of pesto in a pint freezer bag. (A quart freezer bag can be used to contain one full cup of pesto.) Seal, name, and date each bag. Gently flatten all of the bags and freeze them in a stack. Once frozen, stand the bags up in the shelf of your freezer door for easy access. Since the bags are like thin envelopes, you can easily break off little pieces of pesto as you need them for big flavor when cooking.
Pesto Variations
You can be as inventive as you want with your pestos. • Use walnuts or almonds instead of the traditional pignoli or pine nuts. • Mix cilantro in with the basil leaves. • Add lemon zest. • Experiment with different hard cheeses, perhaps made with sheep’s milk or goat’s milk. • Some people even add a little melted, unsalted butter into their olive oil to give their pesto a creamier, rich taste. • Different types of pesto can be created by using different types of basil: ‘Sweet Broadleaf,’ ‘Purple Sweet,’ ‘Siam Queen,’ ‘Genovese,’ lemon, lime, or ‘Mexican Spice.’ • For pesto with an Asian flavor, you may substitute roasted peanuts for the pine nuts and add grated ginger root, cilantro, and a bit of lemon juice.
Install a soaker hose to supplement rainfall. Mulch the area and keep it free of weeds. If watering with a hose, use a watering wand and carefully water near the base of the plants, avoiding getting water on the leaves. Basil also grows very well in containers. Some of the smaller-leaved cultivars, such as ‘Aristotle,’ ‘Picolo,’ and ‘Spicy Globe’ provide especially attractive displays. Be sure to mulch the top of the potting soil to prevent it from crusting.
Harvesting Tips
Relay planting works very well for basil that is grown for pesto; plant a patch of basil every two to three weeks. Harvest the entire first patch when the plants are no more than eight inches tall. Repeat the process with the next patch, and so on. Sprigs and individual basil leaves can be harvested as needed during the season. For tender leaves, replace plants that become woody or that bolt soon after pruning. Basil is sensitive to cold weather and the growing season is over when nighttime temperatures drop to 50 degrees F. The best way to preserve the flavor of freshly harvested basil is in products such as frozen pesto (see recipe on this page) or in canned tomato sauce. Basil can be dried, but many cultivars lose flavor. Lemon-scented basils are perhaps the best choices for drying. o Elizabeth Olson is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She is also an avid home gardener who is fascinated by the stories behind the plants that she grows. She can be contacted through Washington Gardener magazine. ‘Purple Opal’ basil and its edible pink flowers add color to salads. Photo courtesy of ReneesGarden.com.
Pictured above: Compact basil cultivars make very attractive container plants. Photograph of organic ‘Spicy Globe’ basil courtesy of ReneesGarden.com.
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PLANTprofile
Red Hot Poker
by Judith Mensh
Kniphofia ‘Poco Yellow’ photo courtesy of terranovanurseries.com.
Kniphofia:
new growth begins, you may cut it to the ground.
Colorful Cultivars
The modern Kniphofia can be found in single colors, all-yellow, all-red, and new colors, including tawny to creamy and all-green flowers. The ‘Popsicle’ series of dwarf cultivars has brought this plant to a more manageable size with more choices of color. Some cultivars available outside of the uvaria species include: K. caulescens, with its silvery blue foliage; K. hirsuta ‘Fire Dance,’ considered the most cold-hardy of the genre; K. pumila, a dwarf, spring-flowering type; K. rooperi, tall and autumn-flowering. Also of note is K. uvaria ‘Echo Mango,’ a reblooming cultivar, which, although not always available, is worth a search.
History and Uses High drama in the garden! The Red Hot Poker, the Flame Flower, the Torch Lily — call it what you like — will be ablaze with color in the hot, late summer sun. Kniphofia uvaria is a hardy tropical genus whose Latin identification tells us nothing informative as it is named after an 18th-century German botanist. Its yellow, orange, and red tubular flowers, arranged bottle-brush fashion, are proudly held high above the ground on what looks like a long stem, but is technically a leafless scape, arising from a rhizome. Full sun plus well-drained soil is the key to success with Kniphofia, a genus with many species and hybrids, a rhizomatic, clump-forming monocot, with evergreen lance leaves; a late-season bloomer persisting until first frost. It is pest-resistant (deer and rabbits) and pollinator-friendly (hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies).
Maintenance and Care
Kniphofia requires plenty of moisture in the summer during its growing period, then dry conditions for its winter dormancy. Once established, it is droughttolerant. Watch the progress of the blooms as they open: first the tightly clad buds, opening from the bottom up, intense colors fading over time, providing the multi-colored look that lasts for 18
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weeks. The foliage colors range from dull green to blue-toned. Grow them for cut flowers, their bounteous nectar, their evergreen foliage, their love of full sun. They are focal points, attention-grabbers, and the traditionally tall K. uvaria makes an excellent back-of-the-border plants. Consistent watering during the first season is essential for proper establishment. Once established, the clump will continue to expand over time, with little meddling. Unless planning to collect seeds, remove spent blooms. Periodically reclaim the boundaries of your Kniphofia display by hacking out the plants that have spread beyond their appointed space. In California and North Carolina, and parts of Australia and New Zealand, places with similar climate to its Mediterranean-like origins, Kniphofia is being seen along roadways and is currently on the invasives watch list, a potential threat to sensitive ecosystems. Deadheading is important because, while most of the running is done by the rhizomes, preventing selfseeding is part of control. The seeds need light to germinate, so covering the surrounding area with mulch also helps prevent self-seeding. After first frost, clean out the dead leaves, leaving some foliage on for winter protection. In early spring, before the
In its areas of origin, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Yemen, Madagascar, local names abound. Its rhizomes have long been used medicinally. K. rooperi and K. laxiflora are used traditionally as an infusion of the roots to relieve or treat the symptoms of chest disorders. The roots of K.foliosa, has been shown to have anti-malarial qualities. Today many genuses of Kniphofia are threatened in their native areas due to habitat destruction. In the UK, the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG), whose motto is “Conservation through Cultivation,” is committed to the heritage of cultivated plants in the UK, with a focus on climate change and the English garden. The NCCPG National Collection of Kniphofia is at Barton Manor, Isle of Wight. It’s not surprising that it was among the plants brought to England by the plant explorers of the 18th century. It’s a commanding plant, of architectural stature, especially in a group. Described as a genus and named by Linnaeus in 1794, Kniphofia is a genus with more than 70 species and numerous named cultivars. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, new genuses were identified and named by the Linnaean system of taxonomy. K. pallidiflora was given a Linnaean classification in 1883; K. ankaratrensis in
PLANTprofile 1890. Formally included in the Liliaceae Family, further investigation moved it to Xanthorrhoeaceae, a family whose subfamilies include aloes and day lilies. Many sources still list it as Liliaceae. Kniphofia was originally placed in the hot house as a tender tropical. Along with the orchids, bromeliads, and palms, it was brought back by the intrepid plant explorers of the time. It took nearly a century to transition from the greenhouse to the perennial border. In 1848, it was discovered to be winter hardy up to zone 5. Imagine the scenario: someone left the Kniphofia in the ground over the winter. Surprise! What was presumed dead, due to exposure to cold, survived the winter, and thrived. Eureka! They can be planted as perennials in the landscape. A thoughtless gesture ironically enlightens. Serendipity.
tive to the turgrass lawn, so needy and demanding. In an age of environmental awareness and understanding of the unintended consequences of growing plants from global sources, Kniphofia occupies the category of “exotic.” Hardy tropical plants are a category of their own, with devotees. This is not a plant choice for the native enthusiast. The ‘Glows’ and ‘Popsicles’ series are the Kniphofia for today. Scaled down to townhouse-garden-size, they are from 13', rather than 4-6'. ‘Fire Glow,’ ‘Red Hot Popsicle,’ ‘Mango Popsicle,’ ‘Flamenco,’ and ‘Border Ballet’ can all be found locally. It appears that Kniphofia‘s genetic diversity allows it to provide seemingly endless hybrids, extending
cultivar often available. Find Kniphofia at our local garden centers, but not the big-box stores. For the widest variety, go to the Internet and investigate ordering online. Specialty nurseries have Kniphofia varieties and include interesting information on the subject. Often the plants sold online are going to be rhizomes with roots, and not potted-up plants. I like to check out our local garden centers asking for Kniphofia; every year, there is something new. This year, the ‘Popsicle’ series is widely available. Popular in Victorian bedding designs, Tritomas, as they were then called, were a staple in the home garden well into the 20th century, now returning to our
Companion Plants
If your sunny border scheme is from small to tall, old-fashioned Kniphofia uvaria serves well as a back-of-the-border plant, along with Canna, Firecracker Goldenrod, Crocosama, Daylilies — plants with the same growing requirements and a unified color scheme. Kniphofia hybrids are effective in a hot-color-scheme garden, with colors that will transition into the fall. Mix it up with annuals such as Salvia coccinea, Lantana, and Tagetes. The lime-green spikes of K. pumila add an extra color dimension. Kniphofia works well as a sun container plant, but must be watered during growth periods, especially the dwarf varieties. For gardeners who choose to collect varieties of a genus, the multitude of Kniphofia cultivars seems to grow yearly.
Local and Other Sources
There are numerous species in their place of origin, but only a few are seen in commerce, and those mostly have K. uvaria as a parent. ‘Flamenco’ is a wellrecommended example. Consider using Kniphofia varieties to occupy the sunniest area of your yard, replacing grass. You will be providing nectar to hummingbirds and bees, a colorful floral presence that is still rarely seen in our landscapes, and an alterna-
Kniphofia ‘Fire Glow’ photo courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries www.terranovanurseries.com.
the period of blooming, bringing heights down to the scale of a small yard, bringing out latent color combinations, and varying heights, and bloom times. Although Heuchera is their passion, one West Coast nursery, Terra Nova, is known for its new introductions, including the ‘Popsicle’ and ‘Glow’ series. ‘Banana Popsicle’ and ‘Poco Yellow’ are two 2015 introductions. There are too many hybrids to name here! K. uvaria ‘Pfitzer’ is a reliable old-fashioned
gardens with a plethora of choices. You say ‘ni-FOH-feea’, and I say ‘nip-hoff’ ee-ah’; some say ‘k-nip-HOF-ia’ and others ‘nip-foh’-fi-ah’; any way you say it, it is low-maintenance and high-impact. Flower arranging, anyone? o Judith Mensh is a local horticultural consultant. She is available to walk your yard with you and identify plants and possibilities. She can be reached via email at JudithMenshNurtureNature@gmail.com.
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NEIGHBORnwork my free time. That’s where I discovered my passion for horticulture. I spent about a year and a half as a volunteer and then later went back to Italy as a professional estate gardener. Shortly thereafter, I decided to pursue graduate studies in plant biology. I ended up with a Ph.D. in plant biology from Rutgers University in New Jersey, where I studied plant genetics, conservation biology, invasion biology, and agricultural economics. I moved to DC in 2012, after I finished my Ph.D.
Q&A with
Ari Novy, Ph.D. Executive Director, United States Botanic Garden
Q: How did you start in public gardens? A: Although I worked as an estate gardener in Italy, and later as a golf groundskeeper, my first job in a public garden was with the U.S. Botanic Garden. I was looking for jobs as I was completing graduate school, and a former colleague sent me an announcement for a job at the USBG. I really hadn’t thought much about making a career in public gardening. I actually thought I’d end up in research, but I liked the idea enough to apply. Much to my surprise, I was selected for the position of public programs manager, which put me in charge of education, outreach, and science at the USBG. Since that lucky break, I can’t imagine working in another field.
Text by Kathy Jentz Photos by Dan Weil Dr. Ari Novy came to the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) in 2012 as the public programs manager and was promoted to deputy executive director in 2013. He was named the executive director of the USBG in 2014. I caught up with him recently at the Green Matters Conference, where he spoke passionately on “The Importance of Pollinators,” and was impressed with his personal mission of translating science into best management practices and public education. 20
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Q: Tell us about you and your background. Are you native to the DC region? A: I was born in Michigan, but raised in New Jersey. I always loved science as a kid, but I took a brief diversion during my college years to study Italian literature. My first job out of college was working for New York University’s study abroad campus in Florence, Italy. Though my job was in student activities, I found myself volunteering at NYU’s historic villa and garden with most of
Q: What is typical workday like? A: I don’t really have a typical workday. At the USBG, we are always in various stages of planning future exhibits, shows, and garden improvements. I spend a lot of my time working with our wonderful team to plan for our upcoming offerings. I also spend a lot of time taking care of administrative duties. Fortunately, I also get to give lots of tours of the USBG and travel to other horticultural institutions to share knowledge. Q: What aspects of your current position as executive director do you like most and least? A: I love interacting with the public. Everyone’s lives depend on plants, whether through the food we eat, the fiber we wear, or the joy we get from gardening. It is my greatest pleasure to meet our visitors and learn what excites them about plants.
NEIGHBORnwork I can’t say I’m a huge fan of paperwork. But running a federal agency, I do get to do my fair share. However, the pleasure of working in public horticulture greatly outweighs the occasionally less than thrilling aspects of the bureaucratic process. Q: What are the most common things people misunderstand about the U.S. Botanic Gardens and its mission? A: A lot of people don’t realize that the majority of our plants are located at our off-site facility, which is several miles away from the USBG Conservatory. The conservatory is roughly 30,000 square feet. We also operate an 85,000square-foot production facility located in the Anacostia section of Washington, DC. The majority of our plant collections are kept there. When our plants come into flower or fruit, we transport them to the conservatory so that the public can see them. Behind the scenes, we are constantly moving plants. Considering our plant rotation involves almost 11,000 accessioned collections plants, this is quite the feat. For the visitor, this means that if you come and visit the USBG at different times of the year, you will see lots of different amazing plants each time. Q: What mistakes and triumphs have you encountered in your own garden? A: Gardeners are always biting off a little more than we can chew. There have been several occasions when we have been overly aggressive with planting plans or exhibit installation timelines. Fortunately, our dedicated staff always does what is necessary to make sure the garden looks beautiful for our visitors. My favorite triumph was the flowering of the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) in July of 2013. More than 120,000 people came to see the plant as it prepared to bloom and more than 20,000 came on its peak bloom day. That was certainly a one-day record for visitation at the USBG. More important than the raw numbers, however, was the fact that people were getting excited to see a rock star of a plant. That made me so incredibly proud. It’s easy in our busy lives to forget the importance and wonder of plants; 20,000 people com-
ing to see a stinky flower on a hot summer day is a real affirmation of how fascinating plants really are to the public. Q: What advice would you give to beginners/amateurs gardeners in the greater DC area? A: Practice makes perfect. I often fail the first time I grow a new plant. Each plant has its unique needs and idiosyncrasies. No matter how green your thumb, the plants always throw something new at you. It take time to get to know the needs of your plants in your location. There will always be some failures, but, with practice, you can get the
hang of growing just about any plant. Also, I always recommend starting with something simple, especially if you’re a beginning gardener. Potted plants like basil and chives are great starters for the beginner because they are forgiving and rewarding in the kitchen. Q: What plants are your favorite to use in the greater DC area? A: I’m a huge fan of gardening with native and edible plants, so the edible natives are the most rewarding for me. A few of my favorites are serviceberry (which makes great jam), blueberries, and paw paw. Q: Conversely, what plants would you advise others to avoid growing in our area? A: People should really avoid invasive plants and plants that require heavy chemical intervention to grow. A list of invasives can be found through your local invasive species councils and cooperative extension. Today, there is such an amazing diversity of plants available for growing in your home garden, you can achieve all of your landscaping desires without relying on keep-
ing plants alive with excessive chemical applications. At the USBG, we recommend the practice of “right plant, right place.” If you understand your garden’s conditions and climate, you can choose the plants that will grow healthy and strong without significant inputs. This is better for the environment and easier for the gardener. Q: What do you do when not working or gardening? A: I love taking hikes in pretty much any natural area and observing the wild flora. Q: Anything else you want to add or think would be of interest to our magazine readers about yourself or the U.S. Botanic Gardens? A: The USBG is one of the oldest public gardens in North America. The current plant collection was established in 1842, when the U.S. Exploring Expedition returned from its mission of exploring the Pacific. This expedition brought more than 200 living plants back to the country. Congress recognized the importance of these plants and began building the permanent greenhouses of the USBG, which opened in 1850. We’ve been open to the public ever since. Amazingly, we’ve still got several plants in our collection from the original 1842 collection. These include some amazing tropical ferns and cycads. There is nowhere else that you can see these plants, which represent an important connection to our history of botanical exploration. The U.S. Botanic Garden is committed to the principles of sustainable gardening. In fact, we’ve developed a program called Landscape for Life together with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX, to help the public learn more about sustainable gardening practices. There are wonderful resources to help the home gardener available at www.landscapeforlife.org. In addition, the USBG is constantly hosting amazing public programs about plants and horticulture, along with fantastical horticultural displays, shows, and exhibits. Visit usbg.gov to learn more. o Kathy Jentz is editor/publisher of Washington Gardener. She can be reached at wgardenermag@aol.com. MAY 2015
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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 MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras)
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
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
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
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MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed-Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives
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 UT! • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local D O Garden Tips SOL • Spring Edibles Planting UT! Guide O LD for a Fresh Start • Testing Your SOSoil UT! • Redbud LD O Tree Selection and Care O S • Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells
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
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SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • Growing Hops FALL 2009 • Apples • How to Save Tomato Seeds • Persimmons WINTER 2009 • Battling Garden Thugs • 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
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SUMMER 2012 • Tropical Gardens • Captivating Canna • Icebox Watermelons
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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
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Donate to Support DC Gardens and Gardening in DC! What is DCGardens.com? • Images and videos of DC-area gardens by month, enticing people to visit yearround (see DCGardens.com for examples). • Deep local resources for turning more residents into gardeners. • Digital images donated by volunteers, so DC Gardens is inexpensive. managed and funded independently from the gardens; nimble and very useful! Why Gardens (and Gardening) Matter The Washington, DC, area is blessed with fabulous gardens that are open to the public, most of them free. Sadly, many are largely unknown and lack the funds to get the word out. If people could just see what they look like throughout the year, more would visit, and that matters because: • Gardens bring visitors close to plants and to all of nature, which benefits them mentally, spiritually, and physically. • Visiting gardens is a gateway experience to taking up gardening at home and in the community. • Public gardens are the primary teaching facilities for turning residents into gardeners, with classes and workshops on growing food, providing for wildlife, protecting our waterways from polluting runoff, and creating beauty in our home gardens or balconies. • Turning people on to gardening results in more beauty for all of us to enjoy and better stewardship of our land — without nagging.
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