Washington Gardener Enews March 2012

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ENEWSLETTER

MARCH 2012

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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 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 Web Site: www.washingtongardener.com Sincerely, Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener Magazine

Reader Contest

For our March 2012 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away six Trillium cuneatum plants from Sunshine Farm & Gardens (www.sunfarm.com) to one lucky winner chosen at random. Despite their exotic, magical, mystical appearance, most Trilliums are quite easy to grow and Trillium cuneatum is no exception. Trillium cuneatum is native to 11 MidAtlantic and Southeastern states. Here’s a plant that you will instantly fall in love with as its deep burgundy flowers bloom for an extremely long period of time in early to mid Spring. With the most exciting marbled foliage and with no two plants alike, their silvery leaves electrically light up even the shadiest of gardens. Sunshine Farm & Gardens is the brainchild of Barry Glick. In the past 32 years they’ve managed to amass a diverse collection of well over 10,000 different, hardy to zone 5 perennials, bulbs, trees, and shrubs from every corner of the Earth on their 60-acre mountain top at 3,000 feet in beautiful Greenbrier County WV. To enter to win the 6 Trillium plants (valued at $50), send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on March 29 with “Sunshine Trilliums” in the subject line and tell us: What is your native plant? In the body of the email, please also include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced and notified by April 2.

Green Roofs and Walls Winter 2011/ Early Spring 2012 Issue

Our Winter magazine issue is now out. All subscribers should have received it now. To subscribe today and start with this issue, see page 9 of the enewsletter. The cover story is on Green Roofs. The Washington, DC region is a leader in the green building movement and examples of green walls and roofs are all over the city and surrounding suburbs. We’ll explore a few of them. You’ll also find in this issue: • A DayTrip to the Rawlings Conservatory in Baltimore, MD • Heavenly Heathers (Erica) • Growing and Cooking Winter Radish • Native Hepaticas • Fighting a New Invasive Insect • 10 Top Plant Picks for 2012 • A Wrap-Up of Local Gardening Events • 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.

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Late Winter Blooms • Seed Packet Decoding • The Story of the Green Zebra Tomato • Philadelphia Flower Show 2012 • A Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day BURSTING Forth See more Washington Gardener Blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

March Garden To-Do List Spotlight Special Native Baptisia Shorter Hybrid

Their are four new hybrid Decadence™ Baptisias that are available from Proven Winners® this spring. According to Susan Martin from Walters Gardens, “These new hybrids are tamed down and much more suitable for home gardens. At just under three feet tall, they’ll take up about the same amount of space as a small shrub or large clump of daisies in your garden. You’ll love their vividly colored flower spikes in late spring to early summer. This is one perennial you won’t want to deadhead — doing so will eliminate the decorative seed pods which appear in fall.” “The Decadence™ series of Baptisias was developed by a talented Midwest hybridizer named Hans Hansen. What started as a fun botanizing trip in the lower Midwest with a fellow botanist blossomed into a complex hybridizing project for Hans. For over a decade, he made countless crosses with many native Baptisia species he had collected across Texas and Oklahoma. These crosses resulted in an array of seedlings with unique flower colors and compact plant habits.” The new Decadence™ Series includes ‘Blueberry Sundae’, ‘Cherries Jubilee’, ‘Dutch Chocolate’, and ‘Lemon Meringue.’ The plants are easy-to-maintain, native perennials with a controlled habit that suits the home garden. They prefer sunny locations. Decadence™ Baptisia tolerate clay soils, heat, and drought. Deer don’t find them especially tasty and deadheading isn’t necessary or recommended (doing so will remove decorative seed pods). Taken all together you just might have the perfect perennial for your garden. 2

Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for March 16-April 15. Your additions to this list are most welcome: • Avoid walking on and compacting wet soil in the garden. • Prune grapevines. • Put up trellises and teepees for peas, climbing beans, etc. • Plant peas, potatoes, beets, turnips, radish, cabbage, mustard greens, onion sets, carrots, and kale. • Set out traps for mice, moles, and voles. • Get a soil test. • Soil preparation -- add lime, compost, etc. as needed. • Mulch beds with a light hand. • Start or update your garden journals. • Clean out any old debris from last season from your growing beds. • Turn your compost pile. • Repot root-bound houseplants and start fertilizing them. • Clean leaves and debris from your water garden. • Do not be alarmed if your pond turns green from algae bloom, this is natural until your water plants fill the surface area. Add a barley ball to combat it for now. • Cut back ornamental grasses. • Water during dry spells. • Cut your Daffodils for indoor bouquets, but do not combine daffs with other flowers in one vase. They give off a toxic substance they may kill your other blooms off prematurely. • Weed by hand to avoid disturbing newly forming roots. • Walk your garden -- look for early signs of fungal disease. • Divide perennials and herbs. • Fertilize new growth. • Plant and prune roses. • Transplants small trees and shrubs. • Buy or check on your stored summer bulbs (such as dahlias and caladiums). Pot them and start to water, if you want to give them an early start on the season. • If you started seeds last month, thin them and start the hardening off process. • Start some more seeds -- try flowering annuals like impatiens and petunias. • Prune fruit trees as their buds are swelling. Check for dead and diseased wood to prune out. Cut a few branches for indoor forcing, if desired. • Build a raised bed for vegetables. Add lots of manure and compost. • Buy an indoor plant to liven up your office space. Try an orchid or African violet. • Cut back and clear out the last of your perennial beds. • Feed birds and provide nesting materials (try dryer lint) as well as houses for the start of their family season. • Plant a tree for Arbor Day. Arbor Day comes on different dates in different states. In our area it is the first Wednesday in April for Maryland. Virginia has it on the second Friday in April, and DC has it on the last Friday in April. In addition, many local groups and towns have their own celebrations. • Read a good gardening book or magazine. • Cut some branches (forsythia, quince, bittersweet, redbud, willow, etc.) for forcing into bloom and enjoying indoors. • Have a wonderful 2012 growing season!

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Hardening Off Your Seedlings By Kathy Jentz, Editor of Washington Gardener Magazine If you attended either of the Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges a month ago or purchased seeds for this upcoming growing season, you are probably getting ready right now to start them off or are nursing them well along. Getting them started and watching them set their first sets o true leaves is usually fairly easy and effortless. (We gave you seed-starting tips in our Winter 2009 Washington Gardener Magazine issue.) What trips up many new and experienced gardeners in the process of growing from seeds is the hardening-off period. That is, the transition from indoor seedling to outdoor plant. Here then are a 10 insider tips to make the hardening-off process smoother and more successful for your wee seedlings: • Do it gradually, moving them outdoors during the day and inside at night. Slowly increasing their amount of exposure to hours in the sun. • Don’t rush it -- wait to start until about two weeks before your last frost date (about Mother’s Day for most of our region) for most annuals. • Blow or run your hand over the seedlings while they are growing indoors to get them used to a breeze. • Choose a site in the morning sun and avoid the harsh afternoon sun. • Select a transition area such as a shaded porch or under a tree or bench. • Watch the temperatures, should a cold snap threaten, move them back to shelter or give them some protection. • Small containers can dry out very quickly in the sun and wind, so keep an eye on their watering needs. • Avoid letting seedlings sit right on the ground or out in heavy rains. The former to discourage slugs and the latter to prevent breakage. • Place your seedlings in a child’s wagon or a rolling tea server cart and simply wheel them in and out as appropriate to the weather. • Choose a cool, overcast, calm (wind-free) day to transplant your seedlings into the ground. One Bonus Tip: Consider building a simple coldframe to place your seedlings in. Then open the window a little more each day, closing it each night. Good luck with your seedlings and mark your calendars to join us for the next Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges on January 26 and February 2, 2013! 4

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ March 16 - April 15, 2012 • Wednesday, March 21, 7:30-9:00pm Vermicomposting At Home Hosted by the Takoma Horticultural Club at the Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Ave. (at Rt. 410) in Takoma Park, MD. What is “vermicomposting” you might ask? It is using earthworms to turn kitchen scraps into very high quality organic compost. Join us to hear Mark Richardson, Adult Education Programs Manager at Brookside Gardens, tell us about an interesting way to compost food scraps right in our own kitchens, using redworms. Don’t worry, the worms are happily contained! He will share several examples of Vermicomposting bins, from homemade to commercial scale used in large operations. He’ll also demonstrate a way which you can start your own vermicomposting system at home and discuss sources for starter kits and other materials. This presentation is free and open to the public. Please bring a snack to share. • March 21, 7pm Saving the Sundial Lupine Join the Maryland Native Plant Society, Greater Baltimore Chapter, for our winter lectures. The lectures are open to non-members. Registration is not required: The University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanic Garden has completed it first Rare Plant Heritage Project, conservation of the state-threatened sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis). Soil Scientist and Plant Ecologist, Dr. Sara Tangren, will discuss the unique habitats where Maryland’s remaining lupines grow, the factors responsible for their precipitous decline, and the successful efforts that are being made to save them. Location: Irvine Nature Center, 11201 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117. http://www.explorenature.org/ Contact Christa Partain if you have any questions: cpartain@gmail.com • Saturday, March 24, 10am-3pm Growing Community Gardens A gathering for Prince George’s County gardeners to build community, learn from each other, and gain gardening skills At the University of Maryland Center for Educational Partnership, 6200 Sheridan St., Riverdale, MD 20737 Join us for workshops, a panel discussion, and lunch $20 per person Register at http://growingcommunitygardens.eventbrite.com/. Workshop #1: Plant and Pest Identification and Organic Control by Jon Traunfeld, Director of the University of Maryland Home and Garden Information Center and State 6

Master Gardener Coordinator. Workshop #2: Garden Planning and Crop Rotation by Elizabeth Olson, Master Gardener and Certified Professional Horticulturalist. Panel Discussion: “Successful Community Gardens” with Esther Mitchell from University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Coordinator; Alexandria Lippincott, co-leader from Sheridan Street Community Garden; Dave Kneipp from the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation; and Gül Güleryüz from M-NCPPC. Contact Christie Balch at cbalch@umd.edu or at (301) 779-2806 x706 for additional information or if you’d like to register by mail and pay with a check Hosted by University of Maryland Extension Prince George’s County. • Sunday, March 25, 1-3pm Jane Austen’s English Country Garden Jane Austen set her novels in the natural beauty of the English countryside when England was becoming a nation of gardeners. We’ll explore the Regency-era gardens and landscapes depicted in Austen’s novels and tell you about her own passion for gardening. Held at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA. More details at: www.greenspring.org. Call 703941-7987 for reservations. Fee: $27. • Wednesday, March 28, 7:30pm “The Price of Liberty: Weeds” Talk The Beltsville Garden Club will hold a general meeting in the cafeteria of the James E. Duckworth School, 11201 Evans Trail, Beltsville, Maryland. Our speaker for this month will be JOHN PETER THOMPSON. His topic will be, “THE PRICE OF LIBERTY: WEEDS”. The English finally let us in on a little secret. We didn’t win total Independence after they lost the war. They left behind a covert occupation force, in the substance of weeds, which rapidly became our weeds; pesky and persistent. John Peter Thompson is a fourth-generation nurseryman who is in the thick of things with the gardening world nationally. His blog describes him as a gardening speaker, invasive species program developer, sustainability consultant and agricultural research policy advocate. Please join us to hear this informative speaker. Refreshments will be served after the meeting. Bring a plant or plant related material for the club’s door prize table. The public is welcomed and admission is free. For more information, contact Louise DeJames at 301 890 4733 or visit our web site www.beltsvillegardenclub.org

• March 30 through April 29 Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings In celebration of the centennial of Japan’s gift of 3,000 cherry trees to the nation’s capital, one of Japan’s most renowned cultural treasures will come to Washington, DC. Entitled Colorful Realm of Living Beings (J. Dōshoku sai-e; c. 1757–1766), this 30-scroll set of bird-and-flower paintings on silk is the centerpiece of the landmark exhibition Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings by Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800), only on view at the National Gallery of Art, from March 30 through April 29, 2012. The scrolls will be in Washington during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 20 through April 27, 2012. Not only is it the first time all 30 paintings (the full set of scrolls) will be on view in the United States, but it is also the first time any of the works will be seen here after their sixyear-long restoration. Colorful Realm stands as the most dynamic and comprehensive— yet meditative and distilled—expression of the natural world in all of Japanese art. It will be installed with Jakuchū’s Śākyamuni Triptych (The Buddha Śākyamuni, Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra) and other related works. For details see www.nga.gov. • Saturday, March 31, 8:30am-3:30pm Lahr Native Plant Symposium: Native Plants: Inspiring New Directions The 26th annual Lahr Symposium explores the work of landscape architects, authors, and gardeners who were inspired by native plants to change their career paths to pursue unique callings. From journalist turned naturalist to researcher turned native fruit aficionado, these individuals explain how native plants have influenced their work. Learn how native plants can foster creativity in the garden and inspire new insights into nature and landscape design. Registration fee includes lunch and early access to the Native Plant Sale. Fee: $89 ($71 FONA) Registration required. For complete program details, including a map and directions, see the Lahr Symposium brochure or call 202245-4523. Note: This year the symposium will be held at the Beltsville Area Research Center at 1033 Baltimore Blvd, Beltsville, MD. • Saturday, March 31, 9:30am–12:30pm Rain Gardens for Homeowners. Rain gardens, also known as bioretention areas, are attractive landscape features that allow rain water and snow melt to infiltrate into the ground. A layer of mulch and plants intercept water running off streets, driveways, and rooftops, slowing its flow

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ March 16 - April 15, 2012 and removing pollutants before the water reaches local streams, the Occoquan River and the Potomac River, drinking water supplies for the region. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St. Arlington, VA. To register, please email Aileen Winquist at awinquist@arlingtonva.us • Wednesday, April 4, 1-3pm Cherry Blossom Tea Celebrate the return of cherry blossoms to Tudor Place! This traditional tea includes tea sandwiches, scones, delicious desserts, and Japanese tea blends. After the tea join docents for a relaxing stroll through Tudor Place’s beautiful 5 ½ acre gardens in Georgetown, Washington, DC. (Recommended for adults, teens and mature tweens.) Also offered on April 11. Go to tudorplace.org for more details and to register. • Thursday April 12 – Saturday, April 14 AHS Spring Garden Market The American Horticultural Society (AHS) will host its Spring Garden Market this April at its River Farm headquarters in Alexandria, VA. Vendors from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region will be selling a wide variety of plants—including natives, annuals, perennials, shrubs, herbs, and vegetables—as well as garden supplies and unique garden art. There also will be a raffle and other special promotions. The event is open to the public on Friday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. AHS members-only preview night is Thursday, April 12 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., during which members get first choice of the available plants and products. In addition to shopping, visitors are welcome to stroll around River Farm’s 25-acre grounds, which will be in full spring bloom with thousands of bulbs, flowering trees, and shrubs. On the lower level of the estate house, an exhibit of paintings inspired by the natural world by local artist Mark Dorman will be on display. Admission to the Spring Garden Market is free to everyone. Parking is free for AHS members and $5 for non-members, with the option to apply the fee towards a membership. AHS members must show a valid membership card or mailing label from the current issue of The American Gardener magazine as proof of membership. Proceeds from the Spring Garden Market support the AHS’s outreach programs and the stewardship of River Farm. For more information, please call 703768-5700 or visit http://www.ahs.org/river_

farm/spring_garden_market.htm. • Friday April 13 – Sunday, April 15 Art Blooms 2012: A Floral Fiesta! The Women’s Committee of the Walters Art Museum presents its 23rd annual Art Blooms. Each spring, Art Blooms enhances the Walters collection with interpretive floral arrangements by over 30 regional garden clubs. This year’s activities will include a lecture and floral demonstration followed by a luncheon, a floral photography workshop, docent tours and a free floral design demonstration. Our pop-up store, ‘The Garden Shed’, featuring gardening and floral items, will also be open for business. Art Blooms provides a spectacular combination of flowers and art! At the Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 Centre Street Special Exhibition Galleries within the exhibition Exploring Art of the Ancient Americas: The John Bourne Collection Gift. Art Blooms is free. During Art Blooms, admission to the special exhibition is also free. • Saturday, April 14, 10am-12noon Gardening in Containers Held at the Duncan Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria, VA. Hosted by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Open to the public and are free. For the most current information about this event, visit the MGNV web site at www.mgnv.org •Saturday, April 14 Tomorrow’s Landscapes: More Birds, Butterflies, & Bees for YOUR Garden In China, fruit trees are hand-pollinated because pesticides have killed off the bees. Hoping to avoid that future, and because we love pumpkins, blueberries, and swallowtails, the Piedmont-Blue Ridge Horticulture Society is partnering with Shenandoah University to present six well-known speakers on the topic of Tomorrow’s Landscapes: More Birds, Butterflies, & Bees for YOUR Garden. The full day conference will be held at the Brandt Student Union at Shenandoah University in Winchester on April 14, 2012. “Each of these speakers is a national expert, and each is particularly good at presenting ideas that resonate with gardeners today,” said Genie Cate, president of the horticulture society. “We want to provide a comprehensive view of plants, tools, and approaches for developing pollinator- and bird-friendly landscapes appropriate to the mid-Atlantic growing conditions.” The conference speakers are:

~ Doug Tallamy, popular speaker and author of Bringing Nature Home ~ Janet Scott Davis, owner of native perennials nursery, Hill House Nursery, in Rappahanock and designer of sustainable landscapes in Virginia ~ Vincent Simeone, director of Planting Fields Arboretum on Long Island and expert on shrubs and trees that thrive in the midAtlantic ~ Jeff Lowenfels, author of Teaming with Microbes about the abundant and largely unknown life in the soil and a very entertaining speaker ~ Jim McCormac is a passionate wildlife expert from Ohio and author of Wild Ohio ~ Stephen Orr, author of Tomorrow’s Garden about how gardeners across the country are looking at landscape in new ways. He is also very busy in him current position as garden editor of Martha Stewart Living. All registration is in advance of the conference. There will be no registration on that day. Cost for the conference is $99 and includes lunch and drinks. For more information and to register, go to www.tomorrowslandscapes.org and if questions remain, contact Genie Cate at info@pbrhs.org.

Still More Event Listings See even more event listings on the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo. com/group/WashingtonGardener/. 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 April 12 for the April 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events taking place from April 16-May 15.

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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

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MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, and Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras) • Brookside’s Phil Normandy MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives 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) • 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 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 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 FALL 2011 • Herb Gardens • Toad Lilies • Sweet Potatoes • Cool Weather Cover Crops

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!

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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.

In Our Next Issue... SPRING 2012 Pollinator Gardens

A DayTrip to Brent & Becky Heath

How to Make a Seed Tape Dealing with Mulberry Weed Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’

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Magazine Excerpt: Heaths and Heathers by Judith Mensh

Heaths (Ericas) and heathers (Callunas) are members of the Ericaceae family. They are evergreen, with bell-like flowers, and share similar cultural needs. It is no surprise that we group them together as the heathers, despite the fact that officially the winter-blooming heathers, the Ericas, are called heaths. The Heaths have needle like leaves in whorls; the Heathers have scale-like leaves, similar to junipers. Winterflowering types are mainly cultivars of Erica carnea or the hybrid Erica x darleyensis, a cross between Winter heath (Erica carnea) and Irish heath (Erica erigena). The flower colors range from white through light pink, into deep pinks, reds, and purples. Foliage types range from gold tinged with red, light yellow, silver and a wide range of greens and bronze/greens. They function as a ground cover as well as a small shrub. They share their love of acid soils with their relatives in the Ericaceae family, the rhododendrons, azalea, and blueberries. Local garden centers carry colorful blooming heathers in the spring, and late fall. The trick is to get them in the ground early, spring or fall, giving them plenty of time to establish before the stressful weather, be it hot or cold, sets in. Keep them conscientiously watered for the first year — that’s year, not week. Once they have established their fibrous root mass, six to eight inches beneath the soil, and provided they are well-mulched with pine fines and/or pine needles, keeping the roots shaded, their watering needs are greatly reduced. The four cardinal rules for success with winter-blooming heaths are: good air circulation, excellent drainage, acid soil (pH range of 4.5-6), and proper sun exposure. This means a good six hours of sun; protection from drying winter winds; and afternoon, dappled shade in hotter areas. The winter-flowering Ericas (Heaths) will accept and the Mediterranean. Only a small group of them find favorable conditions in our area, mainly due to our excessive heat, high humidity, and lack of consistent snow cover. For the local gardener... Want to learn more about growing Heaths and Heathers in our region? Read the rest of this PlantProfile column in the Winter 2011 Early Spring 2012 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. See the subscription information below.

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WashingtonGardener is the gardening magazine published speciﬁcally for Washington DC and its MD and VA suburbs — zones 6-7. Come grow with us! The cover price is $4.99. Our regular annual subscription rate (for 4 issues) is $20 for home-delivery of a year of great garden articles! Name _____________________________________ Email address_______________________________ Address____________________________________ City _______________________________________ State____________________ Zip_______________ Send a check for $20.00 payable to Washington Gardener magazine along with this form today to: Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910

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