Washington Gardener Enews July 2014

ENEWSLETTER

JULY 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 7 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 • Free Soil Test for DC Residents • Back Issue Sale • July-August To-Do List • Magazine Excerpt: Hosting Honey Bees in Your Garden • Latest Blog Links • Local Garden Events Listings • Venting Over Leaf Blowers • New ‘Sweet Sunset’ Pepper • Reader Contest to Win a TrapStik for Wasps

Reader Contest

Summer 2014

The Summer 2014 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is going through final edits now and will be printed and mailed to all current subscribers shortly. The cover story is on Gardening with Bees. You’ll also find in this issue: • Groundcherry Growing Tips • Daytrip to Winterthur • Photo Contest Winners • Garden Tour Season Round-up • Book Reviews • Native Plant Profile • Garden Tips and Tricks • Bonsai Club Profile • Battling Wasps • And much, much more... To subscribe, see the page 7 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.

For our July 2014 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away a Trapstik for Wasps (Retail value: $20.) “TrapStik® works by luring wasps to a sticky surface using the three dimensional pattern and color combination they find most attractive,” explains Rod Schneidmiller, president and founder of Sterling International, the manufacturer of RESCUE!® products. The TrapStik® for Wasps uses this new 3D technology to catch queen wasps in spring before they have time to build nests. It keeps working from summer through fall to catch aggressive worker wasps. The trap works to catch paper wasps, carpenter bees, and mud daubers. To enter to win the Trapstik for Wasps, send an email to: WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on July 31 with “Trapstik” in the subject line and in the body of the email, please also include your full name and mailing address. Tell us: “What bugs you in the garden.” The trap’s winner will be announced and notified on August 1.

Quick Links to Washington Gardener Blog Posts

New Plant Spotlight Seminis® Home Garden’s Sweet Sunset Brand Pepper

The Sweet Sunset pepper seed is among the first six All-America Selections AAS Winners for the 2015 gardening season. A regional AAS winner, Sweet Sunset brand is a colorful sweet banana pepper hybrid that is perfect for container gardening and great for fresh and canning uses as well as for frying, pickling, and cutting into pepper rings for salads, sandwiches, and pizza toppings. A compact, upright bush plant, Sweet Sunset brand pepper has X3R® technology which provides resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria races 0-3, 7 and 8 and matures after approximately 85 days. It is best adapted for planting in the Southeast, Heartland and West/Northwest regions of the U.S. Like the other AAS Winners, Sweet Sunset brand pepper seed was trialed during the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons next to two other similar varieties that are currently on the market. All-America Selections grew the Sweet Sunset brand pepper seed and comparison varieties and then judges performed a side-by-side analysis of growth habit, taste, disease resistance, and more to determine if Sweet Sunset brand peppers were truly better than those already available to home gardeners. Only those vegetables with superior taste and garden performance are given the AAS Winners designation. All-America Selections is an independent, non-profit organization that tests new varieties then designates only the best garden performers as AAS Winners. The AAS Winners designation provides an indication of a seed variety’s proven garden performance in All-America Selections trials. Sweet Sunset brand pepper seed, along with other Seminis Home Garden varieties, will be available to home gardeners through our network of dealers, catalogs, and garden centers in 2015. 2

• Vegetable Bolting Video • My Favorite Flower: Lisianthus • Winterberry, Native Shrub • New Meadow at Longwood Gardens • Great Mid-Atlantic Trees and Why We Love Them See more Washington Gardener blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

July Garden To-Do List

Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for July 16-August 15. Your suggestions and additions to this list are most welcome: • The heat of summer is here. Time to start doing chores during early morning or evening. Take a break during the hottest parts of the day. • Prune Wisteria. • If your pond water gets low from prolonged drought, top it off with tap water and add a dechlorinator according to package instructions. • Cut back spent stalks on common daylily. • Pinch back any annuals that may be growing leggy. • Divide and cut back bearded iris. • Check your pond pump of any debris and continue to clean it out every few weeks. • Weed. • Cut off bottom, yellowed foliage on tomato plants. • Stake and tie-up any tall-growing perennials such as phlox or delphiniums. • Wash out birdbaths weekly with diluted bleach solution. • Water thoroughly especially if you receive no rain for more than 5-7 days. • Take cuttings from azaleas, boxwoods, and camellias to start new plants to share. • Check your local garden center for mid-summer bargains. • Hand-pick Japanese Beetles or shake a branch over a bucket of dishwater. Early morning is a good time to catch them while they are still drowsy. • Re-pot the houseplants you’ve moved outdoors for the summer. • Pick blueberries at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market. • Pinch back any straying strawberry runners. • Deadhead perennials for a second flush of blooms later this summer. • Thin out small trees and cut off any suckering branches growing from the bottom root ball. • Inspect your garden for powdery mildew. If seen, prune back perennials to create needed circulation. • Annuals are now hitting their peak. Keep them well-watered and add a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them going through September. • Check your plants at night with a flashlight for any night-feeding insects like slugs. • If you find slug damage, set out beer traps or Sluggo pellets. • Pinch back mums so they grow bushier and won’t flower until autumn. • Holding off on planting new trees and shrubs until the summer heat has passed. • Caulk and seal your outside walls to prevent insect entry into your home. • Harvest regularly from your vegetable garden to prevent rot and waste. • Put up a hammock or a garden bench to enjoy your views. • Turn compost pile. • Check out gardening books from your local library to read on vacation. • Check for any stagnant water mosquito breeding grounds, especially your gutters. Dump out any water that sits stagnant for more than three days. • Add Mosquito Dunks to any standing water in your yard such as birdbath, downspouts, plant saucers, and gutters. • Gather roses to enjoy indoors and make sure to make the cut just above a fiveleaf unit. • Harvest onions and garlic when the tops die back. • Sow seeds of fall crops such as broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, etc. in late July.

Venting Over Leaf Blowers

By Kathy Jentz

Leaf blowers are the mechanical mosquitoes of the gardening season. Driving local residents crazy and forcing many indoors when they would like to enjoy their own yards. “I really do not like the high pitched noise they make,” commented Lorraine Van Buren of Silver Spring, MD. “It must bother some folks more than others, but I hate it.”

landscaping crews. It is not unusual for one mow-and-blow crew to arrive at 8am and work its way down several lawns on a single block in one morning. The telecommuters are driven to distraction by the incessant noise and fumes. Local email lists flare up with periodic complaints admonishing those who use these crews to do the work themselves and to “use a broom.” The quiet-hour laws currently on the books are not enough for the peace of a neighborhood. Aside from the noise, leaf blowers are a nuisance in many other ways. The gas-powered blowers two-stroke engines pollute the air. According to the California Air Resources Board, one-half hour of leaf blower carbon monoxide emissions is equivalent to about 110 miles of automobile travel at 30 miles per hour average speed.

Many area residents are unaware that there are local regulations that cover not only the decibel levels permitted by leaf blowers, but also their hours of operation. The Montgomery County, MD, and Fairfax County, VA, noise ordinance spells out that leaf blowers are prohibited before 7:00am on regular weekdays and 9:00am on weekends and holidays. On any day, they cannot continue past 9:00pm.

They also blow dust, mold, and other particulates into the air. Asthma and allergy sufferers are greatly impacted. Animal feces, heavy metals like lead, and pesticides are also blown about by these power tools and have been tied to serious illness in lawn work crews.

In Washington, DC. the law states that “no person shall sell, offer for sale, or use, at any time, a leaf blower in the District of Columbia that has an average sound level exceeding 70 decibels at a distance of 50 ft*. A leaf blower shall not be used at nighttime, between the hours of 8:30pm and 8:00am in the District of Columbia.” *Note that this sound level is about the same as of highway traffic.

Are leaf blowers really necessary? Vicki King Taitano on Silver Spring, MD, notes, “I hate the noise too. Maybe I have over sensitive ears. In my opinion, our yards are small enough that rakes are really sufficient.”

In the town of Chevy Chase, MD, the citizens decided to limit the hours even further to have any yard power equipment operate only between the hours of 8:00am to 7:00pm on weekdays and of 9:00am to 7:00pm on weekends. In neighboring Takoma Park, MD, the city council wrangled over a ban on leaf blowers several times before legislation was passed in 2011. It now bans city employees from using gas-powered leaf blowers, but does not limit others’ use of them.

Tim Abrahams operates Abrahams Lawn Service. He concedes that leaf blowers are very noisy and burn a lot of fuel. “But they are a necessary part of the business if you want to stay competitive during leaf season in this area,” Abrahams explained. “I myself really don’t like to use them and prefer raking, but customers would not want to pay for the extra man hours that takes. (Three guys with nice blowers can clean out a yard and gutters in half the time as using rakes.)” Brian Mahan of Yard by Yard Makeovers (pictured here) feels similarly, for him they are a necessary evil of the landscaping business. “I worry most about the health of my employees when using them for several hours a day.”

Some DC-area residents would like a ban on leaf blowers and other lawn equipment during the weekend when they would like to relax in their own gardens. Others would like the ban to cover weekday hours after 5:00pm to ensure quiet evenings at home. The growing trend of telecommuting has changed what was once considered “residential zoning” and means that those who work-from-home are pitted directly against daytime

About the Author Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener Magazine. A shorter version of this article was previously published online at Silver Spring Patch.

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16-August 15, 2014 • Saturday, July 19, 10am-4pm KAG Lotus and Water Lily Festival Culture and Nature: Celebrating South Africa’s Cultural and Natural Beauty At the Kenilworth Aquatic Garden, National Park Site, 1550 Anacostia Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019. Free Parking and Free Shuttle from Minnesota Ave. Metro. Showcasing South Africa and the Southern African region through cultural and environmental activities in one the DC’s best National Parks. Activities include: Free Face-painting, photograph lotus and water lilies in full bloom in the gardens, Arts and Crafts for children, Wildlife presentations, Cultural Food Demonstrations, an African Fashion Show, Southern African cultural dance and music from Lesole and Mahala. Take a nature walk along the new Anacostia Rivertrail, see the South African Mandela or Madiba Gold plant and hear some South Africa jazz. This is event is FREE. For more information: https://2014africankagwaterlilyfestival. eventbrite.com. • Saturday, July 19, 10am-4pm Awesome Butterfly Festival Held at Norfolk Botanical Garden with the Butterfly Society of Virginia. Enjoy food, vendors, butterflies, learn to raise caterpillars, crafts, butterfly house, 600 ft. monarch flyway trail and activities for the family. Kids come dressed as a butterfly and be a part of the Butterfly Parade at 11am. Educators, don’t special session: Butterfly Activities for Teachers and Educators, including parents and grandparents at 11:45. Everything included with admission! Special note: all activities, vendors etc. will end exactly at 4pm for the set-up of a private event that follows. See http:// norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/. •Tuesday, July 22, from 7-8:30pm Composting for Home Gardeners VCE Master Gardeners of Arlington and Alexandria will present basic instructions and information on how to start composting at home at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 South Stafford St., Arlington, VA. They will cover what to put in a compost pile, how to maintain it so the materials break down properly, and how to make good use of 4

finished compost. The program is free, but advance registration is requested. To register, call 703-228-6414 or e-mail mgarlalex@gmail.com. • Saturday, July 26, 10am-12noon All Aboard: Crapemyrtle Tram Tour Enjoy a talk and tram tour with the Arboretum’s crapemyrtle expert during peak bloom season! Learn all about this summer-blooming landscape gem, from the science of breeding new varieties to growing them at home. Start in the classroom with a presentation, then board the open-air tram for an informative tour highlighting the most remarkable specimens and the results of the Arboretum’s research program. Stops include short walks for exploration. Fee: $22. Registration required, see www. usna.usda.gov or call 202-245-4521 for registration information. This event sold out last year. Held at the US National Arboretum. • Saturday, July 26, 8:30am-1:00pm Summer Grow It Eat It Open House Hosted by the University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Master Gardeners. Held at the Agricultural History Farm Park Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD 20855, 301-590-9638. Taste tons of tomatoes! Bring your own tomatoes to diagnose tomato troubles, Seeds and recipes to share. Bring your gardening questions. Get a free composting bin. Take a class on: Stop Hungry Animals, Prevent Pests and Disease, Preserve Your Harvest, Extend the Growing Season, proper tool care demos. and tasty cooking demos. The Food Preservation Class has preregistration and a fee, but the rest are free! Details at http://extension.umd. edu/growit/montgomery-county-vegetable-gardening-classes-and-events. • Saturday, July 26, 2:00pm “Let’s Get Growing” Gardening Workshop at the Georgetown Library Let’s Get Growing is a comprehensive overview for beginning or novice gardeners that want to learn more. The topics we’ll cover are useful in both new and already established gardens, including: garden planning, vegetable families, soils, fertilizers, pests and

pathogens. The Georgetown Library is located at 3260 R St. NW WDC. Information about this event and the link for the registration will be posted here: http://dclibrary.org/georgetown. This event is free! • Tuesday, July 29, 12noon-1pm Botany and Chemistry of Brewing About 8,000 years ago, humans began consuming the product of the action of naturally occurring yeasts on watery solutions of the starches of the grains that they grew. The art of brewing developed across multiple cultures around the world. By the time of Ancient Egypt, baking and brewing were closely linked professions. Archeologists find evidence of the brewing profession at many locations. Come spend an hour and learn about the botanical inputs and the chemical transformations that occur as grain is brewed into ale and beer. Lecturer: Todd Brethauer, USBG Science Education Volunteer. Held at the US Botanic Garden Conservatory Classroom. FREE: Pre-registration required at: http://www.usbg.gov/. • Saturday, August 9th 9am-4pm Fruit Tree Workshop Join Casey Trees for a Fruit Tree Workshop with renowned orchardist and fruit tree expert Michael Phillips to discuss orchard basics. Successfully growing fruit for your family or community becomes straightforward when you narrow the big picture down to getting the basics right. Harvesting sunlight through smart pruning is what renews fruit buds. Fungal disease becomes manageable with wise variety choices and enhanced soil biology. Even major insect challenges can be resolved safely when you perceive who, what, and when. All sorts of fruits—from apples and pears to peaches and cherries and onward to berries—make for a diverse orchard planting. Confidence to integrate tree fruits into your landscape begins with embracing biodiversity and knowing how to build system health. Held at 821 Varnum Street NE, Washington, DC. Fee: $25 includes lunch. Register at http://caseytrees.org/event/ class-fruit-tree-workshop/.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 15-August 15, 2014 • Wednesday, August 13 5:30-8:30pm DPR Invasive Plant Class Come learn about the invasive plants of Washington, DC and about native alternatives for your landscape. I co-teach this class with Ana Chuquin of Rock Creek Park and Damien Ossi of the District Department of the Environment. This evening class will take place at the Raymond Recreation Center located at 915 Spring Road, NW, WDC. More information and registration is available here: http://dcdpr.asapconnected.com/ CourseDetail.aspx?CourseId=57581. This event is free!

SAVE THE DATE: • Saturday, August 23, 7th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Tomato Tasting, 10:00am-12:00noon, FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD. Sample the multitude of tomatoes at market and vote on your favorites. Stop by for tomato recipes, growing tips, and much more... The event is FREE and open to the public. Wear a bib! Details at http://washingtongardener. blogspot.com/.

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

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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.

FREE Soil Testing Offered for DC Gardeners

The Environmental Quality Testing Laboratory of the University of the District of Columbia is providing one-time, free soil quality testing for DC residents and gardeners. The service will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis for a limited time throughout July and August as part of a USDA-grant, funded to analyze soil samples in home and community gardens around DC. Apply at: https://docs.google.com/forms/ d/196iyqIAI3w0vIncl_ZEN7CYAxSBamwJ0qP0bKioY_Rg/viewform. Urban agriculture is increasingly becoming a way of life for city residents; therefore, it is important to test the soil quality of your garden for three main reasons. First, soil can contain contaminants that pose risk to human health. Second, we may not have enough information about the level of contamination in our soil. Finally, testing our soil give us valuable information to improve your garden and promote healthy soil. The analysis offered by the Environmental Quality Testing Laboratory will measure macro nutrients and environmental trace metals such as lead and arsenic. Most soil testing is limited in scope due to cost, so this offer is especially beneficial to DC’s gardeners, as it provides complete information about the level of trace metals in their gardens while reducing costs. Once the Environmental Quality Lab has received NELAC certification, it will be prepared to offer a similar fee-based service in the future. At that time, DC residents will no longer have to send their soil out of state. “We receive several inquiries a week as to whether we offer this service, and we’ve always had to recommend out of state laboratories,” explained Dr. Tolessa Deksissa, Director of UDC’s Water Resources Research Institute, Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Program and Environmental Quality Testing Laboratory. “In time, when we offer soil testing at cost, being located in the District along with our use of innovative techniques to measure specific environmental contaminants will help to make services more cost effective.” Interested DC residents are encouraged to apply. Graduate and undergraduate research students have already begun collecting samples. Once your application is reviewed, you will be contacted by WRRI to schedule a sampling collection time. “It is very exciting to offer this opportunity to the residents of DC,” said Dr. Sabine O’Hara, College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES). “As an urban landgrant institution, we are thrilled to be able to offer soil testing service to our community.” Located on UDC’s Van Ness Campus, the Environmental Quality Testing Lab was constructed to help District residents have a convenient and affordable way of testing water and soil for environmental contaminants and other impurities and to serve as an unbiased monitor of surface, ground and municipal water quality in DC, helping to protect water resources and human health. The lab has state-of-the-art equipment that can be applied to the analysis of chemical and biological water quality parameters in soil, water and wastewater, and also the research capacity to measure the existing environmental conditions and identify alternative solutions to address environmental problems. For more information on CAUSES, visit www.udc.edu/causes. For questions, please contact Dr. Deksissa at tdeksissa@udc.edu or at (202) 2745273. WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2014 Washington Gardener Magazine. All rights reserved.

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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

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

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

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

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 • 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)

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

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes

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

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Layer/Lasagna Gardening

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

T! MARCH/APRIL 2009 OU LD • 40+ Free and Low-cost SO Local Garden Tips ! T • Spring Edibles Planting Guide OU LD • Testing Your ! SO Soil for a Fresh Start UTTree O • Redbud Selection and Care OLD Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells • SBest

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

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

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

WINTER 2009 • Battling Garden Thugs • How to Start Seeds Indoors • Red Twig Dogwoods • Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region SPRING 2010 • Community Gardens • Building a Raised Bed • Dwarf Iris • Broccoli SUMMER 2010 • Fragrance Gardens • Watering Without Waste • Lavender • Potatoes FALL 2010 • Vines and Climbers • Battling Stink Bugs • Russian Sage • Garlic WINTER 2010 • Paths and Walkways • Edgeworthia • Kohlrabi SPRING 2011 • Cutting-Edge Gardens • Final Frost Dates and When to Plant • Bleeding Hearts • Onions SUMMER 2011 • Ornamental Edibles • Urban Foraging • Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star • Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic FALL 2011 • Herb Gardens • Toad Lilies • Sweet Potatoes • Cool Weather Cover Crops WINTER 2011 - EARLY SPRING 2012 • Green Roofs and Walls • Heaths and Heathers • Radishes SPRING 2012 • Pollinator Gardens • Brunnera: Perennial of the Year • Growing Yacon SUMMER 2012 • Tropical Gardens • Captivating Canna • Icebox Watermelons SPRING 2013 • Great Garden Soil • All About Asters • Squash Vine Borer SUMMER/FALL 2013 • Miniature/Faerie Gardens • Beguiling Abelias • Growing Great Carrots

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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!

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of 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. Contact wgardenermag@aol.com or call 301.588-6894 for ad rates. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: wgardenermag@aol.com.

In Our Next Issue Summer 2014... Backyard Beekeeping Daytrip to Winterthur

Garden Event Wrap-Up Photo Contest Winners

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by July 25 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication! oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Be sure you are subscribed!

Send a check or money order for $20.00 payable to Washington Gardener magazine to: Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910

Magazine Excerpt: Hosting Honey Bees in Your Garden by Alison Gillespie

Veteran gardeners know that a yard full of bees will bear more fruit than one without buzzing visitors. Honey bees are especially prized, since they can increase a garden’s bounty and provide a sweet, sugary treat of honey at the end of the summer. But gardening can be a demanding hobby, and not every grower has the additional time or money needed to set up and maintain a healthy hive as well as a healthy garden. “I constantly meet people who want bees,” said George Meyer, former president of the Montgomery County Beekeepers Association, who keeps hives in many locations all over Maryland. He says that an entire neighborhood can benefit from having a colony, since the 30,000 workers that live in an average hive will travel as far as two or three miles to find nectar and pollen and in the process pollinate many plants and trees. Even so, not every yard is going to work as a beeyard. “Location, location, location,” Meyer said. “It sounds contradictory, but a hive needs to be in a place that is easy for the beekeeper to get to but out of the way of other people who might be around.” Some spots might prove to be too tempting to curious neighborhood kids, for example. Others might set the bees on a flight path which could be a nuisance to neighbors or their animals. But when a location has all the right elements, Meyer thinks the idea of gardeners hosting beekeepers can be great. “You just need to think about how you use your backyard,” he cautioned. Toni Burnham of the DC Beekeepers Alliance advises anyone who is interested in hosting a hive or two to get in touch with their local beekeeping organization. Her own group maintains a helpful set of links to all of the Metro area bee groups at www. dcbeekeepers.org. Each group maintains active message boards and/or listservs and can help gardeners locate a beekeeping partner... Want to read more about “Hosting Honey Bees” in the Summer 2014 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine? See how to subscribe below to start with this issue.

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Washington Gardener Enews July 2014

Published on Jul 18, 2014

Kathy J

Inside This Enews Issue: • Free Soil Test for DC Residents • Back Issue Sale • July-August To-Do List • Magazine Excerpt: Hosting Honey Bees in Your Garden • Latest Blog Links • Local Garden Events Listings • Venting Over Leaf Blowers • New ‘Sweet Sunset’ Pepper • Reader Contest to Win a TrapStik for Wasps 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 in-depth articles, inspirational photos, and great garden resources for the Washington DC area gardener.