Fenton Friday: Treasures in the Compost Pile

Confession: I am a trash-picker -- and damn proud of it. I will rescue perfectly-fine bouquets of discarded flowers out of trashcans on K Street. I will go into neighbor's recycling bins on trash day and pull out choice Mason canning jars. And, I have been known to pick up Popsicle sticks off the sidewalk to use for plant labels.

You would not believe the things I have pulled out of our communal compost pile at the Fenton Community Garden. This pile gets carted away every few weeks by the county park's service, so it is fairly often refreshed. Every once in a while I throw a bucket of my weeds into it and each time I do, there is something that catches my eye, makes me pause, step in and pull out a "treasure."

Here is a short list of a few of my compost pile finds:
~ branches of dried Hot Peppers
~ Celosia seedlings
~ Cucumbers
~ Onion bulbs
~ Okra
~ Tomatoes
~ sprays of Globe Amaranth flowers
~ Wooden plant stakes

What about you -- do you "trash pick" for your garden too?

About Fenton Friday:
Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 5th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.)

Zinnias: You Can Grow That!

Zinnias are colorful summer annuals that are practically care-free and a great choice for beginner gardeners. The zinnia is a rewarding choice especially for those of you who have never started flowers from seeds before.

Rewarding is an understatement actually! So far this summer, I have picked 10 bouquets of flowers from my small zinnia patch and it is just getting started. The bees and butterflies love them too. I am often cutting my blooms right out from under the insects with a quick "sorry" as I run off to put them in a vase.

To start zinnias from seed, clear off a patch of soil in a sunny area of your garden. Here in the humid Mid-Atlantic US, good wind circulation is a must as zinnias are vulnerable to powdery mildew so make sure this out in the open and not next to a brick wall of tall shrubs. Scratch a few lines in the ground and then sow your seeds according to the package instructions. Water them in well. If it doesn't rain consistently, you may have to give them supplemental water, but usually they are fine without it.

The only other care note is to have your floral snips handy as once they start blooming, you will want to pick them practically daily. The more you cut, the more flowers they produce.

And it is not too late for this growing season! Last year I did not start zinnia seeds until early August and I was picking flowers by the end of September and they kept on producing through October.

All who are involved with You Can Grow That! (YCGT!) believe that plants and gardening enhance our quality of life. We want people to be successful with what they grow and to become more aware of the many gifts that horticulture brings. Find out more at http://www.youcangrowthat.com/.

9th Annual Washington Gardener Tomato Taste is August 27, 2016

Washington Gardener Magazine's

9th Annual Tomato Tasting

at the Silver Spring FreshFarm Market

 It’s ‘Big Boy’ vs. ‘Mortgage Lifter,’ hybrid vs. heirloom, the tomato wars have just begun. Everyone is sure that their tomato pick is the tastiest. Join Washington Gardener Magazine at the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD, on Saturday, August 27 from 10am-12noon for a Tomato Tasting. Best of all, this event is FREE!

Farmers at the market will contribute their locally grown selections — from super-sweet ‘Sungold’ to not-so-pretty ‘Cherokee Purple’ — and we’ll explore which tomatoes make the short list of favorites. We’ll have tomato gardening tips, tomato recipes, tomato activities for kids, and much more. All to celebrate one of summer’s greatest indulgences — the juicy fresh tomato.

Tip: Your tomato taste voting ballot is also your entry into our prize drawing for a basket full of gardening goodies. The drawing is at 12noon, so be sure to fully fill out your ballot by 11:45am and then stick around for the prize announcement as you must be present to win.

Invasive Species Spotlight: Giant Hogweed

Guest post by Jacqueline Hyman 

Don’t let the pretty bunches of white flowers fool you – Giant Hogweed is a toxic plant that should not be reckoned with, according to Plant Invaders of the Mid-Atlantic.

    Giant Hogweed originated in Europe and Asia and was introduced to the U.S. in 1917 as an ornamental plant, according to Plant Invaders.

    Giant Hogweed is a biennial plant in the parsley family that grows up to 20 feet high with a hollow stem with flowers that occur in late spring to early summer, according to Plant Invaders. The book says that the plant “grows well in a variety of habitats but prefers moist, rich soils in disturbed areas such as riverbanks, ditches and railroad right-of-ways.”

    The stems, according to the University of Maryland Extension, have purple blotches, and the leaves are serrated and pointed.

    According to UMD Extension, the plant is taller and has a thicker stem than its lookalikes, such as wild parsnip, poison hemlock, and Angelica. It has been identified in western and central Maryland, Washington DC, and several other states on the east cost as well as throughout the U.S.  The seeds can produce for up to seven years in soil, but most will germinate after three years.

    This plant is a problem because “it goes beyond the standard practice of taking over native habitats and crowding out the sources of food and cover that our native wildlife species depend upon,” according to the extension’s website page about Giant Hogweed. The plant also shades out “all competition, creating bare earth and an erosion hazard,” the website notes.

    Most importantly, the plant is actually extremely toxic. Plant Invaders advises to never touch the plant, because its sap causes skin sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and “leads to blistering and severe burns.”

    The increased sensitivity is worst in the first two hours after contact with the plant, and can even last for years afterward, according to UMD Extension.

    Anyone who sees the plant should call the state Department of Agriculture in order to request assistance with control of the plant, notifying the department of its exact location, Plant Invaders recommends. Do not attempt to remove Giant Hogweed without help, and be sure always to keep covered in areas where you may encounter the plant.

The  "Invasive Species Spotlight" is a summer blog series focusing on a different plant each week that is a problem for Mid-Atlantic home gardeners.

About the author:
Jacqueline Hyman is a junior journalism and English major at the University of Maryland. She is the editor-in-chief of the Mitzpeh, an independent Jewish newspaper at UMD. In addition, Jacqueline enjoys musical theater, and teaches piano and voice at Guitar Center. She is excited to be interning this summer for the Washington Gardener. 

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DIY: Yard Flamingo Facelift

Is your yard flamingo looking a little faded and worn? Or are you just sick of its pinky-pink coloring and want to give it a whole new look? By following these easy instructions your yard flamingo will be looking refreshed in no time at all!









Supplies (may contain affiliate links):
 
~ Spray paints*
~ Acrylic paints
~ Foam paint brushes
~ Wire coat hangers or stakes from old political yard signs
~ Wire cutters
~ Cardboard or tarps
~ Painter's tape
~ Gloves
~ Finishing spray coat
~ Optional: Hot glue gun, glitter, fabric, beads, and other accessories

*Rust-oleum's Berry Pink and Krylon's Cerise are the closest shade I've found to the original flamingo color.

In the instructions below, I describe how you re-fresh a classic yard flamingo. If you want to do a total makeover (see examples at the bottom of the post), then you would follow similar steps then embellish as you wish.

Steps:

1. Clean off any soil or dust from your flamingo with a damp cloth and then let your bird dry.

2.  If the legs are missing or broken, now is a good time to cut new ones to your desired height and insert them into the flamingo. Different flamingos vary in how the legs are attached, but it should be fairly easy to do so -- a second pair of hands may make it easier.

3. On a calm (non-windy) day, lay down your tarp or cardboard and shake up your spray paint can. You can use the painter's tape to tape off the legs and beak area on your bird. Spray paint your bird using a steady back-and-forth sweeping action for all-over coverage. Don't go too close as the paint will drip and run.

4. Let your flamingo dry. It helps to have a foam block or other place to stand them in so they don't fall and mess up their new paint job.

5. Once dry, now is the time for detail work. If you put on painter's tape, carefully remove it. Take yellow acrylic paint and a foam brush and paint the beak and eye area. Let it dry. Then come back with black paint to paint down the front of the beak and dot in an eye pupil.

6. Spray on a clear finishing coat, if desired.

Here are a few ideas for flamingos with new looks:

ballerina/princess

buzzard

unicorn/my little pony

The only limit to your flamingo re-do is your imagination!

This is a monthly guest blog series on DIY projects for the beginning home gardener. Look for the other installments in this DIY blog series by putting "DIY" in the search box here at washingtongardener.blogspot.com.

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Fenton Friday: Struck Gold!

Sun Gold tomatoes

This week at my community garden plot we continued the longest and hottest heat wave of the summer --we ended it last night with torrential rains. Thank goodness! Hauling water to my plot and at my home garden in the 100+ degree heat was not doing the plants or myself any favors.

The heat did cause the beans and cucumbers to put on even more growth. We harvested 3 cucumbers this week and the beans should start really popping in the next couple of weeks.

The tomatoes are hitting their stride. Finally have a decent amount of 'Sun Gold' (pictured) to snack on.

How is your edible garden growing this week?

About Fenton Friday:
Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 5th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.)

green beans climbing trellis

ADVERTISER OF THE WEEK: GreatGardenSpeakers.com

The goal of GreatGardenSpeakers.com is to provide a better way for garden clubs, botanical gardens, and other venues to easily find and book speakers. "We noticed
 that program chairs of garden clubs and other venues have a hard time finding excellent speakers, and we see this as a useful service to the gardening and horticulture community. If you are planning a workshop, symposium, conference, or panel discussion involving plants and the natural world, we are your one-stop shop for premier speakers."

ADVERTISER OF THE WEEK Details:
Every Thursday on the Washington Gardener Magazine Facebook page, Blog, and Yahoo list we feature a current advertiser from our monthly digital magazine. To advertise with us, contact wgardenermag@aol.com today.

Video Wednesday: Heyser Farms open house on Montgmery Counity Farm Tour Weekend 2016

The 27th annual Farm Tour and Harvest on the weekend of July 23 and 24, 2016, featured 20 farms in Montgomery County, MD. This video features Heyser Farms  at 14526 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD. The farm includes orchard and gardens. Visitors could enjoy a wagon ride around the farm and sample fresh fruits including peaches as well as Spencerville RED apple products hard cider and wine. Antique farm equipment were on display and some local artists showcased their wares.

Invasive Species Spotlight: Wavyleaf Basketgrass

Guest post by Jacqueline Hyman

Wavyleaf Basketgrass is a low-growing perennial grass that has a somewhat mysterious beginning in Maryland, said an invasive plant ecologist at the Department of Natural Resources.

   Kerrie Kyde said two patches were found and reported in 1995, tested by many botanists, and eventually identified after a sample was sent to Germany in 1999. Kyde said the plant was rediscovered covering many acres in 2007.

    “My suspicion is that 1996 was not the year of entry, that it had already been here before that,” Kyde said, “but probably not too long before that.”

    Wavyleaf Basketgrass has deep green leaves with ripples across the surface, and the leaf sheath and stem “are noticeably hairy,” according to Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas. Additionally, it can grow to be as tall as 24 inches, said Kyde. “It covers the ground, but it doesn’t lie flat on the surface the way crabgrass does,” Kyde said.

    The awns are sticky, which allows seeds to spread to far places, Kyde said. She said they start to bloom in July and can last until after the first frost, but are stickiest in October. 

    Because of this “incredible distribution system,” Kyde said it is easy for people to spread the plant’s growth.

    Kyde said when she works in fields where Wavyleaf Basketgrass is present, she wraps duct tape around her hand backwards and uses it like a lint roller on her clothes. These seeds must be contained in a plastic bag and thrown in the trash.

    Wearing slick clothes, such as rain gear, helps prevent the seeds from sticking to clothes at all.

 

    Kyde said the plant does not like the sun, and grows primarily in disturbed woodlands. It can thrive in a range of habitats, she said, such as in moist, low places and in dry soil at the top of mountains.

    Although the plant is easy to remove, the task is time-consuming, said Kyde. “It’s very weakly rooted, it’s completely pullable by hand,” she said. “The trouble with that is that you have to get out all the roots.”

    Plant Invaders strongly advises gardeners not to buy or plant seeds of this or any basketgrass plant in the Mid-Atlantic states.

The  "Invasive Species Spotlight" is a summer blog series focusing on a different plant each week that is a problem for Mid-Atlantic home gardeners.

About the author:
Jacqueline Hyman is a junior journalism and English major at the University of Maryland. She is the editor-in-chief of the Mitzpeh, an independent Jewish newspaper at UMD. In addition, Jacqueline enjoys musical theater, and teaches piano and voice at Guitar Center. She is excited to be interning this summer for the Washington Gardener. 

Image credit: Invasive wavyleaf basketgrass covers part of the forest floor in the South River Greenway in Maryland Photo by Rich Mason/USFWS.

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Garden Photo Show Opening Reception 2016

You are invited to view the winning images of the 10th annual Washington Gardener Photo Contest at an art show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. All 17 stunning photos were taken in DC-area gardens. Both inspirational and educational, this show represents the best of garden photography in the greater DC metropolitan region.

The photo show reception is Sunday, August 7 from 2:00-3:30pm at the Meadowlark Visitor Center's lobby. The opening reception is open to the public and is free to attend. You may also come by and view the photos any time during the normal Visitor Center hours (10am-7pm daily). The photo show runs through September 21.

To RSVP and for updates, visit our Facebook event page at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1069868059774341/



Washington Gardener Magazine is already announcing an 11th Annual Washington Gardener Photo Contest. Start gathering your images now and throughout this year. Most all of the entry rules will remain the same as this year’s contest. We will again accept the entries during the first three weeks of January.

Washington Gardener Magazine (http://www.washingtongardener.com/) is the gardening publication specifically for the local metro area — zones 6-7 — Washington DC and its suburbs. Washington Gardener Magazine’s basic mission is to help DC area gardens grow better. The magazine is written entirely by and for local area gardeners.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (www.nvrpa.org/park/meadowlark_botanical_gardens) is a park of beauty, conservation, education and discovery. Throughout the year at this 95-acre complex are large ornamental display gardens and unique native plant collections. Walking trails, lakes, more than 20 varieties of cherry trees, irises, peonies, an extensive shade garden, native wildflowers, gazebos, birds, butterflies, seasonal blooms and foliage create a sanctuary of beauty and nature. Meadowlark is part of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

Win Natural Start Plant Fertilizers in July 2016 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest

For our July 2016 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away two pounds each of the new Natural Start by GreenView All Purpose Plant Food and Natural Start by GreenView Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Food (an $18 value). Natural Start products are from GreenView (www.GreenViewFertilizer.com).

   Natural Start Plant Food is a special blend of natural, organic and inorganic nutrients and beneficial microbes that improve soil fertility so your plants have the best chance to develop to their full potential.

   To enter to win the set of both fertilizers, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5pm on Friday, July 29, with “Natural Start” in the subject line and in the body of the email tell us which was your favorite article in the July 2016 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced and notified by August 1.

UPDATE:
Our winner chosen at random from among the submitted entries is Carol Yemola of Drums, PA. Congratulations, Carol!