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ENEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2014

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 Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Instagram Feed: http://instagram.com/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener Pinterest boards: http://pinterest.com/wdcgardener/ • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Web Site: www.washingtongardener.com Sincerely, Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener Magazine

Inside This Enews Issue • Back Issue Sale • February-March To-Do List • Iris Borer Column Excerpt • Latest Blog Links • Local Garden Events Listings • Making It Though Until Spring with Local Conservatories, Garden Shows, and Catalogs • New ‘Persian Spire’ Parrotia • Reader Contest to Win Zanfel Poison Ivy Wash • Philly Flower Show Trip

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Winter 2013-14 Issue

Our Winter-Early Spring 2014 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is now in final production. The cover story is on Fabulous Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic Gardens.

You’ll also find in this issue: • Beet Growing Tips • Daytrip to Chanticleer Gardens • Profile of Patterson Clark. The Washington Post’s Urban Jungle columnist • New Plant Introductions • Local Hort Happenings • Book Reviews • Native Plant Profile • Garden Tips and Tricks • And much, much more...

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

Reader Contest

For our February 2014 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away tubes of Zanfel Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Wash (prize value $40).

Zanfel® Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Wash (http://zanfel. com/) is a safe and effective topical solution for poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. It is the only product known to remove urushiol, the toxin responsible for the reaction, from the skin after bonding, enabling the affected area to immediately begin healing. After using Zanfel®, the itching and pain are the first things to be relieved, usually within 30 seconds. Zanfel has a 10-year shelf life.

To enter to win a tube of Zanfel, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on February 27 with “Zanfel” in the subject line and in the body of the email, please also include your full name and mailing address. Tell us: “What makes me itch most in the garden is... ” The Zanfel winners will be announced and notified on February 28.

Quick Links to Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• Winter Weary Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day • Kent’s Favorite Gardening Tools • Sharing Seeds -- Kick-Starting the Garden Season • How to Clean Hand Pruners • A More Beautiful Washington, DC? You CAN Grow That!

See more Washington Gardener blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

February Garden To-Do List

New Plant Spotlight Persian Spire™ Parrotia

Persian Spire™ Columnar Parrotia is a new introduction by JLPN Inc. of Salem, OR. Owner John Lewis selected the first plant on-site from a row of seedlings.

Persian Spire showed its unique foliage and distinctly upright character at an early age. Columnar growth habit clearly distinguishes it from other upright Parrotia such as ‘Vanessa.’

Foliage is finer with a narrower leaf than common Ironwood. In spring, leaves emerge with a strong purple cast that fades into a purple halo margin. Summer foliage is a dark emerald green. Compared to other columnar trees, Persian Spire has a long-lasting, elaborate autumn color display of everchanging yellow, orange, burgundy, and red hues.

“I always loved Parrotia as a plant”, commented John Lewis, owner of JLPN. “In trying to sell Parrotia persica, it had great fall color, but nothing special beyond this single characteristic. Now we have a Parrotia cultivar that brings something else to the table — upright, fast growing and spring growth with purple edges.”

Persian Spire™ Ironwood Parrotia persica ‘JL Columnar’ PPAF Height & Spread: 25' h x 10' w Shape: Columnar to upright oval Flower: Showy red stamens Hardy to Zone: 5 Foliage: Green, fine textured Persian Spire is highly versatile and can be used in the landscape as a narrow growing tree, hedge, or screen.

Branching is dense and full, making it a refreshing, bright and colorful alternative to beech or hornbeam hedges.

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Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for February 16-March 15. Your additions to this list are most welcome: • Cut some branches (forsythia, quince, bittersweet, redbud, willow, etc.) for forcing indoors.

• Put suet out for birds.

• Keep bird feeders filled and provide a source of water.

• Check outside plants and trees for animal (deer) damage.

• Mist indoor plants and set up pebble trays to increase humidity.

• Rejuvenate holly bushes and boxwood with a hard pruning.

• Plan landscape design projects.

• Check evergreens for sign of desiccation.

• Start seeds of cool season vegetables and flowers.

• Keep ice melting chemicals away from garden beds. Use coarse sand instead.

• Prune any dead or diseased wood off trees and shrubs.

• Fertilize trees, shrubs, and evergreens.

• Prune roses.

• Begin tilling beds (when the earth is dry enough to work - mot muddy) and work in compost.

• Plant or transplant trees or shrubs including berries, roses, and evergreens.

• Apply pre-emergent weed control like corn gluten.

• Protect tender plants by covering them with some type of cloth material, if an unusually cold day or night is forecast. Be sure to uncover them if it warms up.

• Weed.

• Trim ornamental grasses such as liriope, mondo, and pampas.

• Divide overgrown or crowded perennials such as daylily and shasta daisy.

• Scan houseplants for insect activity.

• Dust your house plants with a slightly damp cloth.

• Clear out perennial beds of any dead plant parts and debris.

• Clean and organize the garden shed.

• Clean, sharpen, and oil the tools. If not done last Fall.

• Walk your yard and check plants and bulbs for heaving and place them back into the ground. Cover with more mulch to prevent further heaving.

• Apply dormant oil spray to ornamentals and fruit trees before dormancy breaks.

• Check and tune-up power equipment (mowers and trimmers).

• Build garden furniture.

• Spread new gravel on paths.

• Mulch bare areas.

• Design new beds and gardens.

• Pick up new gardening books and magazines for inspiration.

• Start seedling indoors under grow lights. Some good choices to start early are peppers, artichokes, onions, beets, turnips, cabbage, kale, and leeks.

• Put up trellises and tee pees for peas and beans to climb on.

• Direct sow early, cool season crops as soon as ground soil can be worked. Good choices are peas, lettuces, mustards, onion sets, kale, and cabbages.

• Start or turn your compost pile.

• Do an annual soil test and amend soils as recommended.

• Check for snow damage after a storm. Gently brush off snow weight, if you must.

But better to let snow melt off on its own.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

Gardening in a Shifting Climate Friday, February 28 8:30am–4:00pm Course #248349 Fee: $89 Register at www.ParkPASS.org

*New this year* Green Matters will be held at: Manor Country Club Great Oak Road and 14901 Carrolton Road, Rockville MD 20853

Our weather is changing.

This becomes especially apparent when gardening: plants that have flourished for years are failing; and planting dates are no longer as reliable.

What is a gardener to do?

Join Brookside Gardens for

Green Matters: Gardening in a Shifting Climate Hear from a variety of professionals on how we can adapt and learn how to successfully garden with such changeable weather.

Visit www.BrooksideGreen.org for a schedule of the day’s event, topics and information about the featured speakers.

1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902 For Information call: 301-962-1451 WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

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Making It Through Until Spring

By Kathy Jentz

Gardeners Outside Their Gardens

As winter drags on, gardeners all over the DC region hole up inside with garden catalogs and start to make lists of “must have” plants. Still, paper and online only gets you so far, they yearn to get out and smell the chlorophyll. If you are starting to feel a green withdrawal and cannot afford a spur-of-themoment trip to the tropics, look to one of the many local public gardens for solace.

Many gardeners spend the off months meeting up with fellow enthusiasts at garden club meetings, lectures, plant shows, and events. Most every weekend in late winter and early spring is a different Home & Garden Show to attend. These early shows that are all indoors and months before the growing season have a bit different focus than those during the growing season. Folks who come out expecting to buy plants for their gardens may be disappointed.

Instead these shows are intended for the homeowner looking to install a garden from the hardscaping to water features to adding a greenhouse. They are a showcase of what is out there in terms of landscape designers and related companies such as tree services, outdoor lighting, and stone masons.

Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, has a warm conservatory with the theme “Spring Ahead.” It features Cymbidium orchids, Chenille plant (Acalypha), African honeybush (Melianthus major), and fireworks flower (Clerodendrum quadrilioculare). Brookside also offers art displays, classes, and tours. Explore their offerings at http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside/ and plan your visit.

On the National Mall and in the shadow of the US Capitol building, is the US Botanic Garden (http://www.usbg.gov/).

It is one of the few area attractions that is open every day - including Christmas!

Like Brookside, there is a large, heated conservatory. It also offers permanent climate areas that will have you thinking Brookside Gardens of summer-time. There is a desert area, a bog, and a tropical rainforest. This is one of my favorite destinations in the dead of winter to get the chill off. The fragrance from the flowering plants perfumes the moist air and you feel like you can really breathe once again.

Just north of the National Zoo and bordering Rock Creek Park is the Hillwood Estate (http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/). The former home of American collector and heiress to the Post cereal empire Marjorie Merriweather Post is jam-packed with her collections of French porcelain and Russian icons. What you want to do is make a bee-line for the orchid house and drink in the hundreds of blooms with all your senses. Don’t forget your camera!

One local, seldom-visited resource for gardeners is the National Agricultural Library (http://www.nal.usda.gov/). It sits just outside the Beltway at Route 1. It is open weekdays during business hours and is free to visit. The library’s collection is not limited to just books and periodicals. It boasts herbarium samples collected by USDA plant explorers from all over the world. Also in its collection is an amazing treasure-trove of botanical art, much of which comes from American seed catalogs of the past few centuries.

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In addition, many of these shows have seminars and workshops by experts in gardening and landscaping. The talks themselves can be worth well more than the event entrance fee and are certainly an agreeable way to spend a cold winter’s day.

The grand dame of all indoor garden events is the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Held this year from March 1-9 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, it is truly the gathering of flower aficionados from all over the East Coast.

The show includes demonstration gardens and exhibits as well as a number of competitions. The competitions include flower arranging, plant categories (such as Orchids), and botanical art. The competitors’ work is on display for all attendees to view and see if they agree with the judges’ opinions.

Many people do not know that the competitions are open to anyone from amateur beginner to seasoned veteran. So if you have a violet in bloom that you are particularly proud of or a miniature greenhouse full of picture-perfect plants, consider entering and trying your luck at a grand prize.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is an easy day trip for most area residents and to avoid the crowds you should plan on arriving in the morning on a weekday. It does not matter what day you attend, the demonstration gardens are required to be restocked with fresh blooms and plants each evening so that every attendee has a peak experience.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

Cure for the Winter Blahs Whether you can get out to all of these events or just a few, treat yourself in the coming months to a breath of spring.

The last weeks of winter are the most torturous time of year for gardeners. The anticipation of the growing season has us itching to get out and dig in the soil. A few warm days come and we fool ourselves into thinking spring is here, only to take two steps backwards in retreat when another frosty cold front moves in.

It is a dangerous time for our plants, many of which may be marginally hardy in our area. So resist the siren call of temperate days and instead tend to your late winter chores such as perennial bed clean-up, mulching, and pruning. Yes, it is not as glamorous and fun as plunking in new flowers, but you and your garden will be happier in the long run.

Hillwood Estate

After the weather turns a bit more temperate, the outdoor garden show season begins. Locally, we have a lot of events to look forward to this spring. Most of these events go on rain or shine and the vendors have tents set up and a little precipitation never hurt a petunia!

The outdoor season kicks off with the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival on the weekend of April 26-27. Downtown Leesburg is cordoned off and vendors sell the latest in garden tools, flowering annuals, native perennials, and much more.

Bring your old red wagon to shop for plants to brighten your garden and join the locals among the picturesque homes and quaint businesses of historic Leesburg.

One final way to enjoy plants this season is to visit your local garden center or nursery. Buy a few indoor plants for yourself and for those on your gift list. Seeing something living and green n your desk or in your window is a wonderful reminder that spring is just around the corner.

About the Author Kathy Jentz is editor of Washington Gardener Magazine and is a longtime DC area gardening enthusiast. Washington Gardener is all about gardening where you live. She can be reached at www.washingtongardener.com and welcomes your gardening questions.

Portions of this article appeared in the DC Ladies blog, Patch.com, Pathways Magazine, and Voice newspapers.

US Botanic Garden

This year two of the area’s biggest and oldest flower shows the Baltimore FlowerMart and the Cathedral Flower Mart are taking place on the same weekend – May 2-3. We recommend you spend Friday at one and Saturday at the other. Both events have a long history and benefit local institutions.

The Baltimore FlowerMart has the distinction of being America’s first flower mart. Hosted on the grounds of Mt. Vernon Square near the Inner Harbor, the event includes many old traditions such as the signature lemon sticks and ugly tie contest. The Baltimore event aims to have something for everyone – even those with no interest in flowers – so plan on bringing the whole family.

The Flower Mart at the National Cathedral is run by the All Hallow’s Guild and the proceeds directly benefit the grounds of this Washington, DC, treasure. The flower mart is on its 67th year and through careful stewardship it has gained a reputation for stellar quality vendors and programs. It is a wonderful resource for area gardeners and a great place to buy Mother’s Day, sweetheart, or birthday gifts.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ February 16 - March 15, 2014 • Saturday, February 22 PPA MidAtlantic Regional Symposium Held at the Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt, 6501 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD. Join The Perennial Plant Association & The Horticultural Society of Maryland, Inc. to be “Perennially Inspired.”

Details at www.perennialplant.org.

• Saturday, February 22 Montgomery County Master Gardeners 14th Spring Gardening Conference The program, “Rooting for the Future: New Ideas + Small Changes = Gardening Success!”, will offer talks and workshops addressing topics of common interest and concern in our area to help you enjoy successful gardening.

The conference will take place at the University of Maryland Extension, Montgomery County Office, 18410 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD from 8:30am2:30pm. The charge for the conference is $55.00 per person, $100 for two people or $150 for three people. This includes the presentations, a bag lunch, handouts, door prizes, access to our speakers and on-line reference for the presentations. For additional information, email MCMGConference@gmail. com.

• Sunday, February 23, 11am-4pm Maple Sugar Festival Watch the whole maple sugaring process from start to finish and enjoy maple-themed crafts, food, games, music, activities and displays included in this family friendly festival. Free sap and syrup samples. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902. Admission: $5 www.ParkPASS.org (Course #252463).

• Wednesday, February 26, 6:307:30pm The Pennsylvania Flora Project Lecture This program explores the 80-year history of one of the earliest state flora projects and its progress into the digital age and beyond. We’ll discuss the ongoing challenges of tracking plant species occurrences through time and space given the dynamic nature of our envi6

ronment. We’ll also discuss the need for collaboration among public gardens, academic institutions, conservation organizations and other stakeholders in such projects. Featuring Timothy A. Block, Ph.D., The John J. Willaman Chair and Director of Botany, Morris Arboretum. US Botanic Garden Conservatory Classroom. FREE: Pre-registration required. http://www.usbg.gov/.

•Wednesday, February 26, 7:30pm Fungi in Your Garden Beltsville Garden Club February Meeting Dr. Rossman’s talk will be about Fungi are everywhere, including your garden, where they may help or hinder the growth of plants. Dr. Rossman will present basic information about the diversity of fungi, with illustrations of the fungi that are most commonly encountered in urban gardens. These include fairy ring mushrooms, puffballs, wood-inhabiting bracket fungi, black spot of roses, slime molds, and many more.

The Beltsville Garden Club meets in the multipurpose room at the James E. Duckworth School, 11201 Evans Trail, in Beltsville, MD. The public is welcome and admission is free. For additional information visit our web site at: www. beltsvillegardenclub.org.

• Friday, February 28, 8:30am-4pm Green Matters Symposium: “Gardening in a Shifting Climate” Our weather is changing. This becomes especially apparent when gardening: plants that have flourished for years are failing; planting dates are no longer as reliable. What is a gardener to do? Join us for Green Matters: Gardening in a Shifting Climate. Hear from a variety of professionals on how we can adapt and learn how to successfully garden with such changeable weather. Visit BrooksideGreen.org for more information. Register early. Held at NEW location: Manor Country Club, 14901 Carrolton Road Rockville, MD. Admission: $89. www.ParkPASS.org (Course #248349) • Saturday, March 1 RootingDC This is a FREE Urban Gardening Forum held annually in late winter. Details at http://rootingdc.org/.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

• Saturday, March 1 - April 1 Arlington Garden of the Year Applications will be accepted between March 1 and April 1, 2014, for the Rock Spring Garden Club’s Garden of the Year competition in Arlington, VA. The county-wide program is designed to recognize the accomplishments of home gardeners and their contributions to the beautification of the community. The competition will be judged by members of the Capital area’s Landscape Design Council, part of the National Capital Area Garden Clubs. Please visit www. rockspringgardenclub.com or email roc kspringgardenclub@gmail.com for information on submitting a nomination.

•March 1-2 and 7-9, 2014 Maryland Home & Garden Show Brings Color to Your World While Marylanders may have the winter blues from the weather outside, inside the Cow Palace at the Maryland State Fairgrounds it’s a world of color!

Throughout five days full of seminars, experts will cover other helpful topics from infusing color into your landscaping and dealing with invasive pests to remodeling your kitchen and working with an interior designer.

During the second weekend of the Show, the Maryland Orchid Society and Baltimore Bonsai Club will display thousands of vivid flowers and miniature gardens for visitors to peruse and purchase. Both weekends, The Maryland Spring Craft Show will feature more than 125 craftspeople selling their unique, handmade creations that can add color to the home or garden.

The Maryland Home & Garden Show is at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road in Timonium, MD. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $3 for kids ages 6-12, and free for children under 6 years old and active military, police and fire employees with ID. •Tuesdays, March 4 to April 22, 10:0010:45am Tudor Tots: Growing Gardeners Join us every week or on select Tuesdays in the gardens, weather permitting, or the historic rooms, for a family-friendly program of interactive read-

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ February 16 - March 15, 2014 alouds, songs, and synchronized movement. Parents/caregivers remain with children. Held at Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, 1644 31st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007. See www.

TudorPlace.org.

• Wednesday, March 5 Philadelphia Flower Show trip with Washington Gardener Magazine from downtown Silver Spring, MD. Includes lunch, bus transportation, goody bag, and show ticket. See page 10 for details and registration form.

A second trip departs on Thursday, March 6 from Behnke in Beltsville, MD. See details at: http://behnkes.com.

• Thursday, March 6, 7:00-9:00pm Ten Steps to a Greener Lawn Held at Triangle Elementary School, 3615 Lion’s Field Road. Triangle, VA 22192. Please call Extension Horticulture Help Desk at 703-792-7747 to register or if you have any questions about any of the program.

• Saturday, March 8 The 8th Annual Arlington Home Show and Garden Expo Held at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center, just off of Route 50, in Arlington, VA. Visit the Home Show web site: www.arlingtonhomeshow.org.

• Saturday, March 8, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, March 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Gesneriads Go to the Movies” Plant Show and Sale Explore the gesneriad family, from African violets (Saintpaulia) and flame violets (Episcia) to goldfish plants (Nematanthus) and cape primrose (Streptocarpus). The show will display the diversity of this plant family, including terrariums, dish gardens, and artistic displays inspired by your favorite movies.

The show will feature several public lectures: “Sinningia in Brazil” (Saturday, March 8, 2 p.m.), “What is a Gesneriad?” (Sunday, March 9, 10 a.m.), and “Gesneriad Propagation” (Sunday, March 9, 1 p.m.).

National Capital Area Chapter of The Gesneriad Society (www.nationalcapitalgesneriads.org) is holding the show and

sale at The Behnke Nurseries, 11300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705.

• Friday, March 14, 1:30-2:30pm Basic Gardening: Spring Maintenance Shake the winter blahs and exercise those dormant gardening muscles with spring garden maintenance! In this program you will learn tips for your lawn and garden including best practices for selecting plants and starting seedlings.

Prepare now for a resplendent growing season! Register on-line at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring or call Green Spring Gardens 703-642-5173.

Code: 290 183 0801, $10/person.

• Saturday, March 15, 9am Repotting Bonsai The Northern Virginia Bonsai Society monthly meeting will feature Professor John Kirby (Dean of the College of Environment and Lifescience at the University of Rhode Island) delivering a program on repotting bonsai, to be followed by a workshop. The meeting will be held at Walter Reed Community Center, 2909 16th Street South, Arlington, Virginia 22204. Visitors and observers are most welcome. There is no charge for visitors and observers. Professor Kirby has come before the club before and is both informative and entertaining. The NVBS membership consists of beginners to expert in the 3,000 year old art form of miniaturizing trees in a pot. Contact Person: Gary A. Reese. greese67@msn.com or 703-860-3374.

• Saturday, March 15, 9am-5pm - Sunday, March 16, 9am-5pm Friends of Brookside Gardens Orchid Show and Sale Due to the scheduled renovations at Brookside Gardens in 2014, the annual FOBG orchid weekend will be held at Behnke Nurseries, Beltsville, MD. Participants will have the opportunity to consult with orchid experts, enjoy the vibrant displays, and purchase orchids either to add to their collections—or to get a collection started. This event is geared not only to experienced orchid growers but also to beginners who would like to learn to grow orchids.

SAVE THE DATE: •March 29, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Lahr Native Plant Symposium This year’s topics include the philosophy and design intent behind the new innovative native plant garden at the New York Botanic Garden, the many reasons to use more native ferns in your landscape. Fee: $89 ($71 FONA) Registration required. See http://www. usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html.

• Saturday, March 29, 10am Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life Marta McDowell recently wrote a book of the same name published by Timber Press. Hosted by the Potomac Chapter Rock Garden Society meeting at the McLean Community Center, McLean, VA. Details at www.pvcnargs.org.

• March 29 – 31 Philadelphia Poison Ivy Conference Held at Bartrams’s Gardens, Philadelphia, PA. Visit the event web site for the full conference information: http://poisonivyhorticulturalist.com/ conference.

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/.

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 March 12 for the March 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events taking place from March 16-April 15.

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/MidAtlantic area? Washington Gardener Enews goes out on the 15th of every month and is a free sister publication to Washington Gardener magazine. Contact wgardenermag@aol.com or call 301.5886894 for ad rates.

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

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

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

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

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

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

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

SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • What’s Bugging Your Tomatoes • Growing Hops

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

FALL 2009 • Apples • How To Save Tomato Seeds • Persimmons

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

WINTER 2009 • Battling Garden Thugs • How to Start Seeds Indoors • Red Twig Dogwoods • Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region

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

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 • Dealing with Deer • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • Delightful Daffodils

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden

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

SUMMER 2010 • Fragrance Gardens • Watering Without Waste • Lavender • Potatoes

MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives

FALL 2010 • Vines and Climbers • Battling Stink Bugs • Russian Sage • Garlic

JULY/AUGUST 2008 • Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses • Edible Grasses to Graze On • Slug and Snail Control • Sage Advice: Sun-loving Salvias

WINTER 2010 • Paths and Walkways • Edgeworthia • Kohlrabi

MARCH/APRIL 2006 • Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs • Azaleas • Figs, Berries, & Persimmons • Basic Pruning Principles MAY/JUNE 2006 • Using Native Plants in Your Landscape • Crabgrass • Peppers • Secret Sources for Free Plants JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Hydrangeas • Theme Gardens • Agave • Find Garden Space by Growing Up SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Layer/Lasagna Gardening 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

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 • Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now • 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 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 Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells

SPRING 2010 • Community Gardens • Building a Raised Bed • Dwarf Iris • Broccoli

SPRING 2011 • Cutting-Edge Gardens • Final Frost Dates and When to Plant • Bleeding Hearts • Onions SUMMER 2011 • Ornamental Edibles • Urban Foraging • Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star • Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic FALL 2011 • Herb Gardens • Toad Lilies • Sweet Potatoes • Cool Weather Cover Crops WINTER 2011 - EARLY SPRING 2012 • Green Roofs and Walls • Heaths and Heathers • Radishes SPRING 2012 • Pollinator Gardens • Brunnera: Perennial of the Year • Growing Yacon SUMMER 2012 • Tropical Gardens • Captivating Canna • Icebox Watermelons

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

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Fabulous Ferns

Daytrip to Chanticleer Gardens

Garden Event Season Wrap-Up Growing and Cooking BEETS

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Magazine Excerpt: InsectIndex: Iris Borer by Carol Allen

You always remember your first love and mine was Iris. I was maybe seven or eight years old and Mom had given me a small garden area on the east side of the garage. The soil was awful clay. In the winter the snows were up to the eves and the summer heat baked everything. About the only redeeming virtue of where we lived was seeing the aurora borealis in the winter over the farmer’s field across the street.

Every summer Mom and I sent our little order to Coley’s Iris Gardens. I had saved my allowance and birthday money all year long for this moment. Oh the glorious pictures in that catalog! I poured over the new introductions; $75.00, $50.00, $25.00 for just one rhizome! Every year I looked for last year’s favorites to see if they started to approach my price range. I would reluctantly pay up to $1.00 per rhizome. My usual was in the 75¢ range.

I can still remember when Wine and Roses, Stepping Out, and Cayenne Capers were new introductions! Now the newer hybrids surpass them in flower size, bud count, and vigor. Iris are tough plants and are largely problem free. Except. Iris. Borer.

This one pest (Macronoctua onusta) is the bane of every iris grower’s existence. Not only are they extremely destructive in their own right, but they open up the rhizome to bacterial rot. This combination of pest and disease can level an iris bed in one season. The borer belongs to the moth and butterfly family of insects (Lepidoptera) and is not very intimidating to look at as an adult. The insects overwinter as eggs and hatch out as small larvae in the spring (April – May). This hatch times perfectly with the new, expanding leaves.

The small larvae crawl up onto the new leaves, make a pinpoint entry hole, and feed in the inside of the leaf. Their feeding behavior is that of a leaf miner through the spring and early summer. The streaking caused by this feeding can often be observed. Sometimes the edges of the young iris leaves are chewed, giving the leaves a ragged appearance. As the feeding progresses, the tips of the iris leaves brown and die-back prematurely. By July they have reached the soil line...

Want to read more local gardening news in the InsectIndex column in the Winter 2014 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine out soon. See how to subscribe below to start with this issue.

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9

8th Annual Washington Gardener Philadelphia Flower Show Tour Organized by Washington Gardener Magazine Wednesday, March 5, 2014, 10:00AM-10:00PM Leaving and returning from downtown Silver Spring, MD

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the oldest and largest indoor flower show in the world. The theme for 2014 is “ARTiculture.”Experience the combination of art and horticulture as the 185th PHS Philadelphia Flower Show celebrates everyone from Michelangelo to Monet, Picasso to Pollock, and da Vinci to Dali. Join us for a visit to magnificent floral and garden exhibits, special programming, and new attractions like the interactive Butterfly Experience. This is not your grandmother’s Flower Show … but she’s going to love it! The Flower Show attracts non-gardeners as well as die-hard green-thumbed people of all ages. Foodies of all tastes will love the Garden to Table Studio. Participate in the Lectures and Demonstrations series, Gardener’s Studio, and new “Make & Take” workshops. First-time and returning riders will enjoy the welcoming, custom details of our coach service.

Schedule for the day: • 10:00AM coach leaves downtown Silver Spring with lunch, games, and DVD viewing en route • 12:45-7:15PM Explore Philadelphia Flower Show ~ dinner on your own • 7:30PM Coach departs Philadelphia Convention Center with snacks, games, and DVD showing onboard • 10:00PM Coach arrives at downtown Silver Spring This tour package includes: 1. Charter Passenger Coach - reserved seating and storage under the bus 2. Choice of Gourmet Box Lunch on the way up to the show 3. Snacks for the return trip 4. Listing of nearby restaurants for dinner on your own at the show 5. Information package on the show which will assist in prioritizing your day 6. Two Garden DVD showings 7. Admission to the show & Driver Tip 8. Convenient drop-off and pick-up at downtown Silver Spring, MD 9. Lively show and garden discussions led by Washington Gardener’s Kathy Jentz

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To register, please use the form below. (One form per person.)

Name _______________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________ Phone number________________________________________________________ Email________________________________________________________________ Name of seatmate_____________________________________________________ We will try to seat groups together, but cannot guarantee group seating.

Name of group _______________________________________________________

Registration deadline: March 1, 2014

Full refund if canceled by February 6. $40 refunded until February 28.

No refunds after March 4.

Questions?

Kathy Jentz Wgardenermag@aol.com www.WashingtonGardener.com

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Check/money order #_______ ~ Please make payable to “Washington Gardener” Send this registration form along with your payment to: Washington Gardener, 826 Philadelphia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910

If you’ve never been to the Philadelphia Flower Show, this is your opportunity to escape from the last of winter’s cold winds and experience a garden paradise. Walk through floral wonderlands, take notes at one of the many workshops, enjoy new plants on display, and shop the vendors’ tempting array of goodies.

10 WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine.

All rights reserved.

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