Washington Gardener April 2016

APRIL 2016 VOL. 11 NO. 2 WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WASHINGTONgardenerthe magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Cultivating Kohlrabi

Your Monthly Garden Tasks

To-Do ListPlay Public

Garden BingoWhat’s the Buzz on Mosquitoes? Local Gardening Events CalendarRutgers Breeds a

Tastier Jersey Tomato

Plant Your Own Little Free LibraryGrow a Carpet of Green-and-Gold

DC-MD-VASpring Garden Tours Round-UpExplore the Best Private Gardens in our Region

2 WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2016

RESOURCESsourc

Barry GlickSunshine Farm and Gardens696 Glicks RoadRenick, WV 24966, USAEmail: [email protected] www.sunfarm.com

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR

Green Spring GardensA “must visit” for everyone in the met-ropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round gold mine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It’s an outdoor classroom for children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife. It’s also a museum, a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long, rich history with colonial origins. Located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alex-andria, VA. Information: 703-642-5173.

www.greenspring.org

Specializing in Garden Renewals & Renovations

Yard By Yard Makeovers, LLC7304 Carroll Avenue, #229Takoma Park, MD 20912

301-270-4642 [email protected]

www.yardmakeovers.comWe can reshape and beautify

neglected yards.

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o oNeed a Garden Club Speaker?

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

[email protected] available dates, rates, and topics.

GoGardeners Garden Coaching

Elise StiglianoGarden Coach

[email protected] • 301-518-8333

www.gogardeners.com

Your Ad HereAre you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out on the 15th of every month. Contact [email protected] or call 301.588-6894 for ad rates (starting from $200). The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: [email protected].

APRIL 2016 WASHINGTON GARDENER 3

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INSIDEcontents

FEATURES and COLUMNSBOOKreviews 18–20 Container Theme Gardens, Orchid Gardening, Making Hay, Electric Fencing, Flower Workshop, Your First GardenDAYtrip 14–15 Spring Garden Tours Listing EDIBLEharvest 6–7 Kohlrabi HORThappenings 23 Green Matters, Gala in the Garden, SEED Screening, Lahr Symposium, Forklift Party NEIGHBORnetwork 22 Niraj Ray, Cultivate the City NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Clematis ‘Samaritan Jo’ INSECTindex 9 Mosquito ControlGOINGnative 8 Green and Gold TIPStricks 10 Choosing the Right Landscape Tree, Promoting Horticulture Careers, Jersey Tomato 2.0DEPARTMENTS ADVERTISINGindex 24 BLOGlinks 11 EDITORletter 4 GARDENcontest 5LOCALevents 12–13 MONTHLYtasklist 11 NEXTissue 3 RESOURCESsources 2ON THE COVERThe Anne Spencer garden in Lynchburg, VA. Photo courtesy of Roger Foley and the Garden Club of Virginia.

In our May 2016 issue:Growing AmaranthBest Vehicles for

Transporting Plantsand much more...

If your business would like to reach area gardeners,

be sure to contact us by May 10 so you can be

part of the next issue of our growing publication.

Be sure you are subscribed!Click on the “subscribe” link at

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/

Win passes to the DC Green Festival.See the contest details on page 5.

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Falls Church–Arlington, VA, Historic Garden Week tour. Photo courtesy of Donna Molton and the Garden Club of Virginia.

Little Free Libraries are popping up all over the region, from private yards to zoos to public gardens. You can build your own Little Free Library, find some-one locally to build one for you, or pur-chase one via mail order/online catalog. Each one is unique and reflects the per-sonality of the library’s owner and local community.

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Seed packages featur-ing blends of purple and green kohlrabi cultivars are available. Seen here is a blend of purple ‘Kolibri’ and green ‘Kongo.’ Photo of Crispy Colors Duo kohlrabi mix © Renee’s Garden.

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Save the Smithsonian’s Haupt Garden

“My name is Sylvia Cabus, and I set up the online petition to save Haupt Garden (www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-smithsonians-enid-haupt-garden). Others can talk more about the aesthetic and technical aspects of the garden; I’m writ-ing as a member of the community. As a resident of Southwest DC, I’m proud that this jewel of a garden is part of our neigh-borhood. It truly is one of the few public spaces that attracts both tourists and residents. “When I first read of the proposed mas-ter plan, I was appalled that it ignored

the garden’s relevance to public cultural resources, education, environmental stewardship, and urban design—all vital pieces in sustaining healthy city spaces. With the massive brain trust available to the Smithsonian, surely there is a way to accommodate the structural improvements while retaining the garden in its cur-rent state. “I’m not alone in my sentiments. As of last night, the petition to save Haupt Garden has garnered over 1,600 signatures. The petition went live last Tuesday, April 5, and by Saturday—only four days later—we hit our goal of 1,000 signatures. Signatures came from all over the US as well as overseas. Printed out, the peti-tion is 138 pages long, and has been covered in local media. The rapid pace of signatures has been so significant that iPetitions features the petition on its home page. “The signatories’ comments reflect the importance of Haupt Garden; people wrote of engagements, lunch time meditations, and, for one respondent, solace during illness. “One important point I’d like to highlight is that of preserving Enid Haupt’s legacy. Enid Haupt was a remarkable and generous woman. Less than 0.05% of national historic landmarks and monuments are named after or associated with women. It is a disgrace to consider eliminating a public space named after a high-ly regarded patron of American gardens. Enid Haupt does not deserve the histori-cal erasure that has happened to so many other American women. “I’d like to close on a personal note. I’ve taken our son to the Haupt Garden many times, and his daycare visits the Smithsonian on a weekly basis. The Haupt Garden is a familiar place to him, and part of the diverse cultural landscape in which we decided to raise him. Ultimately, I want my son to understand the differ-ence between a playground and a garden—an important distinction to instill at a young age, and as you know, crucial for institutional longevity. “To paraphrase a contemporary philosopher, let’s not pave paradise and put up a parking lot.” Signed, Sylvia Cabus [email protected]

EDITORletter

CreditsKathy JentzEditor/Publisher& Advertising SalesWashington Gardener826 Philadelphia Ave.Silver Spring, MD 20910Phone: [email protected]

Call today to place your ad with us!

Ruth E. Thaler-CarterProofreader

Daisy-Nelly NjiSeema VithlaniInterns

Cover price: $4.99Back issues: $6.00Subscription: $20.00

Address corrections should be sent to the address above.

• Washington Gardener Blog:www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com• Washington Gardener Archives:http://issuu.com/washingtongardener• Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/• Washington Gardener Twitter Feed:www.twitter.com/WDCGardener

• Washington Gardener is a woman-owned business. We are proud to be members of:· Garden Writers Association· Think Local First DC· DC Web Women· Green America Magazine Leaders Network· Green America Business Network

To order reprints, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877.652.5295, ext. 138.

Volume 11, Number 2ISSN 1555-8959© 2016 Washington GardenerAll rights reserved. Published quarterly.No material may be reproduced without prior written permission. This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the under-standing that the information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the pub-lisher as to legality, completeness, or techni-cal accuracy.

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

I have given up my Editor’s Letter space in this issue to share this important tes-timonial in support of the Smithsonian’s Haupt Garden. Many of you read the recent Washington Post piece detailing the planned destruction of the garden and expressed your concerns to me. Signing Sylvia’s petition and supporting her grass-roots efforts is one small way you can take action to help save this space. ~ Your Editor, Kathy Jentz


READERcontt

Caption Contest

Winning Captions: “Area garden experiences infestation of shutter bugs. Largely harmless to the plants, they do cause some nuisance to the locals.” ~ Julie Blackwell

“I cannot go back home to more snow!”~ Michelle Febre

“What Cherry Blossoms?” ~ Annie Sioux

“If you didn’t want to get pollinated, you shouldn’t have opened up your petals.” ~ Mel Blanks

“No one told me Washington, DC, had actual living things outside of their museums!” ~ Gary C. Jones

We asked our Facebook page followers to caption this photo. What are these Mid-Western tourists stopping by the Smithsonian Haupt Garden during the Cherry Blossom Festival thinking? Look for more monthly caption contests at the Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine page.

Reader ContestFor our April 2016 Washington Garden-er Reader Contest, Washington Garden-er is giving away 25 pairs of passes to DC Green Festival (www.greenfestivals.org). Prize value: $15 per pass. Celebrate the 12th annual DC Green Festival Expo, taking place May 6-8 at the DC Convention Center, Join the Green Festival Marketplace by exploring over 250 exhibitors, learning from over 50 inspirational speakers, indulging in some delicious vegan or vegetarian food and learning all you need to know to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Green Festival offers something for everyone, with the widest selection of products and services to work green, play green, and live green from food, fashion, and health to energy, construction, and design. People can shop and enjoy vegan, vegetarian, organic foods; hands-on demos; educational activities; and inspirational speakers. Green Festival is America’s largest and longest-running sustainability and green living event. It brings together the world’s most-trusted companies, innovative brands, national and local businesses, pioneering thinkers, and conscious consum-ers in one place to promote the best in sustainability and green living. To enter to win the DC Green Fest Passes, send an email to [email protected] by 5:00pm on Friday, April 29, with “DCGreen” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Please also include your full name and mailing address. The pass winners will be announced and notified on May 1.


Kohlrabi is perhaps best known for its interesting and unusual shape. It is grown for its tasty, spherical base—com-monly called a bulb—that matures com-pletely above ground. The leaves are borne on spoke-like, generally upright stems that rise sharply from the bulb. Once found mainly in kitchen gar-dens, kohlrabi is gaining in popularity and has become a seasonal item in the produce section of selected markets. Kohlrabi is nutritious and low in calo-ries. It is a source of potassium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C. The bulbs of kohlrabi cultivars have either green or purple skin color; both types have whitish to pale-green flesh under the peels. The flavor is rather sweet, fresh, and somewhat zesty, and varies a bit from one cultivar to another. Well-grown kohlrabi has a smooth, crisp texture. The bulbs should be heavy for their size and they can be consumed fresh or cooked. Fresh kohlrabi has a number of culinary uses, including being peeled and shredded for slaws, sliced for use in crudités or salads, or eaten plain. Peeled kohlrabi may be steamed, baked, sautéed, or added to stir-fry dishes. The leaves of kohlrabi are also edible and can be cooked. The increased appreciation for this vegetable is reflected in recent intro-ductions. Modern breeding programs have produced cultivars that have traits such as improved uniformity in size and shape, or better tolerance of warm

by Elizabeth Olson

Kohlrabi is Growing on Us

EDIBLEharvt

weather, or maintaining high quality with increased bulb size. The cultivar ‘Konan’ is one of the All-America Selec-tions (AAS) winners for 2016. It is the first kohlrabi to win this award since 1979.

Kohlrabi CultivarsThe most familiar cultivars are the green-skinned heirlooms ‘Early White Vienna’ and ‘Giant White’ (sometimes listed as ‘Gigante’) and the purple-skinned heirloom ‘Early Purple Vienna.’ Additional recommended modern cultivars include the purple-skinned, open-pollinated ‘Azur Star’ (pictured above) and ‘Kolibri’ (F1 hybrid) as well as the green-skinned F1 hybrids ‘Grand Duke’ (AAS winner for 1979), ‘Korist,’ ‘Win-ner,’ ‘Kongo,’ and the extra-large ‘Kossack.’ The plants grow best in cool weather and can be grown in both spring and late summer to mid-autumn. Well-estab-lished kohlrabi plants can withstand light frosts in autumn. Purple kohlrabi cultivars provide a color accent to the kitchen garden. The purple coloration extends from the bulb up the stems and through the veins of the leaves.

AvailabilitySeeds for kohlrabi cultivars are avail-able by mail, online order, and at many garden centers. A few seed companies promote seed packages that contain a blend of both green and purple cul-tivars. Some garden centers also offer seedlings, often in four- or six-packs.

How to Grow KohlrabiKohlrabi is a biennial grown as an annu-al. It is a member of the Brassicaceae plant family, and it should be included in the same crop rotation schedule as its relatives, which include cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc. The scientific name for kohlrabi is Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes. The bulbs have best texture when kohlrabi is grown in full sun in well-worked, slightly acidic, fertile soil that drains well, and has a consistent mois-ture level. Amend the soil with compost prior to planting. Use a soaker hose to supplement rainfall. Mulch the soil and keep the area free of weeds. Fertilize the kitchen garden with an organic veg-etable fertilizer. The seeds can be planted directly in the garden, but are best started in sterile potting mix and carefully trans-planted to the kitchen garden when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Harden off young plants before transplanting them to the garden. Spring-planted kohlrabi should be pro-tected from hard freezes. The timetable for planting kohlrabi for autumn harvest

should allow enough time for each cultivar to reach optimum maturity before the growing season ends. Follow package directions for spac-ing the plants in the garden and ensure good air circulation. Please note that ‘Giant White’ and ‘Kossack’ need more space compared to other cultivars.

Protect kohlrabi from flying insects by covering the plants with a floating row cover or grow the plants in a netted tun-nel for pest-exclusion.

Both purple and green kohlrabi cultivars have pale, finely textured flesh beneath colorful skins. Photo of Crispy Colors Duo kohlrabi mix © Renee’s Garden.

Photo of ‘Azur Star’ kohlrabi courtesy of High M

owing O

rganic Seeds.


Elizabeth Olson is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She is also an avid home gardener who is fascinated by the stories behind the plants that she grows. She can be contacted through Washington Gardener magazine.

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . .

Plant an extra row in your garden and deliver the harvest to a local food bank or shelter. The need is great!

With your help, PAR can continue to make a difference for America’s most vulnerable.

Call our toll-free number (877.GWAA.PAR) or visit our website at www.gardenwriters.org/par for more information.

by Sharing Your Harvest

EDIBLEharvt Cultivars that produce small- to medi-um-sized bulbs can be easily grown in container gardens, but they, too, should be protected with a floating row cover. In addition, use large containers with drainage holes. Ensure consistent moisture and fertility levels in—and add mulch to the top of—the potting mix. Use an organic vegetable fertilizer and follow package directions for using the product in potted plants.

When/How to HarvestKohlrabi grown for use during the growing season can mature in 40 to 60 days after transplanting, depend-ing on the cultivar. Cultivars grown for use after the growing season ends are called storage varieties. They are quite large and can take 80 to 120 days to reach optimum harvesting size after being transplanted to the garden, again depending on the cultivar. For best quality, the bulbs should be harvested as soon as they reach opti-mum size. The bulbs of most cultivars are usually harvested when they are about two to two-and-a-half inches in diameter. They may develop a woody texture if left in the garden longer. A famous exception is ‘Giant White,’ which can be harvested at a large size and will still have a fine texture. Always check individual cultivar descriptions for recommended harvesting size. Experi-ment a little to see which maturity level produces the best quality. Use sharp, parrot-beaked shears to harvest each plant just below the base of its bulb. Some cultivars have leaf stems with a very upright growth habit that makes the bulbs suitable for bunching. This can be useful when sharing the harvest. To prepare the bulbs and leaves for storage: Trim all of the leaves from all of the harvested bulbs, leaving about one inch of each leaf stem attached to its respective bulb. Do not wash either the leaves or the bulbs until just prior to use. Store the leaves and bulbs sepa-rately. The leaves can be kept fresh in the refrigerator crisper drawer for about a week to 10 days. The refrigerator crisper drawer can also be used to store the trimmed har-vested bulbs. Bulbs for use in season can be kept fresh for about two to three

weeks. Storage cultivars with large bulbs—such as ‘Kossack’ and ‘Giant White’—take up a lot of room. However, they are also suitable for long-term storage in a root cellar and will hold excellent quality for many weeks. o

The leaves were removed and the stems of this kohlrabi were trimmed to one-inch long prior to the bulb being placed in storage for later use. Photo of ‘Early White Vienna’ heir-loom kohlrabi courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company.


It just so happens that the title for this here little story shares the same moniker as the common name for the plant I’m about to introduce you to, Chrysogonum virginianum, also known as “Green and Gold.” Now, Green and Gold is just one of several common names for this excellent native ground cover in the Aster family. Another, not heard nearly as often, would be “Golden Knee,” which just happens to be a direct translation of the botanical name of the genus Chrysogonum. That word derives from the Greek name for gold, Chrysos, and gonum for knee, referring to the bent stem. Enough about the botanical nomen-clature, let’s talk about the plant. That’s really what you’re here for, isn’t it? The plant, oh, the plant! What a wonderful plant it is! How it brightens up the darkest and most foreboding areas of the garden with its light-green, ground-hugging foliage and the bright, golden, long-lasting flowers that it bestows upon us for such long, albeit

A Carpet of Green and Gold

GOINGnative

by Barry Glick

intermittent flowering periods from May through October. Chrysogonum is native to woodland areas from New York to Florida and west to the Mississippi, but will grow well in just about any state in the union or province in Canada. I’ve spoken to people way up in northern New England (USDA zone 4) and they report that it has done very well for them. But how easy is it to grow? Very easy, if you have the right conditions, and most of us do. By “right conditions,” I mean average to moist soil and light to full shade. It can even thrive in full sun with adequate soil moisture. Chrysogonum seems to grow best with-out any pampering, and don’t we all love plants like that? It spreads by runners at a nice pace, but would never be considered a nuisance or even slightly aggressive. The new plants root in quickly and it’s always a nice gesture to pull up a few for fellow admirers touring your garden. The plant is very perennial and is even

easy to grow from seed. What a useful plant for several appli-cations in the garden, I’ve planted it along the edges of paths in shady areas. I’ve seen folks use it over stones in a shady rock garden and on berms, road banks, and hillsides. Several gar-den designers I know have even begun specifying it for rain gardens. And if all these attributes weren’t enough, the deer have never bothered with it. There you have it, another native woodlander that’s been somewhat unknown and much under-used. o

Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtu-ally every country in the world. Barry writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at [email protected], www.sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208.


What’s the Buzz about Mosquitos?

by Carol Allen

We often think of mosquitos as a sum-mertime nuisance. They pester us when we walk into a shady woodland. They bother us at the beach. They are out there in the middle of the lake when we want to fish and, of course, they “bug” us when we want to garden. Mosquito species have preferred habitats, nesting areas, and environ-mental conditions. The mosquito that bites you in the early spring is not of the same species that bothers you during that summertime picnic. The mosquito plague up at the cabin is not the same species as those buzzing around the beach cabana. Though many common species are most active at dusk and dawn, there are native species that do feed during the day, so they show pref-erence for times of day or night as well. Various species of mosquitos also have a preference for altitude. Some never get far off of the ground to feed (ankle biters), while others would be perfectly happy to pursue you up a tree. Besides the 53 native species of mosquitoes found in Maryland/DC (about 56 in Virginia), there are reports of six invasive mosquito species that are established in the eastern U.S. The most notable of this group is the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). The Asian tiger mosquito was dis-covered in Harris County, TX, in August 1985. It was probably in our region soon after. It is a striking mosquito, with a black body marked by white bands on the legs and abdomen. In its native habitat in Southeast Asia, it is known to nest in tree holes and other small, natu-ral crevices. This makes it fit right into our urban and suburban environments with the abundance of small water-hold-ing containers. Bird baths, pet water bowls, abandoned tires, and plant sau-cers make perfect nesting sites for this tiny pest.

Mosquito Life Cycle Mosquitos go through a complete metamorphosis; from egg to larvae, then pupa, and finally emerging as an adult. They overwinter in the egg stage and are viable for as much as a year dry and out of the water. When water temperatures reach 60°F and the eggs are submerged by as little as ¼" of water, they hatch. The larval stage can be as quick as 5–10 days, depending

on the temperature. The mosquitoes then pupate for about 48 hours before emerging as adults. Males of most kinds of mosquitos, Asian tiger included, feed on honeydew and flower nectar. It is the females that need the infusion of a protein-rich blood meal to develop eggs, and they will go through the cycle of feeding and laying several times in their life. The female Asian tiger mosquito will lay between 40–150 eggs at a time, up to about 300 during her lifetime. The females usually stay close to the ground to feed, preferring the ankle and knee region of their human victims. Asian tiger mosquitos will feed on birds and mammals if you and I are not available!

Mosquito ControlThe Asian tiger mosquito is not a strong flyer and breeds near where it was hatched. Control of this pest is achieved through meticulous removal of water holding containers. Birdbaths and pet bowls should be scrubbed and the water changed at least every few days, if not more often. For the gardener, check stacks of pots and saucers that are exposed to rain and make sure they are dry. The homeowner needs to ensure that gutters and downspouts are free of leafy debris that might retain rainwater. Still-water ponds, water features, and wet ditches can be treated with the biological control, Bacillus thuringiensis israelenis. Sold as Mosquito Dunks or Mosquito Bits.

Spraying the shrubbery around the house with a pyrethrin-based pesticide is not an effective control and kills bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. In our area, Asian tiger mos-quitos can be found feeding from April through October.

Mosquito-born DiseasesIf being pesky is not enough, the Asian tiger mosquito also spreads some very serious human diseases. It is one of the many mosquito species that move the West Nile virus from birds to humans. It is also one of the species of mosquitos that can harbor the causal agent of canine heartworm, and now it is impli-cated as one of the species that may spread Zika virus. According to the Center for Disease Control, there are no reported cases of Zika having been spread through mos-quito contact in the United States. The cases reported in the U.S. have been people infected when traveling in coun-tries where the disease is present and mosquito control is not effective.Concern for the spread of the Zika virus focuses on the presence of its most common mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, sometimes referred to as the Yellow Fever mosquito. This mosquito can carry dengue virus as well and, like its relative the Asian tiger mosquito, it prefers to breed in small containers. The life cycles and behavior are also very similar.

Continued on page 20

INSECTindexPhoto by Stephen Ausm

us, USDA-AR

S.


TIPStricks

New Initiative to Preserve the Future of HorticultureLongwood Gardens and the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) announced the launch of the Seed Your Future initiative, a multi-year effort to combat declining awareness of horti-culture among U.S. audiences and pro-mote horticulture as a vital and viable career path for the nation’s youth. More than 150 partner organizations, includ-ing leaders in horticultural industries, horticultural associations, public gar-dens, public agencies, K–12 and higher education have already signed on to the initiative, which aims to preserve the future of this increasingly at-risk field. Paul B. Redman, executive director of Longwood Gardens and co-chair of the Seed Your Future initiative, said, “Enrollment in horticulture programs has declined dramatically at a time when the need for graduates of these programs is more important than ever. As an industry, it’s imperative that we take action now to change the tide and shore up the next generation of leaders in this invaluable field.” Horticulture, which encompasses everything from the production of fruits and vegetables that we eat to the design of ornate gardens and floral arrangements that we admire, is at risk of becoming insignificant —even non-existent—in the minds of future generations. In a recent survey, only 48 percent of adults aged 18 to 34 said they were familiar with horticulture, as compared with 65 percent of older adults. Still in its infancy, the Seed Your Future initiative involves a multi-phased approach to advance its efforts to edu-cate the general public—in particular, students and their parents about the diverse and critical roles horticulture professionals play in our daily lives. The initiative has raised more than $750,000 of its goal of $10 million through individual donors, organiza-tions, universities, corporations, and foundations. The initiative is targeted to launch publicly in 2017; the broader campaign will be rolled out across a five-year period. o

Rutgers Tomato Improved with Even More FlavorRutgers University is attempting to reinvent a new tomato that combines the nostalgia-inducing flavor of an heir-loom with the durability of supermar-ket varieties. The Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) has tested hundreds of plants to try to create a new version of the luscious, flavorful Jersey tomato that was popu-lar during the Depression through the 1960s. Tom Orton, a professor in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers, said, “What people remember as the Jersey tomato was really the Rutgers tomato. It was ubiquitous. People grew it in their backyards. It had a high flavor that explodes in your mouth and makes you say ‘wow, that is really good.’ Now as the university’s 250th anniversary approaches, a team of researchers is working to create a new and improved Rutgers tomato, reviving a variety that was thought to be lost to history. Six years after the project began, researchers have narrowed their search down to three possible contenders. The public will get its first chance to taste the candidates for the new Rutgers tomato on August 15 during an open house at the EARTH Center in South Brunswick, NJ, home to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County. The varieties being considered will be also available to sample August 20 at the Margate Farmer’s Market and during the Great Tomato Tasting at Snyder Farm in Pittstown, NJ, on August 26. While the official name of the new tomato has not been chosen, it will be selected to honor Rutgers’ 250th anni-versary, said Orton, who oversees the university’s tomato breeding program as a specialist with NJAES. o

Spring Planting Season: Select the Right TreeTree Care Industry Association (TCIA) is advising homeowners to consider certain elements when selecting trees that will work best for their landscape. Tchukki Andersen, a staff arborist for the TCIA, explained: “Selection of trees for planting in a home landscape depends on several factors, including a suitable growing site and any function they are going to serve.” Other factors homeowners should consider when planting trees are: • Hardiness—ability of the plant to survive extremes of winter cold and summer heat, and sudden temperature swings, • Mature height and spread, • Growth rate above and below ground, • Available space above/below ground, • Aesthetics, • Moisture requirements, • Maintenance requirements for the life of the tree, • Availability at local nurseries. Ornamental effects, such as branching habit, texture and color of bark, flowers, fruit, and foliage Some homeowners may want to hire a professional arborist to assess their landscape and determine which tree species perform well in the local area. Arborists also typically analyze the spe-cific planting sites to take into consid-eration any environmental issues that should be noted, such as:• Disease and insect problems that may limit your selections.• The prior use of the planting site.• Soil conditions, such as poor drain-age, high or low pH, and soil nutrition.• The presence or absence of channel-ized winds.• The location of utilities, both above and below ground• The proximity of the plant to roads, walkways and security lighting tcia.org can help consumers match with accredited tree service providers that can help with the task of finding the right tree for your home. oComplied by Daisy-Nelly Nji, a senior journal-ism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multi-platform journalism major at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This spring, she is an editorial intern at Washing-ton Gardener Magazine.


Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Tulips Up for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day • Green Matters 2016 Video Wrap-Up • Asparagus: You Can Grow That! • DIY: Garden in a Glass Project • Winter Weeds Have Won! See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com o

New Plant Spotlight‘Samaritan Jo’ Clematis dazzles with a long blooming season. ‘Samaritan Jo’™ Clematis is a brand-new variety that will add a touch of ele-gance to your garden. This clematis is named after a British organization that provides emotional support to anyone in emotional distress. One look at the blooms and you will surely feel a sense of peace and serenity. Its five-inch flow-ers bloom in striking white with bright-purple margins. While often single, the blooms on ‘Samaritan Jo’ may also flower in semi-double form. Its bright yellow anthers contrast beautifully with the purple fila-ments and margins. It was launched at the 2013 famous Chelsea Flower Show from Raymond Evison’s exhibit with the daughter of the founder of the Samaritan organization. ‘Samaritan Jo’ boasts one of the longest blooming periods of any clematis. This vigorous variety begins blooming in spring, and its profusion of blooms can continue for up to six months, attracting honey bees and other pollinators throughout the growing season. A winter mulch around the base is advisable. Remove the mulch in early spring before any vine growth starts. Reaching only five feet tall, ‘Samari-tan Jo’ is a compact and versatile vine that will flourish throughout USDA Zones 5-9 in a container on your patio or simply tucked into a perennial bor-der. It even blooms in dappled sunlight. Like most clematis, ‘Samaritan Jo’ grows best in moist, well-drained soil in a sunny location. For best performance, hard pruning is recommended in early spring. ‘Samaritan Jo’™ Clematis is available in a one-quart size at Way-side Gardens. www.waysidegardens.com,800-845-1124. o

GARDENnews

April Garden To-Do List• If you started seeds last month, thin them and start the hardening-off process. • Start some more seeds — especially try flowering annuals like impatiens, mari- golds, nasturtium, and petunias. •Do not set out seedlings or tender annuals until after Mother’s Day (traditional last frost-free date for our entire area). • Water shrubs and trees deeply during any dry spells. • Prune winter damage on evergreens. • Make compost tea and use on seedlings. • Turn your compost pile.• Sharpen tools. • Prune flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, lilacs, and azaleas, when they finish blooming. • Repot and fertilize houseplants. • Set aside a few hours each weekend for attending garden shows and tours. • Weed by hand to avoid disturbing newly forming roots. • Soil preparation — add lime, compost, etc., as needed. • Walk your garden — look for early signs of fungal disease. • Divide perennials and herbs. Pot up extras to give away at plant swaps. • Fertilize new growth. • Plant and prune roses. • Transplant 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. • 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. • Start/Keep fertilizing your indoor plants. • Cut back and clear out the last of your perennial beds and ornamental grasses. • Mulch beds with a light hand. • Feed birds and provide nesting materials (try dryer lint), as well as houses, for the start of their family season. • Sow beans and corn directly outdoors.• Start carrots, turnips, and parsnips in well-draining beds or in deep containers.• Keep cutworms off newly planted edible seedlings by surrounding the seedlings with a collar cut from a plastic bottle or cardboard tube.• Pick peas often to encourage the plants to produce more.• Ensure new seedlings do not dry out by installing a drip-irrigation system.• Start herbs from seed or cuttings.• Edge garden beds.• Remove Ivy, Pachysandra, and other vine-like groundcover from under shrubs.• Work in dry, not wet, soil to avoid compacting the earth.• Hand-pick cabbage worms from broccoli and other cabbage family plants.• Put row covers over vulnerable crops — remove cover to allow for pollinating once they set flowers.• Thin lettuce seedlings and plant more seeds in new rows. (You can eat the seedling greens you pull.)• Plant a tree for Arbor Day or Earth Day. o


http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2009/07/open-letter-to-leggett.html

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2015/12/video-wednesday-wreath-care-and.html

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2016/04/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-tulips.html

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2009/07/open-letter-to-leggett.html

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2016/04/video-wednesday-green-matters-2016.html

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2009/07/someones-chomping-my-bronze-fennel.html

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2016/03/diy-starter-pots.html


http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2016/04/diy-garden-in-glass.html


http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2016/04/fenton-friday-winter-weeds-have-won.html



DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ April 16–May 15, 2016

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

• Saturday April 23, 9am–6pm and Sunday, April 24, 8am–3pmFranciscan Monetary Garden Guild Plant SalePlants will include: herbs and veg-etables; roses, annuals and perennials; shrubs and fruit trees; camellias and azaleas; Monastery-grown plants. Plus food and craft vendors, and more. See: http://fmgg.org/?page_id=97.

• Saturday, April 23, 8am–4pmFriends of Carlyle House Annual Herb and Craft SaleCome celebrate spring with the Friends of Carlyle House’s Annual Garden Day Herb & Craft Sale. Tour Carlyle House, the actual site of the Mansion House Hospital featured in the PBS drama “Mercy Street.” Purchase culinary and decorative herbs, plants, and flowers raised in Mount Vernon’s greenhouses. Bring your gardening questions to the Master Gardeners of Northern Vir-ginia. Enjoy live musical entertainment throughout the day, a bake sale, book sale, white elephant table, and more. Proceeds benefit Carlyle House. This event is free, but admission to the Car-lyle House museum is $5 for adults; $3 for children; FREE for Friends of Carlyle House or with your Alexandria Garden Day ticket. This event will take place rain or shine.

• Saturdays from April to October, 9:30–11:30amHerbal Apprenticeship Program at Common Good City FarmParticipants will gain hands-on garden-ing skills; learn the medicinal properties and uses of herbs; harvest herbs to take home; and make teas, tinctures, and salves. This workshop will be taught by Tricia McCauley of Leafyhead.Register here: http://bit.ly/1RaOuhR.

• Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30FONA Garden Fair & Plant SaleThis annual spring gardening event features at the U.S. National Arboretum boasts an extensive selection of unusu-al plants, garden supplies, books, art, family activities, food, and more. Spon-sored by the Friends of the National Arboretum. Free admission. See details and plant list at FONA.org.

• Friday, April 29, 9:30am–8:30pmArbor Day FestWashington Youth Garden hosts its 1st Annual Arbor Day Fest at the U.S. National Arboretum. It will be a day of social, educational, and cultural pro-gramming that celebrates environmen-tal awareness and stewardship. Regis-ter at www.washingtonyouthgarden.org. This is the first event in a year-long cel-ebration commemorating the Washing-ton Youth Garden’s 45 years of making school gardens and young minds grow.

• Saturday, April 30, 10am–2pm GROW ANYWHERE Gardening Expo Presented by Montgomery County Master Gardeners at the Civic Center, Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring. Container gardening, vegetables and herbs, microgreens, house plants, Ask a Master Gardener plant clinic, and much more. Free and open to the public. See https://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_docs/pro-grams/master-gardeners/Montgomery/2016UGflyerFINAL.pdf.

• Saturday, April 30, 9am–7pm and Sunday, May 1, 9am–3:30pmBaltimore African Violet and Gesneri-ad Club’s 61st Annual Show and SaleThere will be many beautiful violets and other unusual plants for sale, plus African violet pots, soil mix, leaves, cut-tings, fertilizers, and much more. At a plant clinic on Sunday from 12n–2pm, club members will discuss care of your plants and will repot your troubled violets and answer questions about any growing problems you may have. Held at The Shops at Kenilworth, 800 Kenilworth Drive, Towson, MD. Free admission and handicap accessible. For more information, contact Shirley at [email protected].

• Saturday, April 30, 6:30–10pm36th Annual Delaware Center for Hor-ticulture’s Rare Plant Auction®Held at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA. The region’s most distinc-tive plant auction and garden party, the Rare Plant Auction® is the annual event benefiting the Delaware Center for Horticulture’s urban greening initiatives. With special guest Bunny Williams and

celebrated plant expert Page Dickey, this year’s event features hundreds of unique and rare plant specimens gath-ered from around the world. For addi-tional details, visit http://www.thedch.org/activities-events/rare-plant-auction.

• Sunday, May 1, 10am–3pm Plant Sale at Glencarlyn Library Community GardenThis sale featuring plants cultivated at the garden, as well as local plants cultivated by Country Gardens in Toms Brooks, VA, including natives, tropicals, trees, herbs, ferns, perennials, shrubs, and annuals. Master Gardeners will be available to help with plant selection and garden-related questions. Glencar-lyn Branch Library, 300 S. Kensington St., Arlington. Free. 703-228-6427 or www.mgnv.org.

• Friday, May 6, 10am–2:30pmNational Public Gardens DayGarden Fest, in the Enid A. Haupt Garden, highlights each of the Smith-sonian’s gardens and connects people to plants through engaging hands-on activities and educational demonstra-tions. The event, an annual tradition for Smithsonian Gardens since 2006, is an all-day, family-friendly event. See http://www.gardens.si.edu.

• Friday, May 6, 12n–1pmLecture: The Gardening “Easy Button”Kerry Ann Mendez, award-winning speaker, author, and garden designerMore is better, right? Yes, if you are referring to chocolate or stress-reduc-ing, time-saving strategies for low-maintenance, high-impact perennial gardens. This dynamic, humorous, and interactive presentation reveals tried-and-true secrets for putting time and money back into your pockets while reducing your blood pressure. Topics include no-fuss plants, maintenance shortcuts, and fun power tools for releasing stress. We have all heard that gardening is good for us; now let’s take it over the top and reap the benefits of fitter bodies, calmer minds, and more-satisfied souls. Gorgeous gardens are just icing on the cake. Who says we can’t have it all? At the U.S. Botanic Garden’s Conservatory Classroom.


DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ April 16–May 15, 2016

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

newborn pink again or give him a goth look or other wild new identity. We will have paint and stencils, as well as wire for re-making missing or damaged legs. We will sip adult beverages while we wait between paint coats. There is a $5 materials fee per pair of birds. Advance registration by May 10 is required. This event has a very limited enrollment so sign up asap. Register under the event page at http://communityforklift.org.

•Saturday, May 14, 9am–2pmSpring Garden Day – THE BIG PLANT SALE at Green Spring GardensMore than 40 local garden vendors descend on Green Spring Gardens with beautiful and unusual plants to fill your spring gardening needs. Growers and Master Gardeners are on hand to help with plant selections and gardening advice. Sponsored by Friends of Green Spring. Free admission. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. Please call 703-642-5173 for more information or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring.

• Saturday, May 14, 1–5pmPotomac Rose Society’s Symposium on Disease Resistant Roses Peter Kukielski, author of Roses with-out Chemicals, will help attendees re-think the rose garden and will dis-cuss disease-resistant roses, as well as organic gardening practices for the Mid-Atlantic region. Held at Behnke Nurseries, Co., 11300 Baltimore Ave-nue, Beltsville, MD. Attendance is free. Register at http://potomac-rose-society-symposium.eventbrite.com.

Still More Event Listings See even more event listings on the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/.

How to Submit Local Garden Events To submit an event for this listing, contact: [email protected]—put “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is May 10 for the May 15 issue and events taking place from May 16–June 15. o

FREE: Pre-registration required. See more at www.usbg.gov.

• Saturday, May 7, 9am–1pmSilver Spring Garden Club’s GardenMart 75th Annual Plant Sale Held on the new West Terrace of the Visitor Center at Brookside Gardens1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD.The event is rain or shine. Cash or check only. Plants include member-grown perennials, native plants, and shrubs, as well as locally grown herbs, annuals, heirloom tomatoes, hanging baskets, and much more. The National Capital Dahlia Society will also be sell-ing dahlia tubers. See https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SilverSpring-GardenClub/info.

• Friday, May 13, 5:30–7pmYard Flamingo Rehab Happy Hour with Washington Gardener Magazine at Community ForkliftBring your tired and worn yard flamin-gos to give them a face-lift and a new lease on life! Make your flamingo shiny,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/


DAYtrip

Washington Gardener Magazine’sSpring 2016 Garden Tours Listingo

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• Saturday, April 23–Saturday, April 30 Historic Garden Week (VA)Each spring, visitors are welcomed to over 250 of Virginia’s most beautiful gardens, homes, and historic landmarks during “America’s Largest Open House.” This eight-day statewide event provides a unique opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at the peak of Virginia’s springtime color, as well as beautiful houses sparkling with over 2,000 flower arrangements created by Garden Club of Virginia members. See dates and details at http://www.vagardenweek.org

• Saturday, April 30–Saturday, May 28 Maryland House & Garden PilgrimageThe MHGP runs for five weekends each spring. A long-standing Maryland tradition, the tour provides access to some of Maryland’s most noteworthy private properties and enables residents to see their home state with fresh eyes. The 2016 tour comprises 39 properties, including historic manors, gardens, schools, and churches. Advance tickets for each tour are $30 per person ($35 if purchasing day-of). Catered lunches will be available on all tours. Purchase tickets and get more informa-tion at mhgp.org or 410-821-6933.

• Sunday May 1, 1–5pm2016 Takoma Park House and Garden Tour “The American Craftsman”The 43rd annual Takoma Park House and Garden Tour celebrates the Arts and Crafts Movement philosophy, architecture, and design as interpreted in this country and Takoma Park in particular. The self-guided walking tour will be focused on Park, Willow, and Spruce Avenues; Valley View, and Crescent Place. Tickets and brochures will be available on the day of the Tour at the corner of Philadelphia and Maple Avenues across from the Takoma Park Library. Pre-tour tickets can be purchased online at historictakoma.org or in person at the TPSS Coop, Mark’s Kitchen, and ACE Hardware in Takoma Park. Ticket price on the day of the Tour is $25, pre-Tour tickets are $22. Tour runs rain or shine.

•Saturday, May 7, 10am–5pm88th Annual Georgetown Garden TourThis year’s tour will take place on Saturday May 7, 2016, and feature some of Georgetown’s most intriguing gardens. The Garden Tour has featured a wide variety of gardens, from spacious sweeping lawns and majestic trees to intimate outside rooms. Christ Church, 31st and O Streets NW, will serve as headquarters for the Tour. In addition to purchasing tickets at the church, you may also peruse the unique Garden Boutique. Included in your ticket price are delectable afternoon refresh-ments served at Keith Hall, Christ Church. Details at www.georgetowngardenclubdc.org.

• Saturday May 7, 4–7pm and Sunday May 8, 12n–5pmCapitol Hill Restoration Society’s 59th Annual House & Garden Tour This year, there are some great hidden gardens on the tour. In addition to the usual grand homes and elaborate gardens, this year’s tour will feature something special for “tiny house” aficionados: Archibald Walk is on the tour, one of the few remain-ing clusters of alley-dwellings. Several residents of this delightful mini village are offering a rare opportunity to peek into their world of efficient living and shared outdoor spaces. The $40 tickets are just $35 if bought prior to the tour weekend. See details at www.chrs.org.

• Saturday, May 21–Sunday, May 22, 1–5pmBeyond the Garden Gates Garden Tour Enjoy a self-guided tour featuring 12 gardens, including both private homes and public spaces, in Historic Frederick, MD. In addition to the stunning landscapes, visitors are also treated to seeing live plein air artists in many of the gardens, as well as a Hospitality Center where guests are invited to refresh themselves during the tour. See www.celebratefrederick.com/events/garden-tour/.


Washington Gardener Magazine’sSpring 2016 Garden Tours Listing

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oDAYtrip

•Sunday, May 22, 2pmColumbia Heights Home & Garden Tour 2016Attendees will be able to tour homes and gardens in Columbia Heights with extraordinary architecture, superior interior design, or eclectic history. There will be a reception immediately following the tour, included with your ticket purchase. See details at www.columbiaheightshomeandgardentour.com.

• Sunday, May 22, 2–5pm12th Annual SPCA Garden Tour This event is a self-guided walking tour that showcases the creative landscapes of homes within Shepherd Park, Colonial Village, and North Portal Estates. The proceeds from the tour contribute to SPCA beautification projects throughout the neighborhood. Tour to be held rain or shine. Tickets are $15 per person ($7 for SPCA members) and they may be pur-chased in advance or the day of the tour. For more information, contact Alexandra Kincannon, Garden Tour Committee Chair ([email protected]) or visit http://www.shepherdpark.org.

• Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5, 10am–3pm17th Annual Secret Garden Tour of AnnapolisThis year’s Garden Tour takes you through the neighborhood of Murray Hill, a quiet neighborhood that lies between Spa Creek and Maryland Hall. The self-guided walking tour is arranged for guests to stroll through gardens leisurely. At the same time, guests will discover many ideas for planting and outdoor living areas. Docents will have garden descriptions for each location. Tickets are $30 advanced sale and $35 the day of the event per person. See www.hammondharwoodhouse.com.

• Sunday June 5, 12noon-5pm16th Annual Greater Brookland House and Garden TourA terrific showcase for those outside the Brookland neighborhood in NE Washington, DC, to get to know a fantastic part of the city. Rain or shine. Tickets are $15 pre-sale and $20 the day of the tour. Tickets can be purchased online beginning May 1 at www.greaterbrooklandgardenclub.org (until Saturday evening, June 4) or at Petals, Ribbons & Beyond, at 3906 12th St. NE, Washington, DC.

• Sunday June 5, 10am-4pm25th Annual Garden Tour - Horticultural Society of MarylandThis is a walking and driving tour of seven exquisite urban gardens located along the tree-lined avenues of Baltimore’s loveli-est neighborhoods, where visitors will discover spaces ranging from inventive container, rock, and pocket gardens to magnifi-cent backyard retreats, all providing sanctuary in the city. Admission is free for MD Hort Society members, $35 in advance for the public, or $40 at the first garden. See www.mdhorticulture.org.

• Sunday, June 12, 1:00–5:00pm11th Annual Eastport Home and Garden TourFor the past 11 years, neighbors and out-of-towners have marked their calendars for this annual event. Eastport boasts a variety of home styles, including watermen’s cottages built in the 1930s when streets were paved with oyster shells. The highlight of the Home and Garden Tour is the beautiful Eastport gardens in full bloom. Rain or shine. Admission: $20 until June 5; $25 thereafter. See www.eastportcivic.org/home---garden-tour.html.

• Saturday, June 25, 3–6pmUPWC’s Annual Garden Tour This free tour has been happening for many years and is mostly attended by University Park residents and those from sur-rounding neighborhoods. There are a variety of garden types—traditional, edible, natives, etc. Maps are available at the “host” garden and signs are posted in yards of participating homes. Questions can be directed to [email protected]. o


Lit�le Free Librar�: Popping up in a Front Yard Near You!

You may have been walking your dog or driving down a local street and seen one of these adorable new front yard embellishments. They could house a family of squirrels or be a storage spot for garden tools, but instead, these cute wooden boxes are lending libraries with no overdue fees or loan card needed.Originally designed to look like a one-room school or a “house of books,” the library rapidly took on a wide variety of sizes, shapes, themes, and other attributes. Each Little Free Library (LFL) is unique in look and style, but the prin-ciple is the same – anyone is free to take a book or leave a book. There is no obligation to replace one, but it is nice to do so to keep the library (and your karma) in balance. Little Free Library is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization whose mission is to promote a sense of community, reading for children, literacy for adults, and libraries around the world. Most LFLs are placed in front yards, parks, gardens and other easily accessible locations. People have been swapping and lending books since the printed press began, but the LFL idea of a network of unique structure with stewards, signage, and social support began in 2010. They now number more than 32,000 and are in all 50 states and over 70 countries around the world.

(There are even more unregistered locations.) You can find an online map of all the registered locations at: http://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/. In the 20910/20912 area, I count at least 20 LFLs and have visited at least half of them in person. LFLs are part of the growing Shar-ing Economy movement and folks are embracing them as part of a way to interact and connect with their com-munities. Janice Browne of Islington Street in Silver Spring, MD, said, “We stumbled across our first Little Free Library when we were visiting family a couple of years ago in Madison, WI. What was that intriguing, cheerful, col-orful kiosk in a neighbor’s front yard? We were fascinated and inspired by what we read on the sign. We then found them all over town, sponsored by individuals and all sorts of community organizations, drawing folks together around books. Bibliophiles ourselves, we decided instantly that we wanted to be part of this movement (which actu-ally had begun in Wisconsin), to support it globally, and to bring it to our own little neighborhood.” The Brownes’ LFL was one of the first in our area and she reports that it is not much work to maintain, “I love managing the inventory, trying to keep the collection fresh and diverse, hav-ing a handy repository for those of our

own books we’re ready to pass on, and occasionally supplementing with bar-gain books from the Wheaton library bookstore (especially fast-moving kids’ books). I store some overflow inside for rotating, but I also enjoy sharing with other local LFLs and meeting their sponsors. As for the initial set-up, it was great fun to design and to watch the baffled neighbors try to guess what we were building. Upkeep of the structure is a very minor deal—just re-paint or re-stain annually.” I asked Janice about some personal stories about books exchanging hands through her LFL and she shared these three: “(1) When we first opened our LFL, two days before Christmas 2013, we announced that we were includ-ing a gift-wrapped new copy of The Phantom Tollbooth, a book that had been one of our son’s favorites when he was young – and it was gone that very day! I love imagining it as a holiday gift to a budding young reader, and making that connection through the generations. (2) One of the first notes we received in our comments notebook was from a professor at Montgomery College. She thanked us profusely for ‘saving the day’ when she had to take her sick daughter with her to work but had neglected to bring something from home to entertain her during class. (3) Another time, a stern-looking police-man knocked at my front door, and as I answered with my heart pounding, he grinned and said he loved the library idea and just wanted to thank me on behalf of the community. “ Other LFL owners in our community have reported similar experiences and some have been inspired to make their LFLs go beyond just books. Some have used them to give away small puzzles and art supplies. A few have used their comments notebooks to have ongoing conversations with neighbors they have never met before. If you want to learn more about LFLs or perhaps add one to your own front yard landscape, visit the official LFL website at: http://littlefreelibrary.org/.

Kathy is editor of Washington Gardener Magazine and a long-time DC-area garden-ing enthusiast.

by Kathy Jentz

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design aesthetics. This is probably more a learn-by-doing (or by copying) book than a learn-by-reading one, but also a nice one to browse through when you’re waiting for planting weather. Here’s the format for each of the 42 combinations: First, the theme is announced, based on color, season, function, or other factors; the finished container is shown, with a descrip-tion of its size, a list of plants, and an indication of sun or shade location; on the next page, each of the five plants is illustrated and described, with pos-sible alternates given; on the following page, seasonal details are provided in a couple of paragraphs each for spring, early-mid-summer, mid-late-summer, and fall. This is where the informa-tional meat is found—frost-sensitivity in spring, watering and fertilizing needs, blooming times, deadheading and prun-ing advice, and directions for dealing with the container in fall (some plants can be wintered over, planted out, or brought inside, and some end up in the compost). Extra “tidbits, tips and tricks” are also included. All of the container combinations are attractive, although a few look a bit overstuffed and busy. The most inter-esting to this reader were the contain-ers that served a function as well as being pretty: combinations that attract birds or butterflies, that provide fall and winter interest, that include edibles or herbs (including one based around herbs for tea). There are also some adorable miniature landscapes: a fairy garden, a mini-meadow, and a tiny pond with Water Calla, Variegated Japanese Iris, Corkscrew Rush, Water Lettuce, and Red-Stemmed Parrot’s Feather. Nearly every container used is differ-ent, and most are described at least briefly, with rationales for the choice. The last section presents six arrange-ments focused on container materials: terra-cotta, plastic, copper, cement, hardwood, and ceramic. But plenty of other types appear throughout the book. The plants chosen should be avail-able in many garden centers (or if not, hopefully the alternates are). They are annuals, perennials, edibles, herbs, shrubs, and small trees, vines—bulbs are the only category I can think of

BOOKreviews

Container Theme GardensBy Nancy J. OndraPublisher: Storey Publishing List Price: $19.95Reviewer: Erica H. SmithWhether you’re an experienced con-tainer gardener who’d like some new ideas to try, a beginner who just can’t get the combinations right or keep the plants going through the summer, or a total novice, you can learn something from this book. Container gardening is deservedly popular; it can be an effi-cient and attractive use of the small outdoor spaces many of us have avail-able—or even if you have acres to play with, some nice pots right outside the house add an intimate touch. But what to plant, what to plant in, and how to care for your container arrangements can be confusing. Container Theme Gardens may not resolve all confusions, but it packs quite a lot of information into its 268 pages. A deceptive amount of information, one might say, because at first glance the book’s format seems more illustrative than educational, thanks in part to Rob Cardillo’s beautiful photographs. It’s a tidy, colorful, and organized volume, but the introductory part—where most gardening books give you the “how-to” in detail—is just five pages, of which the “basics of container gardening” comprises two, and then Ondra plunges right into her “42 combinations each using five perfectly matched plants.” But if you delve into each of those container combinations, all the advice you’ll want is there in the accompanying text, including quite a lot of general-ized knowledge about plant needs and

that’s left out, and that’s because the focus is on creating the containers from scratch in the spring. I can see several combinations I’d like to aspire to—Tropi-cal Sunset! Hummingbird Haven! Made for Shade!—and it’s useful to know what are ideal plants for containers in differ-ent color palettes and light conditions. Container gardeners in many situa-tions will find this book a good choice, and it may persuade those who haven’t tried this form of horticulture yet to give it a shot.

Erica H. Smith is a Montgomery County Master Gardener, runs the Grow It Eat It blog for the University of Maryland Exten-sion, and grows vegetables in her own com-munity garden plot and in the MG Demon-stration Garden in Derwood, MD. She is the author of several novels; visit her web site at ericahsmith.wordpress.com.

Better Homes and Gardens Orchid GardeningContributing author Ellen ZachosPublisher: Better Homes & GardensList Price: $19.99Reviewer: Teresa SpeightBetter Homes and Gardens has always made growing anything seem quite simple. This book on Orchid gardening was no different. I found it to be quite a source of enlightening reading with easy-to-understand instructions for growing Orchids. Exploring everything from form and function to choosing the right orchid and even a chapter on spe-cial projects, I do not think they missed anything about how simple it is to grow


Orchids. Considered one of the biggest plant families, Orchids are still one of those plants whose unique beauty you recognize, as many have done through-out the ages. This book gives a thorough break-down of the different types and what their requirements are to grow—there is a vast array of conditions that each different species needs. Some like soil, some prefer a loose fast-draining bark mixture, and others live off aerial roots. Some have very thin foliage and others have a thick, almost succulent, types of foliage. The best parts of this book for me was the chapter on Orchid care and the gallery of Orchid types. It was like read-ing the list in an orchid candy store, with names like Gongoria quinquener-vis (a fragrant cultivar), Cattleya ‘Mag-nificent Obsession’ or even Dendrobium ‘Aussie Aurora.’ There is a cultivar of Orchid for just about everyone. I would recommend this book as an appetizer for anyone who finds Orchids beautiful enough to accept the ease of growing them.

Teresa Speight is a native Washingto-nian, who resides in District Heights, MD. She owns Cottage in the Court Land-scape Consulting. She can be reached at [email protected].

Electric Fencing and Making HayBy Ann Larkin HansenPublisher: Storey Publishing List Price: $9.95Reviewer: Seema VithlaniI recently read Electric Fencing and Making Hay, two “Books for Self-Reli-ance” by Ann Larkin Hansen. While I don’t know whether I will be using the information from the books anytime soon, it would definitely be helpful to readers with larger gardens or livestock.Electric fences are a great way to pro-tect crops and gardens from wild ani-mals and to contain domestic animals. They are also usually cheaper than nonelectric fences, according to the book, but they require more frequent inspection. The book describes how to plan for and build electric fences; it explains the components and advises which types of fences to use in different circum-stances, especially based on the type

BOOKreviewsof animal. Generally, it requires higher voltages to keep wild animals out than to contain pets and livestock. Electric Fencing also lists the pros and cons of temporary fences, which are cheaper and more flexible, and per-manent fences, for fixed containment. Making Hay explores the various components of hay, which is great for feeding livestock, and how exactly to make it. Hay is made from cut and dried legumes, such as alfalfa or red clover, and grasses, such as Bermuda grass and orchard grass. The book details how and when to dry and rake these materials, how to use and maintain dif-ferent equipment, and how to store hay. Again, because I do not have a large garden or pets or livestock, I will prob-ably be storing this information for later use. But the books provide very detailed instructions on various aspects of hay-making and electric fencing, and would be very useful to those who want to learn.

Seema Vithlani is a Washington Gardener intern for spring 2016. She is a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland.

Your First Garden: A Landscape Primer for New Home OwnersBy Judith AdamPublisher: Firefly Books List Price: $19.95Reviewer: Daisy-nelly NjiYour First Garden: A Landscape Primer

for New Home Owners gives detailed advice to first-time gardeners on how to make a home’s exterior appealing and an attractive setting. Judith Adam takes you through different phases of design-ing the landscape of your garden. With each phase, she gives you rel-evant information and realistic expecta-tions on what to anticipate. It is noted that starting a garden is not easy and Adams even says it may be best for some people to call a professional to help with the task. If you don’t have the resources to call an expert, however, this book makes the job of growing your own garden a little less daunting. I was very surprised while reading this book, because I learned that start-ing a garden isn’t just planting some seeds and hoping for the best. There is a lot of consideration and planning that goes into gardening like: surveying the area around your house for seeing the size and shape your garden will take on, figuring out how you will irrigate the garden, recognizing the type of soil you have, finding ways to keep your soil healthy, and deciding if you want to add other installations to your garden like patios and decks. The book also gives an overview of what plants and trees work best for each season. The only critique I have is that the book should have more information on how much it will cost to start a garden around your house and maintain it. By the end of the book, I still didn’t know if this would be a costly task or not. I would recommend this book to garden-

Book Reviews continued on page 20


Mosquitos, continued from page 9

The Yellow Fever mosquito cannot overwinter in the Washington, DC, area. Occasionally, it is found here during the warmer months; in October 2011, was found breeding in a southeast DC fountain and in a garbage can. In most years, sightings are of a few individu-als found near military installations in Virginia that come in via overseas trans-portation of goods. Besides emptying water-holding ves-sels and using a biocontrol in still-water features, what can you do? If you go outside, use a repellant. The female mosquito is attracted to you as a host by detecting the carbon dioxide that you exhale, the temperature of your skin, and the presence of lactic acid, which is given off when we exercise. New research is indicating that an even more-compelling lure are the volatile compounds given off as communica-tion by our skin bacteria and other microbes. Repellents act by masking those odors. The CDC recommends products con-taining DEET and picaridin as being the most effective. They also list oil of lemon eucalyptus and IR3535 (found in some Skin So Soft products) as being effective, but not as long-lasting. Beware of “natural” products as they may not have had sufficient testing to prove their effectiveness. In some of the repellent testsm, it was noted that a certain percentage of the human subjects were not very attractive to the mosquitoes and a different segment of the test subjects was very attractive. If you are lucky, mosquitos just don’t like how you smell! o

Carol Allen describes herself as a commit-table plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture indus-try, with a special interest in plant pests and diseases, and is a Licensed Pesticide Appli-cator in the states of Maryland. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Please use pesticides safely! Read and heed all label directions!

ers, home owners, and landscapers. Whether you are a novice or expert, I believe this book will be enlightening for everyone.

Daisy-Nelly Nji is a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multi-platform journalism major at the Philip Mer-rill College of Journalism. This spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.

The Flower Workshop By Ariella Chezar with Julie Michaels, photography by Erin KunkelPublisher: Ten Speed PressList Price: $25.00Reviewer: Jamie MooreWithin our modern and hectic lifestyle, I find the simple act of bringing a few flowers inside creates a sense of peace and calm. I have never had any formal training in flower arranging, so it was with great interest that I read Ariella Chezar’s The Flower Workshop. Chezar is a master floral designer whose work has been featured in major gardening and lifestyle magazines, as well as in the White House. She also teaches floral design and recently start-ed her own flower farm to grow her own materials sustainably . She describes her style as “painterly,” drawing influ-ence from the 17th-century Dutch mas-ters and later French Impressionists. I appreciate her advice to limit the color palette in flower arrangements to just one or two colors. She warns, “Gather too many colors into one bou-quet, and there is no place for the eye to rest.” She goes on to create a sense

of drama in her arrangements by vary-ing tone, texture, and shape. The result is a more elegant and naturalistic com-position than the typical florist offering. This book includes an overview of the elements of art and design, then help-fully goes on to explain tools and tech-niques specific to flower arranging. Chezar advocates the use of sea-sonal and local materials, introducing an element of fun by inviting readers to forage around their environment for unexpected additions, such as interest-ing branches, vines, and fruits. She encourages readers to grow their own material, providing a list of recommend-ed plants that she grows on her farm in upstate New York. The main body of the book provides gorgeous photographs of different types of arrangements along with brief instructions for creating them. This is the kind of book that invites you to return and peruse the pages whenever you need a bit of inspiration. After reading this book, I feel empow-ered to create more captivating and unique arrangements, both for everyday enjoyment and for special occasions. Having now been introduced to the pin frog, I am no longer limited to sticking a few stems in a narrow-necked vase. Bring on the footed compote dishes and urns! I will twine vines through branch-es artistically arranged in an inverted pyramid shape to create a sense of romance. I will use fruiting blackberry canes alongside old garden roses and intermingle sugar snap peas with sweet peas. I will grow wonderful things like dahlias, anemones, and more clematis. This book will give anyone who enjoys bringing a bit of the garden inside the knowledge necessary to create truly remarkable arrangements. o

Jamie Moore has been gardening in Fred-erick County, MD, for the past three years (before that, she gardened in southern Loui-siana for nine years, where she completed the master gardener program). Her main gardening interests are edible gardening on a suburban plot, growing old garden roses, English roses, and heirloom flowers; com-posting; sustainable practices; and compan-ion gardening. In addition to gardening, she loves to read, cook with local and seasonal produce, hike, and spend time with her hus-band, three children, and two cats.

Book Reviews continued from page 19

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Local Public Gardens

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RiverFarmAHS

National Gallery

Sculpture Garden

White House

Gardens

SmithsonianButterflyHabitatGarden

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NationalGarden at U.S.BotanicGarden

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American University Campus

McCrillis Gardens

Play Public Gardens Bingo!Take a photo in any of these gardens during National Public Garden Week (May 1-7) and post it to Twitter or Instagram with the #GardenDC hashtag. For each garden you visit, you will be entered into a prize drawing to win one of several fabulous prizes including: expert talks at a local public garden, baskets of garden goodies, private guided garden tours, and much more. When you complete any row or diagonal, you get a bonus entry. If you complete the whole card, you automatically win a free year’s sub-scription to Washington Gardener Magazine! Follow @DCGardens on Twitter and Instagram for prize announcements and further updates.


Niraj Ray is the founder and CEO of Cultivate the City, a DC-area green busi-ness started in April 2015 to promote sustainable food systems. With a focus on vertical gardening, Cultivate the City helps businesses and homes start their own gardens, educates the community about sustainable food systems, sells produce and supplies to restaurants and other customers, and more. The business is opening H Street Farms, including an outside garden, cold stor-age, green roof areas, and a vertical edible garden. We recently caught up with Niraj at the RootingDC conference.

How did you come to start Cultivate the City? Can you tell us a bit about your own background?

My background is in Integrated Envi-ronmental Science and, when I first came to DC, I was working with the EPA, looking at land-based sources of pollution and their effects on coastal environmental quality. I had developed a passion for vertical farming during my graduate studies in Florida, starting a hydroponic farm on campus at Bethune-Cookman University, and when I came to the EPA, I also started a rooftop gar-den at the office and a vertical farm at a nearby elementary school. As I developed more links between my professional work and my desire to grow food, I saw how urban agriculture and vertical farming can help solve many of the environmental, social, and economic issues plaguing many of our

NEIGHBORnwork

by Seema Vithlani

Meet City Cultivator Niraj Ray

cities, starting with DC. Cultivate the City was created to show we can trans-form the under-utilized and abandoned parts of our urban areas to help create a sustainable local food economy and educate the farmers of the future, while creating a healthier and more enjoyable city to live in.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

A typical work day can vary greatly, including anything from planning the planting schedule for the year, plant-ing seeds, harvesting, preparing CSA shares, designing gardens for clients, writing or following up on grants, build-ing vertical farms or restaurant/office gardens, making shrubs and hot sauce, leading school garden classes or volunteer groups, training interns and employees, and a lot more...

What is the best part about Cultivate the City? The most challenging part?

One of the best parts about Cultivate the City is the ability to connect with so many emerging local businesses in DC. Not only are there lot of new restau-rants and food businesses around DC., but there are also greenroof companies,

edible landscaping businesses, and urban farms of all sizes to help support them. Through our projects, we hope to make urban farming more profitable for local businesses and empower our com-munity through access to healthy food and green jobs.

What advice do you have for local or beginning gardeners?

Growing your own food is a great learn-ing experience, and my advice for local gardeners would be to challenge your-self to try growing something new or try growing something in a completely new way; you never know when you might strike gold. You might find out how rewarding it can be to grow your own turmeric, or you may find a way to keep strawberries fruiting in winter—our final harvest of strawberries last season was in January!

What is your favorite plant and why?

I have lots of favorite plants, so it’s hard to choose just one. I really like growing strawberries because they are perfect for vertical growing (compact, bushy, and the fruit just love to dangle in the air, instead of sitting on the ground). I also love pawpaw—it reminds me of tropical fruit like mango or banana, but it can grow right in your backyard! We also grow for a few Indian res-taurants in DC, and one of our favorite plants that we grow for them is curry

tree (Murraya koe-nigii), which has the most amazing smell and creates some enchanting sambars.

How can our read-ers reach you?

Readers can contact me via email at

[email protected], or they can follow us on Instagram/Facebook at @cultivatethecity or @cultivatecity on Twitter. o

Seema Vithlani is a Washington Gardener intern for spring 2016. She is a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland.


7th Annual Community Forklift Garden Party Community Forklift held its 7th annual Garden Party and Spring Sale on Saturday, April 2. The party was filled with gardening demonstrations, experts and vendors, activities for kids, local bands, and a food truck. All the items Community Forklift collected throughout the winter, such as lawn and garden supplies, outdoor décor, and furni-ture, were available in the spring sale. Proceeds from the sale go to support the organization’s work to create green jobs, reduce waste, educate the public about reuse, and provide free sup-plies to nonprofits in need. Community Forklift is located in Edmonston MD.

Lahr Plant SymposiumThe 30th Annual Lahr Plant Symposium was held in conjunction with the Native Plant Sale on Saturday, April 2, at the U.S. National Arboretum. At the symposium, gardeners learned from the nation’s top landscape designers, ecologists, and resource management staff. Attendees walked away from the event with techniques, approaches, and insights that they would be able to apply to their gardens. All proceeds from this event support the Fern Valley Native Plant Collection. There was also a plant sale where visitors could purchase an extensive collection of high-quality, locally grown native plants. Growers were on hand to provide expert gardening information.

American Horticultural Society River Farm SaleThe American Horticultural Society (AHS) kicked off the gardening season with its Spring Garden Market at River Farm in Alexandria, VA. On Friday, April 8, members of the horticultural society had the first opportunity to access doz-

HORThaeningsens of vendors who were selling a wide variety of plants, seeds, garden decor, accessories, books, and botanically themed art. On Saturday, April 9, the garden market was open to the public, with kids and pets welcomed. That day, AHS partnered with The National Capi-tal Area Garden Clubs to present a free flower show for Spring Garden Market attendees. Master Gardeners were also invited to the event to do demonstra-tions and answer any gardening ques-tion attendees had.

Green Matters 2016More than 115 people attended the 2016 Green Matters Symposium on April 8 at Brookside Gardens in Whea-ton, MD. The program theme was envi-ronmentally friendly landscape design and construction. The event featured seven speakers, including Mary Pat Matheson, president and CEO of Atlanta Botanical Garden; Thomas Rainer, land-scape architect and author; and Lori Arguelles, executive director of the Alice Ferguson Foundation.

Screening of SEED: The Untold StoryThe Environmental Film Festival (DCEFF) screened “SEED: The Untold Story” on March 25 at the Carnegie Institution for Science. The documenta-ry highlights the loss of genetic diversity of crops, made worse by chemical seed corporations. In fact, we have lost more than 94 percent of vegetable seed varieties, according to the film. The film follows farmers and scientists working to resolve this issue. The screening was followed by a discussion with the two directors and producers, Taggart Siegel and John Betz, and with some of the seed-savers from the documentary. The DCEFF is the world’s premier showcase of environmentally themed films. Each March in Washington, DC,

the DCEFF presents more than 100 films to an audience of over 30,000. Often combined with thematic discus-sions and social events.

Beltsville Garden Club Plant SaleThe Beltsville Garden Club held a plant sale April 9 at High Point High School in Beltsville, MD. Members of the club sold plants they had grown, and 7% of their gross sales went to the club. Club members also sold plants they grew at a greenhouse at the Duckworth School; all proceeds from these sales went to the school. The club’s next plant sale will be held May 7 at the same location.

FOBG’s Silent Auction, Gala in the GardenThe Friends of Brookside Gardens’ Gala in the Garden was held on Saturday, April 16. Participants bid on beautiful, interesting and useful auction items ranging from artwork by local artists to a trip to Disneyland. It was an evening of fun and festivities to benefit Brook-side Gardens. The crowed enjoyed light refreshments and live musical enter-tainment. All auction proceeds went to support Brookside Gardens and its programs. o

Compiled by Seema Vithlani, a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland, and Daisy-Nelly Nji, a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. Both are Washington Gardener interns for spring 2016.


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

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

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007• Indoor Gardening• Daphne Care Guide• Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes• Houseplant Propagation

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

BACK ISSUE SALE!YOU CAN REQUEST A SINGLE COPY OF PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR $6 EACH OR ANY 6 BACK ISSUES FOR $24, OR ALL 40+ PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR JUST $100. PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE AND HANDLING. PLEASE SPECIFY THE ISSUE DATE(S). ORDER MUST BE PREPAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. SEND ORDERS TO:

WASHINGTON GARDENER, 826 PHILADELPHIA AVE., SILVER SPRING, MD 20910MAY/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 • 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• Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics• National Museum of the American Indian• Versatile Viburnums

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008• Dealing with Deer• Our Favorite Garden Tools• Delightful Daffodils

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

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)• 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, 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 Winter Color

MARCH/APRIL 2009• 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips• Spring Edibles Planting Guide • Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start• Redbud Tree Selection and Care• Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells

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

SUMMER 2009• Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic• Passionflowers• Mulching Basics• 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• Edgeworthia• Kohlrabi

SPRING 2011• Cutting-Edge Gardens• Final Frost Dates and When to Plant• Bleeding Hearts• Onions

SUMMER 2011• Ornamental Edibles• Urban Foraging• Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star• Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic

FALL 2011• Herb Gardens• Toad Lilies• Sweet Potatoes• Cool Weather Cover Crops

WINTER 2011/EARLY SPRING 2012• Green Roofs and Walls• Heaths and Heathers• Radishes

SPRING 2012• Pollinator Gardens• Brunnera: Perennial of the Year• Growing Yacon

SUMMER 2012• Tropical Gardens• Captivating Canna• Icebox Watermelons

SPRING 2013• Great Garden Soil• All About Asters• Squash Vine Borer

SUMMER/FALL 2013• Miniature/Faerie Gardens• Beguiling Abelias• Growing Great Carrots

WINTER/EARLY SPRING 2014• Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic• Chanticleer Gardens• Beet Growing Basics

SOLD OUT! SOLD OUT! SOLD OUT!

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CORRECTION –Due to a reporting error the scien-tific name for kale in the Growing Tips section of the “Cultivating Kale” story was misspelled. It should be Brassica oleracea (not Brassica olearacea).

Documents

Washington Gardener April 2016