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The Garden Fence
Harford County Master Gardeners
Monthly Newsletter June 2019
Summer solstice is Friday, June 21, 2019, the time when the Sun reaches both its highest and northernmost points in the Northern Hemisphere. Throughout history, people have gathered to celebrate and honor the Sun. As with the cycles of the Sun, we all go through highs and lows. It seems like each year, with the beginning of summer, something awakens inside. As you walk outside and sink your feet in the ground, you feel your energy grounding to the core of Mother Earth. I take this time to remember what helps keep me grounded: my family and friends. Of course gardening too! Summer solstice is all about expressing gratitude for gifts of harvest, bounty and abundance. It is a great time to enjoy being outside, connecting with nature and incorporating your awareness of the connection between health, wealth, and natural living. As the Sun finally sets, I plan to be watching it on my deck, holding hands with my husband of almost 43 years. He, like the Sun, gives me strength and guidance for which I am so grateful.
Celebrate the Summer solstice! Ronnie Grevey ‘16
President’s Message
Inside this Issue President’s Message
Trilliums Information Sheet
Plant Blindness
Nasturtium Baby Rose
The Adorable Custom of
‘Telling The Bees’
Pepper Just Sweet F1
How to Make Sugared
Pansies
Continuing Education
Opportunities
Harford County Master
Gardener Calendar
Officers Ronnie Grevey, President
Anne Bredlow, Vice President
Kim Poehling, Secretary
Carol Linthicum, Secretary
Greg Murray, Treasurer
Steve O’Brien, Newsletter
Editor
Ginny Smith, Newsletter &
Continuing Education
Quick Links
Harford County Extension
Office
Home & Garden Info Center
VMS Logon
Harford County Master
Gardener Calendar
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Genus: Trillium
Species: T. erectum; 39 native trilliums in the U.S.
Common Name: wake-robin, tri flower, birthroot, toadshade
Origin: North America, Asia
Growth Habit: ephemeral; grown from rhizomes; can tolerate extreme cold
Dimensions: to 16” h; 12” wide
Leaf: 3 bracts arranged in a whorl about a scape; some species mottled
Flower: this species red; others species range purple, pink, white, yellow, green; either sessile (flower sits directly on to of whorled leaves); or pedicellate (flower is raised on a short stalk)
Fragrance: stinky, available only to pollinators (carrion flies, bees, ants, beetles)
Fruit: contains seeds – spread by ants and mice
Uses: medicinal – roots and leaves for a variety of ailments
Climate: zones 4 – 9
Soil: rich, well drained, neutral to slightly acidic pH, part shade
Pruning: do not pick flower, or cut back; keep the deer away
Propagation: rhizome cuttings or division either in fall or late winter
Pests and Diseases: not very competitive with other plants; deer
Comments: Spring ephemerals with 2 distinct growth phases: Epigeous (above ground); and
Hypogeous (below ground). Growth takes place undergroud in fall and winter. Once spring
arrives and the ground begins to warm, leaves are produced and flower reproduction occurs.
Plants bloom for only a short time, then die back into dormancy.
Native Plants Committee, submitted by Anne Bredlow, ‘15
Trilliums Information Sheet
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What is plant blindness? When we don't notice the green all around us, it's bad for the planet. Imagine taking a walk in the woods and seeing a deer or a rabbit. You'll no doubt remember the encounter — it might even be the highlight of your outdoor adventure. But what about all the plants, trees and flowers you passed while hiking? There's a good chance you paid little attention to the greenery on your path -- That's what researchers call plant blindness!
In 1998, U.S. botanists Elisabeth Schussler and James Wandersee defined plant blindness as "the inability to see or
notice the plants in one's own environment," which leads to "the inability to recognize the importance of plants in the biosphere and in human affairs." Because of plant blindness, people tend to rank animals as superior to plants, so conservation efforts for plants tends to be limited. "We are absolutely dependent on plants for life and health, but so often they fade into the background and miss out in the direct actions we take to protect our planet," says biologist Kathryn Williams in the University of Washington's Conservation. "I wonder how the world would look if more people, instead of seeing a wall of green, saw individual plants as potential medicine, a source of food, or a loved part of their community." In a 2016 study, Williams and her team researched whether people are hardwired by evolution to ignore plant life and what this means for conservation. They found that although plants make up 57% of the endangered species in the U.S., they receive less than 4% of endangered species funding. Many studies have shown that people are drawn to images of animals instead of plants and can more easily remember them. The bias for animals over plants has been attributed to several factors, the researchers found. Plants don't move and people, especially children, are ‘tuned in’ to motion. Plants also tend to visually blend together.. One major cultural factor for the animal-over-plant preference is the greater focus on animals in education — sometimes referred to as zoocentrism or zoo-chauvinism. Researchers argue that because educators often use animals, rather than plants, as examples of basic biological concepts, children grow up with more familiarity and empathy toward animals. Why plant blindness is a problem While plant conservation funding drops and there is decreased interest in plant biology classes, the plant popularity issue has increasing ramifications. Plants are important for environmental and human health so the impact of plant loss is great. As the BBC's Christine Ro points out, "Plant research is critical to many scientific breakthroughs, from hardier food crops to more
Plant Blindness
Conservationists argue that plants aren't as appreciated as animals. (Photo: Skumer/Shutterstock)
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effective medicines. More than 28,000 plant species are used medicinally, including plant-derived anti-cancer drugs and blood thinners." When plants are underappreciated and understudied, the environment and the people in it suffer. In addition, children who grow up with an animal-centric biological education don't learn to value the greenery around them. Being complacent about plants and the complete environment, youth don't grow up with interest in plant-related careers. The biggest issue of all: The world is dependent on plants! "Many of our biggest challenges of the 21st century are plant based: global warming, food security and the need for new pharmaceuticals that might help in the fight against diseases," writes Angelique Kritzinger, lecturer in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. "Without a basic knowledge of plant structure, function and diversity, there's little hope of addressing these problems." Submitted by MG Carol Lancaster ‘13 Source:https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/what-plant-blindness?utm_source=Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7421820d74-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_WED0508_2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fcbff2e256-7421820d74-41736569 MNN.com > Earth Matters > Wilderness & Resources MARY JO DILONARDO May 6, 2019, 8:26 a.m.
2019 All American Selections (AAS) Ornamental Seed Winner Regional Winner – Northeast, Heartland, Mountain /Southwest
Exciting news! The last nasturtium AAS Winner was back in the early days, in the 1930’s. Now it’s time to introduce a wonderful rose colored nasturtium perfect for today’s gardens. Baby Rose is a petite-flowered, mounding variety with healthy, dark foliage ideal for containers and small space gardens. AAS’ expert judges praised the uniformly compact plants that sported flowers with consistent coloration. Their compact habit means less “flower flopping” with their blooms remaining upright throughout the season. The rose color is uncommon in nasturtiums, and contrasts beautifully with the dark-green foliage. Bonus: both the leaves and flowers are edible! Categories: Nasturtium, Flowers from seed, Heartland, Mountain/Southwest, Northeast, 2019, Container Suitable, Pollinator Friendly.
Source: https://all-americaselections.org/product/nasturtium-baby-rose/
Source:https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/04/the-adorable-custom-of-telling-bees.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR2g5nAav3dbhCd3chVx5RWrl2CCb2_dDAE4bAUeseTwgi8u-M3lLpzovzU
by Kaushik There was a time when almost every rural British family who kept bees followed a strange tradition. Whenever there was a death in the family, someone had to go out to the hives and tell the bees of the terrible loss that had befallen the family. Failing to do so often resulted in further loss such as the bees leaving the hive, or not producing enough honey or even dying. Traditionally, the bees were kept abreast of not only deaths but all important family matters including
The Adorable Custom of ‘Telling The Bees’
The bee friend, a painting by Hans Thoma (1839–1924)
Nasturtium Baby Rose
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births, marriages, and long absence due to journeys. If the bees were not told, all sorts of calamities were thought to happen. This peculiar custom is known as “telling the bees”. Humans have always had a special connection with bees. In medieval Europe, bees were highly prized for their honey and wax. Honey was used as food, to make mead—possibly the world's oldest fermented beverage—and as medicine to treat burns, cough, indigestion and other ailments. Candles made from beeswax burned brighter, longer and cleaner than other wax candles. Bees were often kept at monasteries and manor houses, where they were tended with the greatest respect and considered part of the family or community. It was considered rude, for example, to quarrel in front of bees. The practice of telling the bees may have its origins in Celtic mythology that held that bees were the link between our world and the spirit world. So if you had any message that you wished to pass to someone who was dead, all you had to do was tell the bees and they would pass along the message. Telling the bees was widely reported from all around England, and also from many places across Europe. Eventually, the tradition made their way across the Atlantic and into North America. The typical way to tell the bees was for the head of the household, or “goodwife of the house” to go out to the hives, knock gently to get the attention of the bees, and then softly murmur in a doleful tune the solemn news. Little rhymes developed over the centuries specific to a particular region. In Nottinghamshire, the wife of the dead was heard singing quietly in front of the hive—“The master's dead, but don't you go; Your mistress will be a good mistress to you.” In Germany, a similar couplet was heard—”Little bee, our lord is dead; Leave me not in my distress”. Telling the bees was common in New England. The 19th century American poet John Greenleaf Whittier describes this peculiar custom in his 1858 poem “Telling the bees”.
“Before them, under the garden wall,
Forward and back, Went drearily singing the chore-girl small, Draping each hive with a shred of black.
Trembling, I listened: the summer sun Had the chill of snow;
For I knew she was telling the bees of one Gone on the journey we all must go!
And the song she was singing ever since In my ear sounds on:—
"Stay at home, pretty bees, fly not hence! Mistress Mary is dead and gone!"
In case of deaths, the beekeeper also wrapped the top of the hive with a piece of black fabric or crepe. If there was a wedding in the family, the hives were decorated and pieces of cake left outside so that the bees too could partake in the festivities. Newly-wed couples introduced themselves to the bees of the house, otherwise their married life was bound to be miserable.
If the bees were not “put into mourning”, terrible misfortunes befell the family and to the person who bought the hive. Victorian biologist, Margaret Warner Morley, in
her book The Honey-Makers (1899), cites a case in Norfolk where a man purchased a hive of bees that had belonged to a man who had died. The previous owner had failed to put the bees into mourning when their master died, causing the bees to fall sick. When the new owner draped the hive
A widow and her son telling the bees of a death in the family. Painting by Charles Napier Hemy (1841–1917)
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with a black cloth, the bees regained their health. In another tale, an Oxfordshire family had seventeen hives when their keeper died. Because nobody told them about the death, every bee died. There are plenty of such tales in Morley’s book. The intimate relationship between bees and their keepers have led to all sorts of folklore. According to one it was bad luck to buy or sell hives, because when you sell one, you sell your luck with your bees. Instead, bees were bartered for or given as gifts. If bees flew into a house, a stranger would soon call. If they rested on a roof, good luck was on its way. But the relationship between bees and humans goes beyond superstition. It’s a fact, that bees help humans survive. 70 of the top 100 crop species that feed 90%
of the human population rely on bees for pollination. Without them, these plants would cease to exist and with it all animals that eat those plants. This can have a
cascading effect that would ripple catastrophically up the food chain. Losing a beehive is much more worse than losing a supply of honey. The consequences are life threatening. The act of telling the bees emphasizes this deep connection humans share with the insect.
Submitted by MG Eleanor Cone ‘98
AAS 2019 Edible Winner National Winner
A unique snacking pepper with four lobes like a larger bell pepper, only smaller. Not only are the 3 inch fruits deliciously sweet with nice thick walls but the plants are vigorous growers (up to 36 inches tall and 15 inches wide) that don’t need to be staked because they’ve been bred to have a strong bushy habit. Many judges conduct consumer taste tests and reported back that this pepper won those tests, hands down. The Just Sweet peppers are exceptionally bright, shiny and a vivid yellow color with a flavor described as sweet with aromatic accents. Great lunchbox item for kids! Categories: Pepper, Edibles/Vegetables, National, 2019, Container Suitable
Source: https://all-americaselections.org/product/pepper-just-sweet/
How do you fix a broken pumpkin? (See answer on last page)
Pepper Just Sweet F1
Telling the Bees, by Albert Fitch Bellows. circa 1882
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Source: https://all-americaselections.org/ornamentaledibles/
Sugared pansies make a great addition to any dessert including cakes and cookies! Ingredients:
1 egg white, room temperature (always use pasteurized eggs) or powdered egg whites or meringue powder
1/2 c. of Superfine sugar (or use granulated sugar ground in a food processor)
Approx. 2 c. of Pansy flowers, pesticide-free and thoroughly dried Instructions: 1. Beat egg whites until frothy, removing any lumps from the albumin.
2. Using a new, clean artist paintbrush, paint a thin layer of egg white on the back of the flower
petals, then the front of the petals.
3. Gently place in a bowl of sugar.
4. Using a spoon, sprinkle superfine sugar over the petals, coating each one thoroughly.
5. If the sugar is absorbed, quickly repeat the sugaring process or use less egg white.
6. Dry sugared pansies on a rack overnight before storing.
Note: keep the stems on for easier handling, but snip them off before serving.
Flowers/petals can be stored in an airtight container several months, up to a year, depending on
humidity.
Harford County Gardeners assisting shoppers at the Bel Air Home Depot, to choose native plants with a purpose!
How to Make Sugared Pansies
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June 6 5:00 pm - 6:45 pm dinner – lecture 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Enjoying the Outdoors Safely in the Age of Lyme Disease Ladew Topiary Gardens Dr. John Aucott will discuss the current outlook for ticks and tick-borne diseases in Maryland. Ways to prevent tick bites will be highlighted. Fee: $40.00 members $50.00 nonmembers To register call 410-557-9570 Registration should be made in advance and accompanied by payment. June 6 – June 20 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm All Purpose Annuals Part 1 (3 sessions) Longwood Gardens – Visitor Center Auditorium Navigate the uses, cultural requirements, pests, and diseases of the tried and true selections as well as some new varieties. Discuss your favorites and discover some little known gems. Fee: $89.00 by May 30th ; after $99 To register online go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454 June 7 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Eastern Shore Procrastinators Pesticide Conference Wye Research & Education Center – Queenstown This conference include topics such as “How climate change can affect your trees and shrubs” (Sara Via), “Maples scale on trees”(Stanton Gill), “Steps for identifying and correcting turf grass pest and nutrition problems”(Kenny Ingram), “What new diseases are stalking your plants” (Dr. Dave Clements), and “MDA pesticide updates, DE. Cost: $65.00 after 6/4/2019 $75.00 Register on-line at https://2019esprocrastinators.eventbrite.com For more information contact Ginny Rosenkranz 410-749-6141 xt. 106 June 8 9: 00 am Bonsai Propagation Valley View Farms Understanding how to increase bonsai stock material is a question we are always asked. Come to learn methods to propagate materials for use as bonsai. Presented by Martha Meehan. Plant of the Month: Tropical Pea Family June 8 9:00 am – 11:00 am or 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Mixed Medley: Annuals, Perennials and Containers Longwood Gardens – Catalpa Room Create a beautiful mixed medley of annual and perennial plants in a container to enjoy in a sunny location all season long. Perennials can be planted in your garden in fall for next year blooms. To register online go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454 June 9 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Potted Pleasure for Shade Longwood Gardens – Soil Shed In this hands-on workshop learn the basics of container gardening and create one to take home. Learn about shade-loving plants, containers, complimentary combinations, soils, fertilizers, and additives. Use that knowledge to create a beautiful container filled with annuals. Fee: $69.00 To register online go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454.
Continuing Education Opportunities
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June 14 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Specialty Nursery Tour Longwood Gardens – Visitor Center parking Lot Ready, set, SHOP!! Trip visits some relatively unknown regional nurseries where participants will find high-quality and often hard to find plants for their garden. Many of these gardens are not open to the public and are specifically selected by David Culp. Purchases will loaded into a truck and delivered back to Longwood to take home that day. Cost: $149.00 – includes boxed lunch. To register online go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. June 15 10:15 am – 12:00 pm Ergonomic Gardening Tips, Tools and Tricks Bel Air Library- Harford Co. MG’s Garden Series Ergonomic gardening is concerned with people interacting safely, efficiently, and effectively with garden tasks and tools. June 15 9:00 am All You Need to know about Hydrangeas and Clematis Valley View Farms Two bestselling plants have the most questions asked about them. “When should they be pruned?” and “Why aren’t they blooming?” We will go over the top varieties for our region and present the best care practices for both groups of plants. June 15 11:00 am Preserving the Fruit and Vegetable Harvest Valley View Farms Jeff Mace will lead a discussion about canning, freezing and drying produce from the garden for use later in the year. June 15 9:00 am – 11:00 am Tillandsia: You’re Framed Longwood Gardens - Batula Room & Soil Shed A creative, hands-on workshop using tillandsia or air plants. New-world members of the Bromeliad family, these botanical curiosities require minimal care. Construct a shadowbox into which you’ll attach a variety of air plants. Louise Clark guides you through the construction process, provides design tips and provides cultural information on these fun, low-care plants. Fee: $69.00 To register go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. June 15 – July 13 – August 30 10:30 am – 11:30 am Children’s Garden Club Anita Leight Estuary Center Get out the shovels and trowels to grow a garden full of fun! Cook, create, and explore while learning about how a garden is connected to us and the wild world around us. Children 5 – 8 years old with an adult. Register per class $5.00 or for the series $12.00 To register: www.harfordcountymd.gov/225/Parks-Recreation Click on: “County Program Registration” June 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 2019 International Master Gardener Conference – Various Locations in Pennsylvania Registration is now is now open! Use this link to take you to the registration site on Cvent: http://www.cvent.com/d/hggxlp. You are encouraged to pre-plan your conference choices before you sign on to the registration site.
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June 17 and 18 8:30 am – 3:30 pm each day Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Certification Course MD. Dept. Of Agriculture – Annapolis This is the annual course to prepare participants to obtain a Maryland Nutrient Management Certification. For cost and registration contact MDA: Maryland Nutrient Management at [email protected] or call 410-841-5959. June 17 6:00 – 8:30 pm Grow It, Eat It, Preserve It – Pickles Canning Class Harford County Agricultural Center 3525 Conowingo Rd. Street, MD The class provides a hands-on learning experience for beginners and advanced canners. There will be a typical workshop class lecture, followed by participants going into the kitchen to make their own canned produce that they will bring home that day! Taught by Dr. Shauna Henley. Cost: $20 includes lecture/instruction, and all the equipment and produces to process your own preserved jar. Call 410-887-8090 to register or online at https://gieipi19h.eventbrite.com June 18 7:00pm - 8:00pm Trees for the Future: A Talk with John Leary Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, 100 Lafayette St, Havre De Grace John Leary, the director of Trees for the Future and author of One Shot: Trees as our Last Chance for
Survival, addressed Master Gardeners at the September 2018 MG Study Group meeting. John has dedicated his life to creating innovative training approaches that empower farmers to rise out of poverty, and he has created award-winning high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech training programs that are currently in use throughout the developing world. He is focused at helping Trees for the Future end hunger and extreme poverty for a million people. If you missed the MG event, here is another opportunity. FREE
June 19 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Delmarva BFTP Hands On-Day: Weed Control & Transplanting (Mid –Sized Farm) Priapi Gardens, Cecilton, MD. Hands on workshop on weed control, transplanting, and season extension. Geared towards new or prospective farmers – workshop will have you trying your hand at weed control and transplanting. Learn about the equipment used at this scale. Cost $15 for members - $20 for nonmembers For more information contact Niamh Shortt at [email protected] June 28 10:00 am – 1:00 pm All About Milkweed University of MD Extension – Frederick Co. An exploration of all things milkweed: 12 species of MD and their identification, biology an ecology, common milkweed species and their horticultural uses and requirements, rare milkweed species and their conservation. Taught by Sara Tangren – UME’s native plant expert. Cost is $25.00 To register got to: https://eventbrite.com/e/all-about-milkweeds-tickets
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June 29 9:30 am – 3:30 pm Gardening with Natives Seminar and Tour Penn State Extension York County Trees and shrubs provide food and shelter for a large number of our birds and butterflies, while their value as a pollinator and host plants are often overlooked. Explore the wonderful world of native trees and shrubs. Register at www.cvent.com/events/gardening-with-natives-seminar July 8 (6 week course) Online Longwood Course Annuals, Perennials and Vines This collection of plants will add a burst of color to your landscape with exciting textures and blooms. Learn to recognize and use these garden favorites to accentuate your landscape with selections of plants that are best suited for growing throughout the country. Workshop offered in partnership with North Carolina State University. Cost: $179.00 by July 1 – after $189.00. For more information go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. July 19 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Woody Plant Conference Lang Performing Arts Center – Swarthmore College Conference includes topics such as: “The city is a landscape design through a Gardener’s lens” (David Rubin); “New hybrid oaks and other tough trees” (Nina Bassuk); “Worms in the Wood: effects of ecosystem engineers” (Bernd Blossey); “Gardener’s Voices- Beetles” & “Wild Collecting”; “Planting for life-planting for diversity” (Patrick McMillan). Lunch is provided. Cost: $119.00 by June 21; after $149.00. For more information or to register go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. August 3 9:00 am – 11:00 am Spotted lantern Fly: What You Need to Know Longwood Gardens – Acer Room
With the potential of damaging fruit crops, grape vines, and a wide range of landscape plants learn the fact about the menacing new pest. Amy Korman presents information about proper identification, an overview of their life cycle, susceptible plant species and methods of control. Fee: $29.00 To register go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454.
September 1 – December 15, 2019 Becoming a Steward of the Land – UME Forestry Program Certification Program No Formal Classes Both paper and online versions of this course will be offered. This is a non-credit course with no formal classes – work from the comfort of your home using your won woodlot, a friend’s or a public forest. This course covers how to protect your trees from insects, diseases, and fire; step by step procedures walk you through a forest inventory and stand analysis; and the details of the forestry business are presented, including tax nuances and sale and harvest of forest products. The course exercises help you develop the framework for a stewardship plan for your forest. Registration begins June 1! Cost: $150.00 includes copies of supplemental readings – paper version text and appendices are in binder form. Online users receive a flash drive of the paper version of text and appendices. Certificate of Completions is awarded when all assignments are complete. For more information contact Nancy Stewart, UME, Wye Research and Education Center at 410-827-8056 xt.107 or [email protected]
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Joyce Browning | Urban Horticulturist Master Gardener Coordinator | Harford County Office
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.
June-July Harford County Master Gardener Calendar
The below Calendar entries are only a small sample of the scheduled Master Gardener events. Please refer to the following link to view the entire Harford County Master Gardener calendar https://calendar.google.com/calendar/b/3?cid=bWFzdGVyZ2FyZGVuZXJzaGNAZ21haWwuY29t MG Stephanie Flash is the contact for changes and additions to our new calendar. Please send calendar requests, changes or additions to [email protected]
Wednesdays (ending June 26) 6-8 pm Master Gardener Intern Training class
Extension Office
June 6 7 pm Monthly MG Meeting Extension Office
June 8 11 am Home Depot Plant with a Purpose booth
Bel Air Home Depot Only
June 27 10 – 11:30 am Steering Committee Extension Office
July 11 (Note Change: Second Thursday this July) 10 am Monthly MG Meeting Extension Office
Riddle answer: With a pumpkin patch!
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