Monday, January 30, 2023

Monday Thoughts: "No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." - Hal Borland

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." - Hal Borland

Happy early Groundhog Day!

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Sunday, January 29, 2023

Meet the New Spring 2023 Intern

This spring semester, we have just one editorial intern. As a first assignment, I asked her to write a short introduction to our readers...

Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Harden and I am a junior journalism major minoring in law and society with a concentration in criminal law at the University of Maryland. I have a passion for criminal justice
and plan on attending law school to pursue a career in criminal law as a wrongful convictions lawyer. I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and only transferred to Maryland from the University of Texas
last Spring. My family owns a wholesale plant nursery back home, so I’ve spent my entire life submerged in the world of Texas horticulture. Growing up my grandparents taught me the importance of
living off the land as well as how to love and respect nature. Outside of my experience tending to my houseplants and succulents (aloe vera is my favorite), I also worked on the propagation team at the nursery last summer. Previously I worked as a general assignments reporter for the Daily Texan, a reporter for Stories Beneath the Shell, and I freelance for College Park Here & Now. I’m looking forward to
expanding my plant knowledge and experience beyond houseplants and Texas horticulture with this internship. I can’t wait to meet you all this semester!
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Saturday, January 28, 2023

GardenDC Podcast Episode 135: Plants for Shade

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Lee Miller, landscaper designer and blogger, about plants for shade. The plant profile is on Abutilon and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with C.L. Fornari, who shares the Last Word on Growing Vegetables from Seed.

You can order Lee's new book, Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: A Guide to Planning the Ultimate Shade Garden, from Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3kGxuqd.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 
See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support.

Show Notes:

01:02 Meet Lee Miller, landscape designer and blogger, to learn all about shade gardening! 02:39 Shade garden requests are becoming more common – here’s why. 04:40 Lee defines the difference between partial and full shade. 05:42 Strange winter weather in Long Island? 06:28 Kathy explains typical Mid-Atlantic winter weather. 07:21 What should I do before I start shade gardening? 08:54 Favorite evergreen trees and shrubs. 09:16 Osmanthus Goshiki has “beige, pink, and gold shades” in new foliage. 10:34 Lee’s tips for daphnes and camellias. 11:24 Boxwood green gems are the perfect shrub! 11:51 What to do about boxwoods and fungal infections. 14:12 Ilex aquifolium argentea marginata, or however it is pronounced. 15:07 Hoogendorn holly: it’s perfect with other shade plants. 16:09 “Three main layers to the landscape” – Lee 16:30 “The colder it gets the more it glows.” 17:25 The eastern redbud’s beautiful, purple flowers. 19:06 Japanese dogwoods, shrubs or small trees? 20:34 All about deciduous shrubs for shade gardens. 22:05 What is the St. Johnswort magical universe? 23:01 “Another shorty” deciduous shrub. 23:54 Always know what zone you’re in! 25:01 The sparkle of water droplets on the leaves is part of (lady’s mantle) charm.” 26:52 Why are 'Sun King' plants in the shade garden? 27:49 “The bigger, hairier cousin of Astilbe.” – Kathy 29:54 Panera? No Brunnera. 30:40 Deer-resistant perennials! 33:25 Hot lips? Turtle Head? A wildflower meant for partial shade. 35:43 The best coral bells (trust us, Lee has tried many). 37:09 You obviously can’t talk about shade gardening without talking about hostas. 38:52 Curly fries? I thought we were talking about plants. 39:29 Lungworts or pulmonaria – “That’s a beauty.” 40:38 Finally, an entire chapter about shade-loving annuals, they’re great for filling in spots. 42:13 “I had fun hiding behind the leaves.” – Lee 43:46 Shade gardening maintenance tip: try drip irrigation. 44:43 Mulching! (Please don’t pile it) 45:48 Lee’s favorite shade plant combinations. 48:00 Don’t be intimidated by shade gardening, go to the nursery and enjoy it. 48:31 Check out Lee’s blog: A Guide to Northeastern Gardening 49:23 Learn about Abutilon, this week’s plant profile. 51:01 Garden updates: Daffodils are showing color and Spring is near. 51:29 Upcoming events: Maryland’s Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species; Winter Tree Walk; Getting Ready for Spring talk. 55:25 Last Word: growing vegetables from seed. 56:32 “I would not be without Tuscan kale in my garden.” 58:23 Growing vegetables from seeds makes sense financially

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 72: Low-Maintenance Gardening
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-72-low.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 18 on Shade Gardening with Jenny Rose Carey
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-18-shade.html

This episode is archived at:

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz
Editing and Show Notes: Jessica Harden

PIN THIS FOR LATER!
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Thursday, January 26, 2023

Win Passes to the GreenScapes Symposium in the January 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest

For our January 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away passes to the GreenScapes Symposium (value $55). 

  The GreenScapes Symposium is an annual program sponsored by Brookside Gardens since 2004. This year’s theme is “Designing With Purpose” and it is held live via Zoom on Friday, February 17, from 9:30am—4pm. Take advantage of this learning opportunity to make positive environmental change, whether in your home garden or through professional work. Explore the latest advancements in landscape design strategies to achieve a range of goals, from public gardens that engage diverse audiences to landscapes that reduce carbon footprints and are resilient to climate change. Speakers will also explore innovative design and maintenance practices that bring visual order to naturalistic gardens, making them recognizable assets to neighbors and HOAs. Although these landscape goals may seem unrelated, they can all be achieved by selecting the right building materials, understanding plant communities, and leveraging creative plant combinations. Learn more at https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/greenscapes/.

  To enter to win passes to the GreenScapes Symposium, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on January 31 with “GreenScapes” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the January 2023 issue and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced and notified on/about February 1. 

UPDATE:

The GreenScapes Symposium pass winners are:

- Gail Carter 

- Linda Ivko 

 - Ashleah Younker 

- Amy Rembold 

- Johanna Kearns 

- Pete Lublin 

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Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Seed Exchange 2023 Speakers Announced

UPDATE!

We've closed the online registration for our 2/4 event - but you can still register at the door starting at 12noon. Just come to our check-in table inside the Horticulture Center at Green Spring Gardens.

-----------------------------------------------

Here are the speakers for the upcoming Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges 2023. Seed Exchange attendees trade seeds, exchange planting tips, hear expert speakers, and collect goody bags full of gardening treats. For more information on the exchanges and how to register, go here (be sure you are selecting the correct date on the first screen).

Saturday, January 28 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD

Speaker 1:
"Seed Saving 101"
Speaker: Niraj Ray of Cultivate the City  
With a little bit of space, time, and basic equipment, saving your own seeds can be easy! Different types of seeds require slightly different treatment to save them properly- learn about seeds that mature in wet fruits, seed heads, pods, and more! We will also discuss how to keep certain tender perennials alive through the winter for rapid propagation in the spring, so you don't have to start from scratch each year. 
   Cultivate the City is an urban farming organization based in Washington, DC. In addition to managing a network of school and corporate gardens, CTC also runs a rooftop garden center and nursery where they start most of their plants and hold weekly workshops. CTC focuses on growing hard-to-find and ethnically and culturally important foods- they have been practicing saving their own seeds for more than 5 years!
   Niraj founded Cultivate the City (CTC) in 2015 to inspire healthy and sustainable living by empowering local communities with the tools, training and resources for urban agriculture and vertical farming. CTC currently manages over 25 locations around DC, including a rooftop farm at the Washington Nationals Stadium. Niraj holds a B.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from the Ohio State University and a M.S. in Integrated Environmental Science from Bethune-Cookman University. He is a 2013 National Wildlife Federation Emerging Leader Fellow and formerly worked with the US EPA - Office of Water.  

Speaker 2:
"The Lost Art of Plant Sharing: Taking Cuttings, Saving Seed and Dividing"
Speaker: Carol Allen, Horticulturist
There was a time when you would admire a shrub or perennial in a friend’s garden and they would give you cuttings or root divisions for your garden. Unfortunately, the art of home propagation is rarely being passed down from generation to generation anymore. Enter Carol! She will give you guidelines on how to start with cuttings, seed gathering/planting, and how/ when to divide plants. 
   Carol Allen has been involved in many aspects of gardening and horticulture since childhood and likes to describe herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years experience in the horticulture industry with special interests in Integrated Pest Management, landscape design, native plants, tropicals of many kinds, and especially orchids. Carol enjoys helping people understand how to care for their plants and holds a monthly diagnostic clinic in Washington, DC. After serving a term of two-and-one-half years as supervisory horticulturist at the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, Carol returned to college and earned a degree in horticulture. Fascinated by the interplay of pest and prey, Carol continues her education on plant pests and diseases. She enjoys teaching people how to outwit their garden pests with little or no pesticide application and also authors the “InsectIndex” column in the Washington Gardener Magazine.

Washington Gardener Seed Exchange 1
on Saturday, January 28, 2023, 12:30–4:00pm 
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
 Registration is now open at 

AND

Saturday, February 4 at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA

Speaker 1:
“The Story Behind Growing Great Tomatoes”
Speaker: Carrie Engel, Horticulturist
This talk will cover how a local business prepares its tomato crop for the spring season. From the beginning steps from seed selection, starting the seeds to seedling, to a plant ready for transplant and sale. It will also cover what varieties do best in our region.
   Carrie Engel began working at Valley View Farms in Cockeysville, MD, in 1972, and is well known in our area. Carrie appears with meteorologists Tony Pann and Ava Marie, weekly on the WBAL TV's Sunday Gardener. She was awarded the 2020 Professional Achievement Award from the Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association. She enjoys writing, speaking about gardening, photography, the Orioles, and spending time with her extended family. Carrie also enjoys traveling, especially road trips, where she looks for what is new in plants and gardening everywhere she goes.

Speaker 2:
“Indoor Starting Seeds Under Lights”
Speaker: Carol Allen, Horticulturist
Starting seedlings under lights allows the gardener to closely control the growing environment. This can result in stocky, robust seedlings. Under lights is usually an improvement over starting seeds on a windowsill and gives the gardener larger plants to start with. What lights should be used? How close to the seedlings are the lights? What about air circulation? What is hardening off? How do I prevent damping off? How does growing under lights impact temperature? If you are you still using old-fashioned fluorescents for your indoor seed starting, learn the newest research from Carol Allen and why you might want to change to modern LEDS
   Carol Allen has been involved in many aspects of gardening and horticulture since childhood and likes to describe herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years experience in the horticulture industry with special interests in Integrated Pest Management, landscape design, native plants, tropicals of many kinds, and especially orchids. Carol enjoys helping people understand how to care for their plants and holds a monthly diagnostic clinic in Washington, DC. After serving a term of two-and-one-half years as supervisory horticulturist at the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, Carol returned to college and earned a degree in horticulture. Fascinated by the interplay of pest and prey, Carol continues her education on plant pests and diseases. She enjoys teaching people how to outwit their garden pests with little or no pesticide application and also authors the “InsectIndex” column in the Washington Gardener Magazine.


Washington Gardener Seed Exchange 2
on Saturday, February 4, 2023, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at 
WGSeedEx2023.brownpapertickets.com*
(*Scroll down to pick the February 4 date.)
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