Washington Gardener Enews Dec 2011 by Kathy J

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DECEMBER 2011 Welcome to the Washington Gardener Enewsletter!

This enewsletter is the sister publication of Washington Gardener Magazine. Both the print magazine and online enewsletter share the same mission and focus — helping DC-MD-VA region gardens grow — but our content is different. In this monthly enewsletter, we address timely seasonal topics and projects; post local garden events; and, a monthly list of what you can be doing now in your garden. We encourage you to subscribe to Washington Gardener Magazine as well for indepth articles, inspirational photos, and great garden resources for the Washington DC area gardener.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This enewsletter is only sent out as a PDF via email to current subscribers. Without your support, we cannot continue publishing this enewsletter nor Washington Gardener Magazine! Our magazine subscription information is on page 9 of this enewsletter. If you know of any other gardeners in the greater Washington, DC-area, please forward this issue to them so that they can subscribe to our print magazine using the form on page 9 of this enewsletter. You can also connect with Washington Gardener online at: • Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Web Site: www.washingtongardener.com Sincerely, Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener Magazine

Reader Contest

For our December 2011 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away passes to the Brookside Gardens’ Garden of Lights Show. Brookside Gardens’ Garden of Lights is a halfmile walk through a landscape of almost a million twinkling colorful lights shaped in imaginative displays throughout the gardens. Enjoy the four seasons illuminated as giant summer sunflowers, autumn leaves, winter snowflakes, spring flowers, rain showers, and more. The show runs through Sunday, January 8, 2012 (with the exception of December 24-25 and January 2-5). The hours are 5:30 to 9:00pm, with the last car admitted at 8:30pm. Entry is by car/van and is $20 on Mon-Thurs and $25 on Fri-Sun. To enter to win a vehicle pass to Brookside’s Garden of Lights Show, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on December 20 with “Brookside Lights” in the subject line and tell us your gardening resolution for the new year. In the body of the email, please also include your full name and mailing address. The pass winners will be announced and notified on December 21.

Grow an Herb Garden

Fall 2011 Issue OUT!

Our Fall magazine issue is printed and mailed. The cover story is on Herb Gardens for our Mid-Atlantic region. Also in this issue is the Edibles column, “Growing Great Sweet Potatoes” by Cindy Brown. She shares her tips on how to grow them here and the best varieties for our area. Our Daytrip is to the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. I visited there myself last year and cannot wait to get back next summer for an even longer stay. You’ll also find in this issue: • Best Cover Crops for Your Vegetable Garden • Earwigs: Beneficial or Nuisance? • An Interview with an Influential Local Community Gardener •Meeting Up with the Potomac Chapter of the Herb Society of America • Toadlily Plant Profile and Varieties • Before/After of a Former Slave Cabin’s Landscape • An Intriguing Personal Garden Story • Coverage of several local events including our own Tomato Taste • Answers to readers’ questions such as why are some azalea leaves losing color, what is eating the zinnia foliage, and much, much more...

To subscribe, see the page 9 of this newsletter for a form to mail or www.washingtongardener. com/index_files/subscribe.htm to use our online PayPal credit card link.

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Wolfgang Oehme: A Profile • A Rosy Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day • Video: Save Seeds Before Winter • Washington Gardener Magazine at Downtown DC Holiday Market • Video: Overwinter Tropical Bulbs See more Washington Gardener Blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

December Garden To-Do List

Spotlight Special Campsis radicans ‘Red Sunset’

(‘Red Sunset’ Native Trumpet Vine)

This new selection from High Country Gardens is of the beloved native trumpet vine, ‘Red Sunset’ was selected for its dazzling scarlet-red trumpets. A prolific bloomer, established plants will flower with great vigor all summer, keeping your neighborhood hummingbirds well-fed and happy. Provide a very sturdy trellis for this robust grower, or train it onto a fence you’d like to cover. Give it room and don’t plant this vine into flower beds; make it earn its keep by planting it in a tough location. Can take clay soil and full afternoon sun. Mulch heavily the first winter to help establish its deep, wide spreading roots. Mature size is 20-30’ long by 35’ wide (when trained upright). USDA Zones 4-10. 5” premium pot $9.99 each, 3 or more plants $9.49 each. High Country Gardens is an awardwinning source for water-thrifty native and adapted plants. To receive a free Spring 2012 catalog, call High Country Gardens at 800.925.9387, or order a catalog and/or view the entire catalog online at www.highcountrygardens.com.

Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for December 16-January 15. Your additions to this list are most welcome: • Keep watering your poinsettias and give them plenty of light. Ensure they are away from drafts and that the pots drain freely. • Last chance to plant bulbs or if you have waited until the ground is frozen, pot them up for forcing indoors. • Gather holiday greens. Some, like holly and boxwood, benefit from being pruned by growing thicker. • Feed birds and provide them with a fresh water source. • Check houseplants and any plants you brought indoors for the winter, for insects. • Provide some special protection to tender or early flowering plants like Camellias. • Stake newly planted large trees or shrubs to protect them from winter winds. • Check any bulbs, corms, tubers and bare root plants in storage for rot or desiccation. • Apply scale and dormant oil treatment to evergreens. • Spread ashes from wood fires on your vegetable beds. • Keep succulents and cacti on the dry side. • Water your cut Christmas tree daily. • Gently remove layers of snow from evergreens with a broom. • Start organizing your pile of incoming garden catalogs. • Keep an eye out for bark damage from rabbits and deer. • Spray broadleaf evergreens with anti-desiccant to prevent dehydration. • Use the branches from your Christmas tree as bedding mulch or as a wind-break. • Keep watering newly planted trees and shrubs as needed. • Cover strawberry beds with straw or pine needles. • Prune stone fruit trees like cherries, plums, and peaches. • Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools. • Reduce fertilizing of indoor plants (except Cyclamen). • Set up a humidifier for indoor plants or at least place them in pebble trays. • Continue to rotate houseplants to promote even growth. • Attend a local garden club meeting. • Start new indoor plants from cuttings -- try an easy one such as violets. • Check the plants under tall evergreens and under the eaves of the house to see that they have sufficient moisture. • Weed. Weed. Weed. • Pick a budding gardener on your gift list to give some inspirational garden books and magazines then watch them blossom. • Store your fertilizer and seeds in rodent-proof containers. • Do any filling and grading around your yard. The soil will settle during the winter months. • Vent cold frames on sunny days. • Avoid walking in frozen planting beds. • Remove and destroy gypsy moth egg masses. • Clean your gutters. • Prune maples, dogwoods, birch, elm, and walnut -- if needed. • Bonus Tip: Some alternatives to de-icing salts include sand, beet juice sugars, light gravel (grit), or non-clumping kitty litter. Using de-icing salts around driveways and sidewalks can harm your garden plants and turf. Have a wonderful holiday season!

You’ve seen those gorgeous garden photos published in magazines and newspapers. Enter this year’s competition and have a chance of getting your winning images published, too! Whether you take the photos in your own backyard, a nearby public garden, or while visiting friends and family in their local gardens, there are so many photographic opportunities to be found. Let’s show off the best in DC-area gardening! This contest offers an opportunity for all photographers to present their best shots of gardens in the greater Washington, DC area. Contest entries will be judged on technical quality, composition, originality, and artistic merit. More than $500 in prizes will be awarded! Winning images will be published in Washington Gardener magazine, will be displayed during the Washington Gardener Seed Exchange, and will appear in a local photo exhibit. By popular demand a NEW category has been added for this years contest! “Garden Vignettes” is for those garden scenes that are in-between tight closeups and sweeping landscape vistas.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Each entrant is limited to a total of 10 images. Each electronic file must be identified with your name and phone number. All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared in the viewfinder. Nothing should be added to an image and, aside from dust spots, nothing should be removed. Cropping and minor adjustments to electronic images to convert RAW files are acceptable. If an image is selected as a finalist, a high-resolution digital file might be required prior to finalizing our contest results. Digitally captured images should be taken at the camera’s highest resolution (3 megapixels or larger). For preliminary judging, digital files must be submitted in JPEG format sized to 1000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi. If photos are taken with a film camera, they must be scanned in and submitted in JPEG format sized to 1000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi. Before sending us your CD-ROMs, verify their integrity by making sure they

6TH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST are readable and not damaged. We reserve the right to disqualify any disk that is unreadable or defective. Please check your CDs with the latest virus detection software. We will disqualify any disk that may contain a virus or a suspicious file. Label each CD and case with your full name. We strongly suggest mailing CDs in a protective case. We are not responsible for disks damaged during shipping. No CDs will be returned but they can be picked up after judging. Send your entries and entry fee to: Washington Gardener Photo Contest, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. Mailed entries must be received by January 20, 2012. Contest entries can also be submitted via email to DCGardenPhotos@aol. com. Use the subject line “WG Photo Contest” and include an entry form for each image in your email’s text field. You can print out blank entry forms from www.WashingtonGardener.com. We will verify all entry receipts so please ensure your email address is included on all items. Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other photographer, landowner, or other person. Photos involving willful harassment of wildlife or destruction of any property are unacceptable. The entrant must have personally taken the photo. By entering, you state this is your work and is free of copyright elsewhere. Failure to comply with any contest guidelines will lead to disqualification.

Your entry to this contest constitutes your agreement to allow your photographs and your name, city, state, and photo description texts to be published in upcoming issues of Washington Gardener and used for other related purposes including, but not limited to, Washington Gardener Photo Contest promotions, online, live presentations, and gallery exhibits. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their photographs.

CATEGORIES

Each entrant is limited to a total of 10

images. You may submit a few in each category or submit all 10 in one category. Photo must have been taken during the 2011 calendar year in a garden located within a 150-mile radius of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. • Garden Views: Beautiful, dramatic, or unusual perspectives of a garden landscape, including wide shots showing the setting. Subject can be a private or public garden. • Garden Vignettes: Groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color or texture combinations, garden focal points, and still scenes. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden. • Small Wonders: Tight close-up images or macro shots of single flowers, plant parts, fruits, vegetables, etc. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden. • Garden Creatures: Images of insects, birds, frogs, domestic pets, etc. in a private or public garden setting.

PRIZES

Prizes include gift certificates to area camera stores, gardening tools, new plant introductions, and much more! If you would like to be a prize donor or sponsor, please contact us today.

WINNERS’ OBLIGATION

Photo contest winners will need to provide a high-resolution version of their image for publication and an 11x14 print suitable for framing. Winners may be asked to provide additional information for press and media coverage.

CONTEST ENTRY FEE

The entry fee is $15.00 or $10.00 for current Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers. The fee includes up to 10 total image submissions per entrant. Please send a check or money order made out to “Washington Gardener” or send a payment via www.PayPal.com to DCGardenPhotos@aol.com.

DEADLINE

Entries due by January 20, 2012.

QUESTIONS?

Please call 301.588.6894 or email DCGardenPhotos@aol.com. o

Join Us For: Seed Swapping Door Prizes Planting Tips Expert Speakers Goody Bags Washington Gardener Magazine presents the

7th Annual Washington Gardener

Seed Exchange on Saturday, January 28, 2012 National Seed Swap Day! from 12:30 – 4:00PM

at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD AND

on Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 12:30 – 4:00PM

at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA

Registration is now open at www.washingtongardener.com.

Space is limited, so act today!

Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers get $5 off the $15 attendee fee!

Overview

Washington Gardener magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the seventh annual Washington Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are inperson and face-to-face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.

When

On Saturday, January 28, 2012 in MD and on Saturday, February 4, 2012 in VA from 12:30 – 4:00PM (Foul weather that day? Call 240.603.1461, for updates about possible snow/ice delay.)

Where

This year, we are holding dual Seed Exchanges one week apart on opposite sides of the Beltway. We urge you to attend the one closest to you. One exchange will be held in the Visitor’s Center Auditorium of the Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The other will be at Green Spring Gardens 4603 Green Spring Road Alexandria, VA.

How To Register

Fill out the form on the opposite page. Send the form in along with payment to Washington Gardener, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910, Attn: SE Registration. Please make checks out to “Washington Gardener.” Registration fee is $15 per person in advance. Friends Of Brookside (FOB) members, Friends of Green Springs. and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $10 per person. We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limited enrollment of 100 participants at each location and we expect both to sell-out, so be sure to register early!

We are GREEN!!! Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange

Seed Exchange attendees are encouraged to bring their used or new garden books and seed catalogs to swap and share at this year’s event. We also ask you to bring your own water bottle or reusable mug.

Washington Gardener Magazine’s 7th Annual

Seed Exchange Details

If You Have Seeds to Bring and Swap

Please package them in resealable plastic zipper or wax sandwich baggies. Put an average of 20 seeds per baggy — more for small seeds like cleome, fewer for large seeds like acorns. Then label each baggy with a white sticker (such as Avery standard 5160 address label sheets) giving all the information you have on the seeds. If known, include the plant's common and scientific names; its soil, sun, and watering needs; and, its origins — where and when you collected the seeds. If you don't know all the information, that's okay, just try to provide as much as you can. Yes, you can bring unused or opened commercial seed packs also.

What If I Don't Have Any Seeds to Swap?

Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend! We'll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year's seed collecting.

Education Program

from each of the category tables (if desired). After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the left over seeds and to trade seeds with each other. Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.

Schedule

What Types of Seeds?

Expert speakers from the local gardening community will give short talks on seed collection and propagation tips. There will be ample time for individual Q&A throughout the program with the featured speakers, and invited experts as well. (Note: This schedule is subject to change.) 12:00-12:30 Registration check-in 12:30-12:40 Introductions 12:40-1:20 Gardening talk 1:20-1:40 Gardening talk 1:40-2:00 Gardening talk 2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset 2:15-2:30 Seed swap preview time 2:30-3:00 Seed swap 3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners 3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk

How Do We Swap?

As you check-in, staff will collect your seeds and place them at the appropriate seed category tables. You will be assigned a random seed swap number. There will be a short period for attendees to preview all the seeds brought in and available for swapping. Then, you will be called in by your number to pick a seed pack

Seed swap categories will include natives, edibles, herbs, exotics, annuals, perennials, and woodies (trees/shrubs). If you can presort your seeds in advance into whichever of these seven major categories fits best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.

Door Prizes! Goodie Bags!

All attendees will receive a goodie bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners. If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goodie bags and door prizes, please contact Kathy Jentz at 301.588.6894 by January 20.

7th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange Advance Registration Form

Please ﬁll out this form and mail with your check/money order by January 20, 2012 to: Washington Gardener Magazine, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring MD 20910

Name:____________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address:____________________________________________________________________________ Email:____________________________________________________________________________________ Seed Exchange Location ~ MUST CHOOSE ONE:  Jan 28 at Brookside Gardens  Feb 4 at Green Spring Gardens (We will only use your email address for Seed Exchange notices and will never share them with anyone else.) Seed Exchange Attendee Fee: $15.00 __________ Discount (if eligible*): -$5.00 __________ Optional: Washington Gardener Magazine Annual Subscription: $20.00 __________ TOTAL_____________ *The following group members are eligible to pay the discount attendee rate of $10.00, please CIRCLE if one applies to you: • Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers • Friends of Brookside Gardens • Friends of Green Spring Gardens WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

Poinsettia Pointers By Kathy Jentz, Editor of Washington Gardener Magazine

Big box stores are not the first source of information we here at Washington Gardener think of when researching plant matters, but when we wanted to learn all about poinsettia care, we knew that Pete Drake, a Certified Nursery Consultant with the Annapolis Home Depot, was our go-to expert on the subject. Here is what Pete told us: 1. How do you choose the freshest poinsettia? The first thing is to take the plant out of the sleeve, then look at the very center of the red bracts or leaves. You are looking for a cluster of very small green “buds” with a small amount of yellow, this is really the flower. This is a direct indication of the age of the plant. The tighter the buds with small amounts of yellow can mean a longer shelf life at home. 2. How do you make your poinsettia last through the holiday season? Place them in an area that gets bright but direct sun unless the window is facing east. This area must also be free of drafts or direct heat sources. When it becomes time to water, remove the plants “pants” (the foil or decorative pot cover). Place the plant in the sink and give it a good amount of water. For a 6” plant two cups of water should work or 5-7 seconds with a sink faucet sprayer. After the plant has stopped leaking water, place the plant back into its foil pot cover or decorative pot. 3. What are the newest trends in poinsettias? One of the most common things florists and garden centers are doing is the application of paints to the bracts to come up with different color combinations. Another trend is the many growers who are hybridizing poinsettias to get different-shaped leaves. Others are making new poinsettias with different shades of the same color on the same bract. Here are a some additional poinsettias fun facts and tips to help you grow this favorite holiday season plant: • Poinsettias are native to Mexico. They are part of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap. • Poinsettias are a perennial flowering shrubs that can grow to 10 feet tall. • Poinsettias were introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett. Poinsettias are now commercially grown in all 50 states. Ninety percent of all poinsettias are exported from the United States. • There are over 100 varieties of poinsettias available. 74% of Americans still prefer red poinsettias; 8 percent prefer white and 6 percent pink. • Poinsettias are the best selling potted plant in the United States. 80% of poinsettias are purchased by women and 80% percent of people who purchase poinsettias are 40 or older. • The cost of a poinsettia is determined by the number of blooms. $220 million worth of poinsettias are sold during the holiday season. • Poinsettias are not poisonous. A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child who ate 500 bracts might have a slight tummy ache. • After you have made your poinsettia selection and purchase, make sure it is wrapped properly because exposure to low temperatures even for a few minutes can damage the bracts and leaves. • Fertilize the poinsettia if you keep it past the holiday season. Apply a houseplant fertilizer once a month. Do not fertilize when it is in bloom. After the New Year, cut it back to the green leaves. New growth will sprout. Next year you’ll have a much larger plant for the holiday season.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ Dec 16, 2011 - Jan 15,2012 • December 20, December 21, December 27, December 28, December 29 10:30am - 12noon or 1:30-3 pm Gingerbread House Workshop Children (aged 5+) become history detectives, touring the historic mansion for clues to the ways holidays were celebrated in the past. They then design and build edible gingerbread houses to take home. Children: members $10; non-members, $12. Accompanying adult: Free. REGISTRATION: Call 202/965-0400 x108. Tudor Place, www. tudorplace.org/calendar. • To January 2, 2012 Season’s Greenings Holiday Display The U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory is open every day of the year, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free of charge. The Conservatory is adorned with wreaths, garlands, living ornaments, seasonal plant displays and one of the largest indoor decorated trees in Washington, D.C. The famous Garden Railway features model trains and imaginative buildings created with plant materials. • January 7, 10:00am – 12:00noon Workshop: Kadomatsu National Bonsai & Penjing Museum Lecture & Demonstration Center US National Arboretum How do you ward off evil spirits and welcome good luck in the New Year? In the Japanese tradition, a kadomatsu (literally “gate pine”) is placed at the entrance to your home to symbolize strength and attract good fortune. Make your own table-top kadomatsu with the traditional materials we will provide; bamboo (for strength), pine (for longevity), and winter flowers (for endurance). Well-known ikebana teacher Sachiko Furlan will teach you the history of this custom and the techniques you need to create your own arrangement. All materials will be provided. Fee: $39 (FONA/NBF $31) Registration required. • Friday, January 13, 1:30-2:30pm Basic Gardening: Garden on a Shoestring Want to garden, but think it is too expensive? Master Gardeners share creative ways for beginning gardeners to stretch your dollars while creating beautiful ornamental gardens and productive vegetable gardens. Discover inexpensive or free sources for plants and items to beautify your garden! Code: 290 182 2301, $10. Register on-line at www.greenspring.org under educational programs or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

• January 14, 8:30am-4:30pm Workshop: The Woods in Your Backyard Sponsoring Organization: University of Maryland Extension - Carroll County. Location: University of Maryland Extension-Carroll County, 700 Agricultural Center Drive, Westminster, MD 21157. In this one-day classroom workshop, participants will learn how to begin to develop and implement a plan to create and manage small woodlands and natural areas on their property. Workshop speakers and activities will provide guidance in using the Woods In your Backyard manual and Resource CD. Registration: Cost: $35.00. Registration deadline is Friday, January 6, 2012. Register using the brochure linked below. For information about the agenda, contact Jonathan Kays, Extension Specialist, at 301-432-2767, ext. 323 or jkays@umd.edu. • Saturday, January 14, 11:30am-1:00pm Small Scale Everyday Edible Landscapes Land is at a minimum in most parts of the DC metropolitan area. Learn how homeowners with space limitations are integrating and harboring multi-purpose edibles into their landscapes as a place for their families and friends to enjoy. Course number 157999. Fee: $15, FOBG: $10; registration required, Visitors Center Adult Classroom, Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. • Sunday, January 15, 1:30-3pm Hellebores: What’s New and Exciting Richard Tyler and Judith Knott Tyler of Pine Knot Farms offer an overview of the confusing and rapidly expanding selections of Hellebores available. They concentrate on the new hybrids between species and discuss what’s happening with Lenten Roses. Book signing. Code: 290 182 1801, $10, Register on-line at www.greenspring.org under educational programs or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173. Still More Event Listings See even more event listings pn the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ WashingtonGardener/. Event Listing Submissions To submit an event for this listing, please contact: Wgardenermag@aol.com and put “Event” in the email subject head. Our next deadline is January 12 for the January 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events taking place from January 16-February 15, 2011.

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Enews goes out on the 15th of every month and is a free sister publication to Washington Gardener magazine. The ad rate is $250 per issue or $1,000 for five (5) issues within one calendar year. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: wgardenermag@aol.com.

Love Reading?

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.

Advanced Landscape Plant IPM PHC Short Course January 3-6, 2012 For registration information contact: Avis Koeiman Department of Entomology 4112 Plant Sciences Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 Tel: 301-405-3913 Email: akoeiman@umd.edu

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YOU CAN REQUEST A SINGLE COPY OF BACK ISSUES FOR $6 EACH OR, ANY 6 BACK ISSUES, FOR $24 OR ALL 30+ BACK ISSUES FOR JUST $100. PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE AND HANDLING. PLEASE SPECIFY THE ISSUE DATE(S). ORDER MUST BE PREPAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. SEND YOUR ORDER TO:

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MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Cherry Trees MAY/JUNE 2005 • Stunning Plant Combinations • Turning Clay into Rich Soil • Wild Garlic • Strawberries JULY/AUGUST 2005 • Water Gardens • Poison Ivy • Disguising a Sloping Yard • Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Bulb Planting Basics JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden MARCH/APRIL 2006 • Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs • Azaleas • Figs, Berries, & Persimmons • Basic Pruning Principles MAY/JUNE 2006 • Using Native Plants in Your Landscape • Crabgrass • Peppers • Secret Sources for Free Plants JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Hydrangeas • Theme Gardens • Agave • Find Garden Space by Growing Up SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes • Oatlands Plantation NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Weed-free Beds with Layer/Lasagna Gardening JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007 • Indoor Gardening • Daphne Care Guide • Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes • Houseplant Propagation MARCH/APRIL 2007 • Stormwater Management • Dogwood Selection & Care Guide • Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips • Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens MAY/JUNE 2007 • Roses: Easy Care Tips • Native Roses & Heirloom Roses • Edible Flowers • How to Plant a Bare-root Rose JULY/AUGUST 2007 • Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass • How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head • A Trip to the William Paca House & Gardens • Hardy Geraniums SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 • Succulents: Hardy to our Region • Drought-tolerant Natives • Southern Vegetables • Seed Saving Savvy Tips NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 • Gardening with Children • Kid-Friendly Vegetables • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • National Museum of the American Indian • Versatile Viburnums JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 • Dealing with Deer • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • Delightful Daffodils

MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, and Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras) • Brookside’s Phil Normandy • Japanese-style Garden MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives • Build a Better Tomato Cage 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 • Ladybug Lore • Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums) • The 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, and Vines • 5 Top Tips for Overwintering Tender Bulbs • Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick • A Daytrip to Tudor Place JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 • Compost Happens: Nature’s Free Fertilizer • Managing Stormwater with a Rain Garden • Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum • Grow Winter Hazel for Gorgeous Winter Color MARCH/APRIL 2009 • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips • Spring Edibles Planting Guide for the Mid-Atlantic • Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start • Redbud Tree Selection and Care • Best Local Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells MAY/JUNE 2009 • Top 12+ Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat • Salad Table Project • Grow and Enjoy Eggplant • How to Chuck a Woodchuck from Your Garden SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • What’s Bugging Your Tomatoes • 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 • Visit to Riversdale House 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 • Baltimore’s Cylburn Arboretum • 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

Coming Soon!

Washington Gardener Magazine’s DayTrip columns compiled into one handy publication — available soon in both paper and e-book versions. Great gift idea!

In Our Next Issue... WINTER 2011-12 Green Roofs

A DayTrip to Rawlings Conservatory

Top Plant Picks for 2012 Seed Exchange Details

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Magazine Excerpt: Sweet Potatoes by Cindy Brown

Tops or bottoms? If you were forced to choose either the tops or bottoms of the season’s vegetable harvest, which would you choose? In the children’s classic Tops & Bottoms by Jane Stevens, a conniving hare makes a deal with a lazy, lovable bear. Hare volunteers to work in Bear’s garden if Bear is willing to share the harvest. Instead of just dividing the harvest in half, Hare persuades Bear to choose between the crops’ tops or bottoms. Year after year, Bear is manipulated by the industrious, clever Hare. When Bear chose tops, Hare planted carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. When Bear chose bottoms, Hare planted corn, tomatoes, and beans. At every harvest, Hare reaped all the vegetable profits. Too bad Hare didn’t plant sweet potatoes. If he had, both Hare and Bear would have feasted on one of fall’s most delightful vegetables. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a delicious, rambling, tropical member of the morning glory family, Convolulaceae. It is the only member of the family with any importance as a crop — some members are actually poisonous. Most Americans however, have not expanded their culinary repertoire past the root. In the book, Heirloom Vegetable Gardening, William Woys Weaver provides information about the cultivation of sweet potatoes in America’s history. According to Weaver, John Bartram grew white and red varieties he acquired from Florida. The oldest American variety referenced is the Spanish Potato, it was once grown in Tidewater Virginia and Maryland and in colonial Pennsylvania along the Delaware River. The root resembled ginger root — knobby, branching, and considerably smaller than those found in grocery stores today. Two other early American varieties mentioned in Weaver’s book are ‘Bermuda Pink’ and ‘Bermuda White.’ Many varieties have evolved from these two early sweet potatoes. For a full reporting on heirloom sweet potatoes, Weaver recommends Sweetpotato Culture by James Fritz (1886), who once was a resident of Keswick, VA. Sweet potatoes are classified by their leaf types.... Want to learn more about growing Sweet Potatoes? Read the rest of this EdibleHarvest column in the Fall 2011 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. See the subscription information below.

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Garden of Lights WALK-THROUGH HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY

November 25, 2011 – January 8, 2012 (open every night except Dec. 24 & 25, and Jan. 2-5)

(Mon.–Thur.) 5:30pm – 9:00pm • $20 car/van (Fri.–Sun.) 5:30pm – 10:00pm • $25 car/van Advance sale tickets: $20 (good any night) on sale November 1st

Wreath & Centerpiece Sale December 3rd 10am – 4pm

Conservatory Train Exhibit Open every night

Open New Year’s Eve until 10pm

Last car admitted 30 min. before closing time

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1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD 20902 Show Info Line: 301.962.1453 www.brooksidegardens.org

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