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The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation,
physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.
LOOSELEAF | JUNE 2018
A Publication of the University of Maryland Extension Howard County Master Gardeners
3300 North Ridge Road, Suite 240 | Ellicott City, MD 21043 410)313-2707 | FAX (410)313-2712
http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg/locations/howard-county-master-gardeners
Our MG activities are clearly in view making the next few months very busy. I urge you to attend the 4th annual MG Day at The Enchanted Garden at Miller Branch library. It’s scheduled for June 30 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity to talk with Howard County residents about vegetable gardening, native plants, composting, and pollinator gardens. Do keep in mind the Howard County Fair, scheduled for August 4 through 11. It is always a fun event and a chance to chat about the MG program as well as many gardening activities. Be sure to volunteer for a shift or two at the MG table-top display.
I am finding that in addition to the MG on-going programs, such as AMG and OEOH, I am receiving requests for special programs that need MG guidance, supervision and consultation concerning school and public gardens. Our program is very visible throughout Howard County.
The third Easy Gardening workshop collaboration with Transition Howard County was held May 12 in Elkridge. There is a follow-up survey planned for early next year. Based on conversations with some attendees, the content of the talks and handouts was very helpful. A quick review of evaluations submitted after the session: soil testing needs to be encouraged, there’s a keen interest in container gardening, and plant selection for specific conditions such as wet/dry locations is an issue for some.
That workshop was the same weekend of the MG plant sale to support Whipps, which was another success despite a bit of rain one evening! Congratulations to all who assisted with the plant sale. It’s a major under-taking, indeed.
Please keep that in mind as the season progresses to take some photographs of your activities that can be incorporated into our public presentations.
Georgia
Georgia Eacker MG Coordinator
INSIDE —
2 Calendar / Continuing Education
3 Grow It Eat It News
4 Mt Pleasant
5 Bad Bugs: Viburnum Leaf Beetle
6 Deer Resistant Garden Tour
7 Latin for Gardeners: foamflower
8 The Enchanted Garden
9 Book Review: Homegrown Tea
FROM GEORGIA'S DESK …
Terry Priest CC BY-SA 2.0
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 2
MG Calendar for June
Here’s all that’s going on this month
Go to the calendar on the Howard
County MG page on the Extension
website. Click on the event you’re
interested in and you’ll find times,
locations, and contact info. It’s a
simple way to look for volunteer
opportunities and the monthly con-
tinuing education sessions.
Click here for a direct link to the calendar. View the MG electronic calendar in your preferred format: Month, Week or Agenda. June
4 Bay-wise meeting at UME
12 Continuing Education
20 LooseLeaf deadline
26 Conservation Stewardship at
MPEA
2018 Continuing Education Speaker Series
MGs, Watershed Stewards, Master Naturalists and their guests are welcome to attend. All sessions will be held on Tuesdays at the UME office, except for the field trip on September 11.
Check the MGelectronic calendar for updates.
For questions, contact: Karin DeLaitsch [email protected]; or, Joanna Cumbie [email protected] June 12
9:30 - 11:00 am
Invasives
Judy Fulton, MG
Learn how to identify and control invasive species and why they are a threat to our environment
September 11
9:30 - 11:00 am
Scavenger Hunt at The How-ard County Conservancy
Join us for a scavenger hunt at The Con-servancy prior to the annual MG meeting/luncheon
October 9
9:30 - 11:00 am
Gardening and Climate Change / Climate Change and Its Implications
Sylvia Huestis, MG and Carolyn Cradler, MG
November 13
9:30 - 11:00 am
TBD
Coming to a display case near you….
Two of our Bay-Wise Master Gardeners have taken a creative approach to
informing the residents of Howard County of the plight of the monarch
butterfly. The library display created for Glenwood Library combines the artistic
talent of Nancy Lemich and the passion of Sherry Conklin to draw visitors in to
read about the Life cycle of the monarch and suggest ways we can adapt our
gardens to be more butterfly-friendly.
Butterflies and caterpillars perch on milkweed. The chrysalids, carved from cork,
are so realistic the librarian wanted assurances that “no butterflies were harmed”
in the making of this display. If you missed the exhibit in May at Glenwood, it is
scheduled for a return engagement at the Miller Library in August.
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 3
The past month, members of the GIEI team were at Howard County Community College talking to the
Women’s Wellness Group about container gardening and planting lettuce boxes with the 12 members of
the group. On Friday, May 11, the team was at Gorman Crossing elementary school talking to the third
grade (150 students) about container gardening and planting snap beans in six inch pots. Team mem-
bers also visited West Side community garden during the month, answering questions on soil testing,
IPM for vegetable pests and proper nutrition for various vegetables. Recommendations for vegetable
fertilization can be found by clicking on this link and then the vegetable of choice or by going to the HGIC
website and searching for vegetable crops.
If you missed Stanton Gill’s (specialist in IPM and Entomology) talk on IPM (now known as Plant Health
Care), you missed a great presentation. Stanton stressed the goal of a biological control program is to
control the pest while having a minimal effect on non-target species. Take-aways were 1) right plant for
the right situation (e.g. river birch likes damp area, dogwoods are edge trees and will benefit from some
shade and lots of organic matter, like found in a forest), and 2) know your plant, what pest might attack it
and the least environmentally intrusive way to deal with the pest (e.g. evergreens and bagworms which
can be treated in the early larval stage mid-June or when degree days reach 547 with Bt or spinosad
while they are feeding). Landscape and Nursery IPM alerts can be found at this link or by searching the
HGIC website for Landscape and Nursery IPM alerts. Lots of very useful information in these alerts.
On Monday, June 25 at 7 pm, I will be at Glenwood library talking about container gardening. While it’s too late to plant peppers, eggplants and tomatoes in containers, it’s early enough to plant beets, carrots, Swiss chard and snap beans. Earlier this spring, I planted a lettuce box and a broccoli five-gallon bucket. I’ve been picking lettuce every night for a fresh salad. The pictures are of current growth as of May 16.
Grow It Eat It News
While the broccoli above hasn’t started to head up yet, in another couple of weeks, it should look
like the one shown below. I’ve also include pictures of vegetables I grown in buckets in past
years. This year’s project is an eggplant bucket, snap beans, beets and carrots in containers. If
you are interested in seeing how these experiments are going, join me at Glenwood Library
Monday, June 25 at 7:00 PM.
Kent Phillips, MG 2009, [email protected]
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 4
Thanks to those of you who donated seedlings and plants, and to Ann Cottle who helped; we had a
successful plant sale during the Mother’s Day Tea.
This past month we finally began a little
harvesting and took our first small produce
donation to the Food Bank. Paul has built
three new enclosures for our herb bed and
squash plants. Now that the recent heavy
rains have finished we should have them
planted by the time you read this news.
With June begins our earlier Friday work
days: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. The earlier
summer hours help beat the heat. Come join
us and see what is growing in the garden.
Jo Ann Russo, MG 1997, [email protected]
Demonstration Garden at the Howard County Conservancy, Mt. Pleasant
Herb Garden Raised Beds
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 5
Viburnum Leaf Beetle: Part III in the bad bug series The viburnum leaf beetle was unintentionally brought into the US in upstate New York in 1996. It has been on the move ever since munching on viburnums even in Maryland, reports the University of Maryland Exten-sion. The bug feeds on the foliage and can eventually kill the plant. Adult beetles leave holes in the leaves while larvae can skeletonize the leaves by June which is the first sign of infestation. This species is a threat to homeowner landscapes and the nursery industry.
Prune and destroy the infested twigs before eggs hatch or apply registered insecticides according to the la-bel directions in the spring to manage larvae while they feed. Small larvae are easier to control.
The life cycle includes eggs that overwinter on host twigs. Females may lay up to 500 eggs. In spring, the larvae emerge munching away. There is only one generation per year. They have three instars (stages) and shed their cuticle (skin) between each stage.
The second stage is easy to see and a good time to pluck the pest off the viburnum. In mid-June when they reach 10-11 mm long the larvae crawl down the shrub and enter the soil where they pupate for about 10 days. This is a non-feeding time when the pupae develop within a cocoon, similar to butterflies. Pupae are very hard to find. They need moist soil, but if it’s too wet or too dry the pupae don't seem to survive.
In early July, the adult beetles emerge and start feeding on viburnum foliage. They continue to feed, mate and lay eggs. They sometimes migrate to a new plant. This continues until the first frost. A complete life cy-cle occurs in one year, however it takes eight to ten weeks for complete development from egg to adult.
Keep your eyes open for Viburnum Leaf Beetles!
Sources: University of Maryland Extension, Penn State Extension, Cornell Department of Horticulture Nursery Land-scape Pests.
Elaine Kielman, 2016, [email protected]
Life cycle of the viburnum leaf beetle.
Infestation on a twig. Adult viburnum leaf beetle
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 6
Bay Wise: Deer-Resistant Garden Tour
Thirty Howard County Master Gardeners, mostly from the Bay Wise Committee, traveled to Potomac,
Maryland on May 9th to attend a Deer-Resistant Garden Tour. Pat Hooker arranged the 3-garden trip
with the Potomac Village Garden Club.
The tours primary focused on deer-resistant native plants but also featured methods for slowing water
runoff while encouraging other wildlife with a life-sustaining, safe habitat. Educational handouts were
provided.
We began the excursion at Linda Rieger’s
1/3-acre garden, which backs up to a
conservation area. She provided practical
information on creating an attractive deer-
resistant garden with sequences of
blooms, wise rain water control and
mulching hints.
The next garden belonging to Julie
Perlman and also borders a conservation
area. Here, the group learned hillside deer
-resistant gardening techniques that can
create a stunning environment.
Carol Jarvis’ garden completed the tour.
Her charming landscape also exemplified
a stewardship of native plants, chemical-
free lawn fertilizing, and wise water control.
Lunch was served under a thick tree canopy in Ms. Rieger’s garden. Summing up the experience, Cathy
Latham commented that the gardens made her realize both the importance of taking time to connect
with nature, and possibilities of using native plants and accepting our native fauna.
Before returning home, some Bay Wise
members also visited the award-winning
Potomac Library Garden created by the
Potomac Village Garden Club. The
purpose of this garden is to educate library
visitors in wise gardening, as well as to
provide a beautiful setting for the
library. As a thank you for hosting us, the
tour participants made a donation to
support the work in the library garden and
gave each garden owner an antique
watering can.
Sherry Conklin, MG 2006, [email protected]
Photos by Beth Blum-Spiker, MG 2010, [email protected]
Linda Decker and Pat Hooker pose with
the garden owners.
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 7
June’s Native Maryland Plant Tiarella cordifolia L.
(tee-ar-EL-lah kor-dih-FOE-lee-ah)
Common Name: Foamflower
Summer is here – let’s head to the beach! If you’re not able to visit the beach this month you can create the appearance of seafoam in your garden if you plant Tiarella cordifolia. Tiarella cordifolia gets its common name from its bloom which looks like seafoam, especially when planted in large sweeps. I have this plant growing in both partial and deep shade in a moist area in my garden. It makes a lovely low-maintenance groundcover that can be evergreen during warmer winters. It spreads by sending out stolons and can easily be divided in spring or fall. It’s attractive to many bees, especially in early spring, and brightens up those darker areas in a woodland garden.
Tiarella cordifolia is a clump-forming perennial with delicate, star-shaped flowers that sprout numerous stamens. The very conspicuous stamens with white linear filaments and oval anthers are what give the plant its “foamy” appearance. I love Tiarella cordifolia for its long bloom period and weed suppressing ability.
Latin for Gardeners
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 8
Alison Milligan, MG 2013, [email protected]
(Continued from page 7)
MGs may drop-in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. The tool shed has a variety
of tools, but you may want to bring your favorite garden gloves and water.
Mark your calendars for MG Demonstration Day on June 30. It will be our 4th annual event that showcases
the Master Gardener program and provides many public education opportunities. We’ll be looking for lots of
volunteers to assist our garden visitors. The event hours are 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Plan now to attend.
Some of the cool-weather vegetables are ready to harvest and others are really taking off after the rain!
Throughout the garden we have seven raised beds
with vegetables and herbs, a pollinator garden,
native plants, berries, compost bins and many other
features which means there’s always something that
needs attention in the garden. Drop by anytime and
lend a hand!
The garden is located at the Miller Branch of the HC
Library System. It’s a lovely place to visit, learn, and
earn some volunteer hours!
Ann Hackeling, Class of 2013, [email protected]
Learning Opportunities + Volunteer Hours: Find Both in The Enchanted Garden
Demonstration Day
LooseLeaf June 2018 Page 9
This book, subtitled “An Illustrated Guide to Planting, Harvesting, and Blending Teas and Tisanes” is a delightful gardening book for lovers of tea. All teas, black, oolong, white, or green come from the plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences among teas is in how we grow, harvest, and process them.
The book is clear and well-laid out, illustrated with both photographs and drawings. Liversidge divides the book into 5 sections: leaves, seeds, fruits, flowers, and roots.
The author gives some excellent and easy to follow tips on brewing, teapots, tea bags, and even the best water to use. One of the things I liked most about this book was the individual mini-sections on tea leaves, seeds, fruity, and flowers. The author’s selections for inclusion are based on popularity and ease of growing. Forty plants receive special attention, including the tea plant itself, black, white, and green. Useful tips on growing, harvesting, and using these plants supplement this section.
I found the remainder of the book interesting and practical to gardeners. Liversidge is careful to distinguish the actual plant/seed/flower she is describing from other similar or like-named plants. She is clear in presenting other common names for the plant in question. She details what parts of the plant are specific to tea-making and adds information about which plants attract bees, birds, and butterflies.
I also enjoyed the brief history of each plant included in the mini-sections. The mini-sections are similarly laid out, giving the history, first followed by a brief survey, of the edible parts of the plant. The medicinal use of the plant is clear and concise. The author presents basic how-to-grow information and
harvesting is well-explained so that even the most novice of gardeners can follow along. She ends with how to make tea from the specific plant/flower/seed she is highlighting.
Her attention to detail is informative but not overwhelming. Each plant is also identified for tasty pairings of tea, such as bergamot and black for an Earl Grey or bergamot and rosemary for a ‘feel good’ beverage. Blending angelica (stems or roots) with coriander seeds is great for digestion. And a favorite – calendula petals put under your pillow at night will make your dreams come true. What a fascinating read this is.
Pattee Fletcher, MG 2014, [email protected]
Book Review: Homegrown Tea Cassie Liversidge (2014)
