Washington Gardener Enews Jan 2010 by Kathy J

JANUARY 2010 Welcome to the Washington Gardener Enewsletter! This enewsletter is the free sister publication of Washington Gardener Magazine. Both the magazine and enewsletter share the same mission and focus — helping DC-MD-VA region gardens grow — but our content is different. In this monthly enewsletter, we will: address timely seasonal topics and projects; post local garden events; and, include a monthly reminder 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. Without your support, we cannot continue publishing this enewsletter. Our magazine subscription information is on page 10 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 this free enewsletter as well using the form on page 10 of this enewsletter to subscribe to our print magazine. You can also connect with Washington Gardener online at: • Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington GardenerDiscussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Web Site: www.washingtongardener.com Sincerely, Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener Magazine

Reader Contest

For our January 2010 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away 3 prize of one egg-carton-full of organic, locally sourced EcoTulip bulbs. These are pre-cooled ‘Lalibela’ tulips. They are hot red in color and are ready for forcing. You can pot them up immediately and have blooms by the end of February or early March. Organic tulip bulbs are unique. Of the 25,000 acres of tulips grown each year in Holland, there are only 25 acres being used to grow organic. This means no synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are used which benefits the soil, farm employees, and their customers. Find out more at www.EcoTulip.com. To enter to win one of the 3 egg-cartons of EcoTulip bulbs, send an email with “EcoTulip” in the subject line to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on Monday, January 25. In the body of the email please include your full name, email, and mailing address. The pass winners will be announced and notified by January 26.

Current Issue

Our Winter issue cover story is on Garden Thugs. I had a great time researching and writing this one. I’m hearing from a bunch of folks who are enjoying the features including a profile of Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of The City of Trees. What City, you might ask? Why Washington, DC, of course! Also in this issue are Unusual Edibles by Cindy Brown. From Cardoon to Chinese Okra, she shares her tips on how to grow these exotics here in the MidAtlantic and even throws in a tasty Bok Choy recipe to tempt you into stretching your garden palate. Then we take a day trip out to Riversdale House in Riverdale Park, MD. No, that extra “s” is not a typo, there were multiple nearby rivers when this Federal-era estate was built near the PG County-Washington, DC border. Tucked into that daytrip article is a side-bar on Winter Cover Crops for our area. Sarah Urdaneta, Riversdale gardener, trialed and tested several and gives her top choices. You’ll also find in this issue: • a plant profile feature on Red Twig Dogwoods • a how-to article on Seed Starting Basics • a short warning piece about newly developing Round-Up Resistant Weeds • 5 New Plant Picks for 2010 • our Insect column focuses on Stopping Mealybugs • a club meeting with the Washington Daffodil Society To subscribe, see the page 10 of this newsletter for a form to mail in or go to our web page and use our PayPal link.

January Garden To-Do List

Spotlight Special

Supertunia® Pretty Much Picasso™ from the Proven Winners plant brand line is a unique flowers sporting violet purple flowers edged in lime green. This vigorous plants is great for mixing in combination with other vigorous plants. Supertunia® Pretty Much Picasso™ was a Top Performer at Longwood Gardens 2009 Trials and a 2009 Top Performing New Varieties Cornell-Long Island. This annual is great in landscapes and in combination planters or by itself. Supertunia® Pretty Much Picasso™ at a glance: • Height 8-12" (Short) • Spacing 12-18" • Trails up to 36 inches • Attracts Butterflies • Attracts Hummingbirds • Deadheading Not Necessary • Drought Tolerant * • Heat Tolerant • Landscape Plant • Pet Friendly • Annual except in zones 10 - 11 • Hardy Temp 30°F (-1°C) • Needs Full sun

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Enews goes out on the 15th of every month and is a free sister publication to Washington Gardener magazine. The ad rate is $250 per issue or $1,000 for five issues. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: washingtongardener@rcn.com. 2

Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for January 16-February 15. Your additions to this list are most welcome: • Prune any dead or diseased wood off your small trees and shrubs. • Plant frost-tolerant trees. • Cut off the flower stalk on your amaryllis once flowers fade. Leave foliage to grow. • Keep poinsettias in a well-lit area - but out of direct sun and away from drafts. • Buy a few new house plants. • Fertilize only your winter-blooming house plants – such as Violets. • Give your house plants a quarter turn every few weeks. • Build a compost bin. • Repair your shed and repair/paint your fences. • Clean out your cold frame. • Collect large plastic soda bottles to use as cloches*. • Clean and refill bird feeders. • Wash and refill the birdbath or set out a shallow bowl of water in icy weather. • Check on stored bulbs and seeds. Discard any that have rotted. • Buy seeds and order plants from the new garden catalogs. • Prune summer bloomers such as hydrangeas, rose-of-sharon, crepe myrtles, and butterfly bushes. • Till and add organic matter to annual/vegetable beds. • Weed – especially look for fast-growing vines such as honeysuckle, autumn clematis, bittersweet, wild grape, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy. • Place a floating ball or a small plastic soda bottle filled two-thirds full with water and a tablespoon of salt in your pond to stop it entirely icing over especially if you have fish. When ice has formed, remove the ball/bottle by pouring hot water on it. • Insulate outdoor containers by wrapping with bubble wrap or landscape fabric. • Check that newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials have not been heaved out of the ground due to freezing and thawing cycles. • Take hardwood cuttings from willow and dogwood to propagate them. • Look for evidence of pest or fungal damage throughout your garden. • Clean out your greenhouse and wash those windows. • Set out your live potted evergreens from holiday decorating in a protected outdoor space to harden them off in advance of their planting. • If we do get more snow in the DC area, gently dislodge snow from trees and shrubs with a broom to prevent damage to branches. • Start hardy herbs, onions, cabbage, pansies, and perennials. • Clean and tidy up pots and seed trays to a get good start in February. • Use leftover holiday greens and cut up tree branches to mulch beds and create wind-breaks. • Do not step on frozen soil in flower beds or lawns. • Keep all houseplants out of drafts and away from heat vents. • Use de-icer sparingly or use a nonchemical substitute such as sand, grit, or kitty litter. • Volunteer at a local public or historic garden. • Paint a few terra cotta pots in spring-like colors. • Pot-up any leftover bulbs that did not make it into the ground by now and force them for indoor blooms. • Have a wonderful 2010 growing season! *A cloche is a clear, bell-shaped cover used to protect tender plants from frost.

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Winter Tree ID Walk Opens My Eyes • MANTS Overboard! • My Garden World Report Debut • Hollies - Born, Bred and Raised in Maryland • Signs of Life on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day See more Washington Gardener Blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

4TH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST

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

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Each entrant is limited to a total of 10 images. Each electronic file must be identified with your name and phone number. All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared in the viewfinder. Nothing should be added to an image and, aside from dust spots, nothing should be removed. Cropping and minor adjustments to electronic images to convert RAW files are acceptable. If an image is selected as a finalist, a high-resolution digital file might be required prior before finalizing our contest results. Digitally captured images should be taken at the camera’s highest resolution (3 megapixels or larger). For preliminary judging, digital files must be submitted in JPEG format sized to 1,000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi. If photos are taken with a film camera, they must be scanned in and submitted in JPEG format sized to 1,000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi. Before sending us your CD-ROMs, verify their integrity by making sure they

are readable and not damaged. We reserve the right to disqualify any disk that is unreadable or defective. Please check your CDs with the latest virus detection software. We will disqualify any disk that may contain a virus or a suspicious file. Label each CD and case with your full name. We strongly suggest mailing CDs in a protective case. We are not responsible for disks damaged during shipping. No CDs will be returned but they can be picked up after judging. Send your entries and entry fee to: Washington Gardener Photo Contest, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. Mailed entries must be received by January 22, 2010. Contest entries can also be submitted via email to DCGardenPhotos@aol. com. Use the subject line “WG Photo Contest” and include an entry form for each image in your email’s text field. You can print out blank entry forms from www.WashingtonGardener.com. We will verify all entry receipts so please ensure your email address is included on all items. Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other photographer, landowner, or other person. Photos involving willful harassment of wildlife or destruction of any property are unacceptable. The entrant must have personally taken the photo. By entering, you state this is your work and is free of copyright elsewhere. Failure to comply with any contest guidelines will lead to disqualification.

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

CATEGORIES

Each entrant is limited to a total of 10

images. You may submit a few in each category or submit all 10 in one category. Photo must have been taken during the 2009 calendar year in a garden located within a 150-mile radius of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. • Garden Views: Beautiful, dramatic, or unusual perspectives of a garden landscape, including wide shots showing the setting. Subject can be a private or public garden. • Garden Vignettes: Groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color or texture combinations, garden focal points, and still scenes. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden. • Small Wonders: Tight close-up images or macro shots of single flowers, plant parts, fruits, vegetables, etc. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden. • Garden Creatures: Images of insects, birds, frogs, domestic pets, etc. in a private or public garden setting.

PRIZES

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

WINNERS’ OBLIGATION

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

CONTEST ENTRY FEE

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

DEADLINE

Entries are due by January 22, 2010.

QUESTIONS?

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

Viburnum Leaf Beetle: The Next Horticultural Disaster? By Chris Coen

A burgeoning menace — a tiny brown beetle, Pyrrhalta viburni, also known as the viburnum leaf beetle — is moving southward, consuming and destroying both native and imported varieties of viburnums as it advances. Cornell University has been studying this invader, monitoring its behavior and serving as a clearinghouse for information on dealing with the infestation. You can find their web page here: www.hort.cornell.edu/ vlb/, including photos of the beetles, larvae, and eggs. The beetle, a European native which appears to have been accidentally introduced to North America through Canada, was first encountered in Maine in 1994 and in New York, along the shores of Lake Ontario, in 1996. Its larvae infest and skeletonize susceptible plants before pupating in the soil and then arising in midsummer to begin the cycle over again. Subsequent infestations weaken the plants until eventually they die. Females lay eggs in tiny holes drilled along the twigs of the host plants, leaving identifiable scars which we in the Virginia nursery and landscape trades should familiarize ourselves with, as the most recent data indicates the beetle has spread as far southward as Harrisburg, PA, and parts of New Jersey. What can you do to help stop the spread of this pest? First, know what an infestation looks like. The beetles and their larvae are very small, about one-quarter-inch long, but tend to be found in large numbers. The eggs are best spotted when the plants are leafless, in the fall and winter; look for matchhead-sized brown caps studding the undersides of young twigs. A photo of the egg cases, courtesy of Christopher Tracey is at the top, left on this page. When the larvae are feeding, you will see skeletonized leaves, often with holes that cross leaf veins but leave the veins themselves intact. See photos at the Cornell site cited above and the photo at the bottom of the opposite page here, courtesy of Jennifer Schlick. You can post on Cornell’s blog about any beetles you do encounter: http://blogs.cornell.edu/hort/2009/05/22/viburnum-leafbeetle-invading-nyc/#respond. There’s also a time-lapse video of the larvae foraging on that blog. Based on feedback from professionals and homeowners, the beetle can be controlled in several ways. If you spot egg cases on viburnum twigs, you can prune out those twigs and destroy them; Dr. Weston confirms this as the most effective means of control, although it is somewhat labor intensive; sharpen up those pruning shears! Additionally, early season use of high concentrations (4%) of horticultural oil before the plants leaf out and use of insecticidal soaps on recently hatched larvae, especially during dry periods, have proven very effective. Weston reports a 75-80% reduction in egg hatch following use of horticultural oil applied to egg-infested twigs two weeks before expected egg hatch. Both methods avoid harm to beneficial insects which prey on the viburnum leaf beetle, specifically, larvae and adults of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, larvae of lacewings, and spined soldier bugs (all of which are commercially available for application). Because the larvae crawl down the trunk to the soil (rather than simply falling off the shrub) when they are ready to pupate, use of sticky traps to catch them may also prove effective. Landscape professionals have additional weapons in their arsenal. Many insecticides are registered for use against the larvae. Dr. Weston suggests soil-applied imidacloprid as “by far the best control with fairly minimal environmental impact (since the insecticide is confined to the soil surrounding the plant);” be certain to contact a licensed professional to first identify the larvae and then develop a treatment plan. Probably the most important means of control available to homeowners, however, is the careful selection of viburnum species in home landscapes. If you are choosing plants for your own garden, study the list at right and select those most likely to be resistant, or ask your landscape designer to include those species. If you want to include the more susceptible species, make a point of examining the plants more frequently, especially when the larvae are likely to be active, to catch any infestation before it has a chance to destroy your plants. While the beetle has not yet been identified in our immediate area, the infestation is rapidly working its way southward. The beetle has already been documented throughout New England and in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and has recently been identified in Washington State. There is indication that the beetle’s southward spread may be limited by warm winter weather, as the eggs require a prolonged chilling period, but most of Virginia provides the necessary chilling temperatures. Let’s all be vigilant and work together to slow, if not halt, the spread of this voracious beetle!

Resources:

• The Impact of Viburnum Leaf Beetle on Native Arrowwood, Weston, Paul and Victoria Nuzzo, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, September 2008. • Viburnum Leaf Beetle: Biology, Invasion History in North America, and Treatment Options, Weston, Paul, Gaylord Desurmont, and E. Richard Hoebeke, American Entomologist, Summer 2007. • Web page on the viburnum leaf beetle maintained by the National Agricultural Pest Information System, including a current map of the known distribution of the beetle: http://pest.ceris.purdue.edu/searchpest.php?selectName=INAMGUA • Close-up photo of the egg cases of viburnum beetles: http://www.dkbdigitaldesigns.com/galleryweeklyreport/Images/pyrrhalta_viburnicola_eggs.jpg • An excellent PDF-based poster with photos of the beetle and its larvae: http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/caps/pdf/VLB%20Poster%2008.pdf • Web page managed by University of Florida’s Dept. of Entomology and Nematology, summarizing scientific data on the beetle and its spread. This particular page has a detailed bibliography for those inclined to further research: http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/beetles/viburnum_leaf_beetle.htm • More photos of the beetle and its infestations, courtesy of Flickr user gnosticgardener: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewritegardener/3574365044/in/set72157618925633384/

Chris Coen is a VSLD certified landscape designer. Nature’s Palette is located in Glen Allen, VA. She can be reached at clarentine@gmail.com. 4

Beetle-Resistant Viburnum Species

Viburnum species known to be susceptible to the beetle include the following, divided into degree of susceptibility according to data collected by entomologist Dr. Paul Weston, formerly of Cornell University, and his staff:

Very susceptible:

— V. dentatum, Arrowwood viburnum — V. nudum, Possomhaw or smooth witherod viburnum — V. opulus, European cranberrybush viburnum — V. opulus var. americana, formerly V. trilobum, American cranberrybush viburnum — V. propinquum, Chinese or Taiwanese viburnum — V. rafinesquianum, Rafinesque viburnum

Susceptible:

— V. acerifolium, mapleleaf viburnum — V. lantana, wayfaringtree viburnum — V. rufidulum, rusty or southern blackhaw — V. sargentii, Sargent viburnum — V. wrightii, Wright viburnum

Moderately susceptible:

— V. alnifolium (V. lantanoides), hobblebush — V. burkwoodii, Burkwood viburnum — V. x carlcephalum, Carlcephalum viburnum — V. cassinoides, witherod viburnum — V. dilatatum, linden viburnum — V. farreri, fragrant viburnum (except ‘Nanum’, which is highly susceptible) — V. lentago, nannyberry viburnum — V. macrocephalum, Chinese snowball viburnum — V. x pragense, Prague viburnum — V. prunifolium, blackhaw viburnum — V. x rhytidophylloides, lantanaphyllum viburnum — V. tinus, laurustinus viburnum

Mostly resistant:

— V. bodnantense, dawn viburnum — V. carlesii, Koreanspice viburnum — V. davidii, David viburnum — V. x juddii, Judd viburnum — V. plicatum and V. plicatum var. tomentosum, doublefile viburnum — V. rhytidophyllum, leatherleaf viburnum — V. setigerum, tea viburnum — V. sieboldii, Siebold viburnum Source: www.hort.cornell.edu/vlb/suscept.html

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the greater DC region. Call 301.588.6894 or email wgardenermag@aol.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

In Our Next Issue of Our Print Magazine... SPRING 2010 Community Gardens Our 5th Anniversary!

A Stunning Before & After Comprehensive Article Index

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by February 15 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication! oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Be sure you are subscribed to:

See page 10 for full subscription details.

DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events November 16-December 15, 2009 Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Avenue Wheaton, MD 20902 301.962.1400 www.brooksidegardens.org

Green Spring Gardens 4603 Green Spring Road Alexandria, Virginia 22312 703.642.5173 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/

• January 16 through April 11; 10:00am5:00pm dailly Conservatory Spring Display: Spring Zing Visit a place apart and enjoy a world of color and fragrance in the Spring Conservatory. Many tropical plants flower early in the season like the Birds of Paradise, Strelitzia nicolai, and S. reginae; Indian Hawthorn, Rhaphiolepis indica; Begonias, Bromeliads, and orchids. Snapdragons and violas join fragrant florists’ stock, freesia, and sweet peas in a display reminiscent of an early spring garden. Enjoy the lush and lovely plantings and be reminded that winter will melt into spring. Brookside Gardens Conservatory. FREE

• Sunday, January 17, 1:30-3pm What’s New in Woody Plants? Richard Olsen, a research geneticist and lead scientist for the urban tree breeding program at the U.S. National Arboretum presents both his researcher’s view and personal view of what woody plants we should be growing in our gardens. $10.

• Saturday, February 6, 10-11:30am How Does Your Garden Grow? Programs for Community Gardeners series Planting schedules, varieties, and growing from seed by Cindy Brown, Assistant Director, Green Spring Gardens. FREE

• Sunday, January 31, 1:30-3pm Mysteries of Orchid Pollination Tom Mirenda, Smithsonian Horticulturalist, demystifies orchid pollination. From mating deceptions to pseudo-copulation, Tom will describe how these beguiling plants manage to “have their way” with insects, birds and man, too. $10.

• Saturday, February 13, 10-11:30am Benefits of Compost and Compost Tea Programs for Community Gardeners series – by Patrick Harwood, Compost manager, Montgomery County Parks, FREE

Casey Trees

1123 11th Street NW, Ste. 3 Washington, DC 202.833.4010 www.caseytrees.org • Saturday, January 30, 10:00 am12:00noon Trees as Sculpture: Winter Identification Tree Walk Winter gives us a chance to uncover and discover the sculptural qualities of shade trees. Learn the basics of winter tree identification. We will start at the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden, where Roxy Raine’s stainless steel sculpture tree, “Graft,” has been installed, and follow Pennsylvania Avenue to Lafayette Park. Location: National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and Ice Rink, 7th Street NW Entrance FREE For questions, call 202.349.1907 or email cherwig@caseytrees.org.

• Sunday, January 24, 1:30-3pm Wildflowers in Africa: Adventures in Compiling the First Wildflower Guide for Zambia Come along on an adventure with artist, Doreen Bolnick, as she shares stories about the plants and her time in Zambia. $10.

• Sunday, February 14, 1:30-3pm Africans and Native Americans in Virginia: Culinary Connections and Historic Foodways Michael Twitty, culinary historian and interpretive educator, takes us on a journey as he discusses the culinary connections and historic foodways of Africans and Native Americans in Virginia. $10.

Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society

Meets monthly at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA. www.vnps.org and www.vnps-pot.org • Thursday, February 11, 7:30pm The Plight of the American Chestnut A century ago, 24 percent of the trees in the Virginia Piedmont were American chestnut. So valuable was the tree to the economy and ecology of Virginia that when the chestnut blight wiped them out, scientists, politicians, and foresters threw themselves into trying to find a cure. Now we are on the verge of the cure. Cathy Mayes, President of the Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation presents a slide lecture on the role of the chestnut before the blight, the state of chestnut science today, and how citizen scientists can participate in the recovery. FREE

Potomac Valley Rock Garden Society (PVC NARGS)

Meetings held at Washington DC-area public gardens. www.pvcnargs.org • Saturday January 23, 9:30am, coffee; 10:00am presentation Made for the Shade Walt Cullerton leads a visual tour of shade gardens throughout the eastern U.S. Location: Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. FREE

Silver Spring Garden Club

Meetings held on the third Monday of most months at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silverspringgardenclub/ • Monday, January 18, 8:00pm Gardening for Wildlife Sheila Emond’s presentation on Gardening for Wildlife will provide information on natural methods of improving the habitat in suburban back yards in order to attract desirable wildlife. Topics will include using native plants to attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects, supplemental feeding, and features in addition to food such as water, shelter and nesting sites. Preferences of local summer and winter birds will be presented, as well as ways to assist migrating birds. A few bird-feeding myths will be busted! The urgency of reducing chemical fertilizers and pesticides will be discussed, along with suggestions on how to incorporate organic methods. There will be information on how to reduce common dangers to birds, such as predators and window strikes. Pest reduction techniques for squirrels, deer, and other common critters will be included. A list of resources for further study will be provided. FREE

Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Museum Store, Ground Floor 10th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W. Washington, DC www.mnh.si.edu • President’s Day, Monday February 15, 2-4pm Book signing in the Museum Store: “The Weeping Goldsmith” Dr. W. John Kress, author, curator and research scientist, Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History Adventurous travel and discovery of rare, beautiful and scientifically unknown plants in the little-known country of Myanmar (also known as Burma) are the cornerstones of a new popular press book featuring more than 200 color photographs of

DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events November 16-December 15, 2009 exotic plants, landscapes and Buddhist temples. “The Weeping Goldsmith,” written and featuring photographs by W. John Kress, curator and research scientist in the Department of Botany at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, highlights the people and culture of Myanmar through his understanding of their country’s flora, natural habitats and human-dominated environments. In his extensive travels spanning a period of more than 30 years, Kress included study of several plant species not researched since their discovery more than a century ago. Among his many finds was “the weeping goldsmith,” a ginger flower and the namesake of his book. Legend has it that the local goldsmiths were brought to tears by the blossom because their creations paled in comparison to its beauty. “The weeping goldsmith was one of the most beautiful flowers I found in Myanmar, yet it had never been scientifically described,” said Kress. “This country, which has been neglected by outsiders for so long, is a lovely land with a rich history and culture as well as a unique and vast biodiversity.”

United States Botanic Garden Conservatory (USBG) 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 202.225.8333 www.usbg.gov

• Friday, January 29, 6:30-8:00pm Exploring for Orchids in Brazil’s Mata Atlantica Forests Nina Rach, orchid expert and curator of USBG orchid stamp exhibit The Brazilian Atlantic forest (Mata Atlantica) is one of the richest orchid habitats in the world, and is fast disappearing. Cleared for wood timber operations for 150 years and more recently, for ethanol production from sugarcane, the Mata Atlantica has lost 93 percent of its original size. Ms. Rach has visited the Mata Atlantica, where she has observed Brassavola, Chytroglossa, Cleistes, Epidendrum, Grobya, Oceoclades, Promenaea, Sophronitis, Vanilla, Zygopetalum orchids, and others. An orchid grower for 38 years, Ms. Rach has also collected orchid stamps for much of that time. She is an accredited American Orchid Society judge, has exhibited at orchid shows in the South and on the East Coast, and has won both the American Orchid Society and Orchid Digest show trophies several times. She has lectured widely on orchids and orchid stamps and served as president of the Houston Orchid Society. FREE

• Thursdays, February 4, 11, 18, 25, March 4 and 11, 6:30-9:00pm Landscape Design for Homeowners Cheryl Corson, Landscape Architect Whether you’ve lived in your home for decades or just a few years, it’s beneficial to examine your landscape periodically and see how it could better meet your needs and help to heal the environment. This class will help you identify and plan landscape improvements, including native plants to attract birds and butterflies, edibles, rainwater harvesting, and pervious pavement options. This class will also teach you how to integrate planting and paving to improve circulation and create beautiful outdoor spaces. You will learn how to create an accurate scale drawing of your property, and how to implement your project in phases to suit your budget. There will be informative slide lectures, handouts and plenty of time for your questions. USBG Friends: $175; Nonmembers: $190. Pre-registration required. • Saturday, February 13, 10:30-11:30am OR 1:00-2:00pm Plants in American History from Columbus to the Turn of the Century Todd Brethauer, USBG Volunteer From the lure of Indian spices that led to Columbus landing in the New World to the use of corn as food and fuel, plants always have been intertwined with American history. Walk through the Conservatory with Mr. Brethauer as he shares stories about USBG plants and their roles in American history. Please note: This tour will be offered twice. Please register for only one time slot. FREE Sunday, February 14, 5:30-6:30pm Romance of the Floral Kind Christine Flanagan, USBG Manager of Public Programs Begin your special Valentine’s Day evening with a guided walk through the romantic glow of the Conservatory at night. Hidden among the plants we’ll find blushing tales of courtship, deception, and mating rituals. A special Valentine’s Day gift will await participants at the end of the tour. Couples: $20; Singles: $10 Pre-registration required

US National Arboretum 3501 New York Avenue, NE Washington, D. C. 20002-1958 202.245.2726 www.usna.usda.gov

• Saturday February 6, 1:00-3:00pm Conifers: Where in the World Did That Come From? Talk and Tour Auditorium and Grounds Some gardeners see the more outlandish conifers and wonder where they could possibly have come from. They might be surprised to learn that some of them are from

their own backyard. Take a tour of the Gotelli Collection of Dwarf and Slow-Growing Conifers with the arboretum’s conifer expert who will focus on the origins of these plants and emphasize those that are native to North America. She will also visit some wild-collected plants and discuss their origins, pointing out those that are particularly well adapted to our area. Rain date February 7. Fee: $12 ($10 FONA) Registration required.

Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchange

The Fifth Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange, hosted by Washington Gardener Magazine, takes place on January 30, 2010 at the Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD AND at Green Spring Gardens in Fairfax, VA. This year you have a choice on which side of the beltway you want to attend! Seed Exchange attendees trade seeds, exchange planting tips, hear expert speakers, and collect goody bags full of gardening treats. The featured speakers at Brookside Gardens are Barbara Melera of D. Landreth Seeds and Michael Twitty of Afro-Foodways. The featured speakers at Green Spring Gardens are Cindy Brown, Green Spring’s head kitchen gardener, and Janet Draper of the Smithsonian’s Ripley Garden. Registrations are streaming in now and we expect a sell-out of both locations. We urge you to pre-register to guarantee yourself a spot. The event also includes such “green” features as the garden book and catalog swap. Participants are encouraged to bring their gently used garden books and mailorder garden catalogs to trade with each other. Any leftover publications at the end of the swap are donated to the National Agriculture Library in Beltsville, MD. Subscribers to Washington Gardener Magazine receive a $5 discount off the admission to the Washington Gardener Seed Exchange. Se pages 8-9 for a registration form and more details.

Event Listing Notes

For even more area garden event notices than we can’t possibly squeeze in here, become a member of our free online discussion group. To join the email list serv, just send an email to: WashingtonGardener-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. To submit an event for this listing, please contact: Wgardenermag@aol.com and put “Event” in the email subject head. PLEASE NO ATTACHMENTS! Our next deadline is February 12 for the February 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events from February 16-March 15.

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

5th Annual Washington Gardener

Seed Exchange on Saturday, January 30, 2010 National Seed Swap Day! from 12:30 – 4:00PM

at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD OR Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA Full details inside this issue and online at www.WashingtonGardener.com.

Registration is now open at www.washingtongardener.com.

Space is limited, so act today! Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers get $5 off the $15 attendee fee! 8

Overview

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

When

On Saturday, January 30, 2010 from 12:30 – 4:00PM

(Foul weather that day? Call 240.603.1461, for updates about possible snow/ice delay.)

Where

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

How To Register

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

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

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

Washington Gardener Magazine’s 5th Annual

Seed Exchange Details

If You Have Seeds to Bring and Swap

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

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

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

Education Program

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

Schedule

What Types of Seeds?

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

How Do We Swap?

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

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

Door Prizes! Goodie Bags!

Each attendee will receive a goodie bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners. If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goodie bags and door prizes, please contact Kathy Jentz at 301.588.6894 by January 25.

5th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange Registration Form

Please ﬁll out this form and mail with your check/money order by January 21 to: Washington Gardener Magazine, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring MD 20910

Name:____________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address:____________________________________________________________________________ Email:____________________________________________________________________________________ Seed Exchange Location ~ MUST CHOOSE ONE:  Brookside Gardens  Green Spring Gardens (We will only use your email address for Seed Exchange notices and will never share them with anyone else.) Seed Exchange Attendee Fee: $15.00 __________ Discount (if eligible*): -$5.00 __________ Optional: Washington Gardener Magazine Annual Subscription: $20.00 __________ TOTAL_____________ *The following group members are eligible to pay the discount attendee rate of $10.00, please CIRCLE if one applies to you: • Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers • Friends of Brookside Gardens • Friends of Green Spring Gardens WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2010 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

Magazine Excerpt: Stretching Your Green Thumb by Cindy Brown

It is catalog time and gardeners everywhere are thumbing through the pages, trying to decide what seeds will earn a spot in next year’s lineup. Stacks of dog-eared catalogs with folded corners are heaped on kitchen tables, piled beside beds and wedged in car passenger seats waiting to be opened and studied. Slathered across glossy pages, the saturated colors and glowing adjectives beg, “Pick me! Pick me! I am tasty and productive and I will help you earn the respect and admiration of all the gardeners in the land.” With so many choices available, it is hard to decide what to add to the shopping cart. Should we play it safe and choose the same variety of vegetables year after year? Snoozeville. Searching for the best variety of our favorite vegetables is one of the reasons we clutter our abodes and endure paper cuts. Which tomato grows best in containers? Is there a pepper just like the one savored in the Sausalito salsa? Will any of the corn varieties ever be as flavorful as the one we devoured on the swing, when our feet dangled three inches from the porch floor? Finding the perfect variety is important, but there should be more to your studious search than just the “variety show.” Dig a bit deeper in the catalogs and look for unusual vegetables to expand your repertoire and help you grow as a kitchen gardener. Cultivating a summer garden is a given for vegetable aficionados; tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini are the first crops to entice new trowel holders to get their knees dirty. As glorious as it is, summer is only one season. Break out of the rut; stretch the fun on either side of the sultry months. When perusing the catalog pages, look for vegetables that thrive in cooler weather. Spring and fall temperatures are a bit nippier than June, July, and August, but many vegetables flourish when mercury levels fall below 50°F degrees. Extending your growing season is a good way to add some unusual vegetables to your garden. With pages and pages of the catalogs devoted to top-selling vegetables, you may be tempted to grow multiple varieties of the same type of vegetable. Growing 13 different lettuces will add subtle changes to your salads... Want to learn more about unusual vegetables, the best varieties for our area, and their growing needs? Read the rest of this EdibleHarvest column in the Winter 2009 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine.

Washington Gardener Magazine Subscription Form If you are a DC-area gardener, you’ll love Washington Gardener ! The magazine is written entirely by local area

gardeners for local area gardeners. They have real-world experience with the same problems you experience in your own gardens from drought-resistant plants to dealing with deer.



YOUR local area gardening magazine! Gardening tips that apply speciﬁcally to your climate and weather zone.

Subscribe to WashingtonGardener magazine today!

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

www.WashingtonGardener.com 10

4th Annual Washington Gardener Philadelphia Flower Show Tour Organized by Garden Tours Wednesday, March 3, 2010, 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 2010 is “Passport to the World.” Join us for an exotic journey to dozens of destinations around the globe. Stroll through Showcase Gardens transporting visitors to an elaborate Indian wedding, a blooming Dutch street scene, the natural and tribal wonders of South Africa, the Amazon jungle of Brazil, the botanical gardens of Singapore, and the rugged beauty of New Zealand. Participate in the Lectures and Demonstrations series, Gardener’s Studio, AllStar Culinary Presentations and daily entertainment performances. First-time and returning riders will enjoy the extra details of our coach ride. We are looking forward to seeing you! Schedule for the day: • 10:00AM coach leaves Silver Spring Metro 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 Silver Spring Metro 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 8. Convenient drop-off and pick-up at Silver Spring and Dunn Loring Metros* 9. Lively show and garden discussions led by Washington Gardener’s Kathy Jentz 10. Surprises and prizes.

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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 _______________________________________________________

$90.00 each or $85.00 each for Washington Gardener subscribers

Check/money order #_______ ~ Please make payable to “Cheval’s 2nd Act” Send this registration form along with your payment to: Garden Tours, 8000 N Park St, Dunn Loring, VA 22027

Registration deadline: March 1, 2010

Full refund if canceled by February 5. $40 refunded until February 26. No refunds after February 28.

Questions? Cheval Opp at 703.395.1501 Gardentours@gmail.com www.WashingtonGardener.com

arden Gtours

Brought to you by:

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. 12