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Vol. 3, No. 9 — September 15, 2007
In This Issue:
Autumn Annuals
Magazine Excerpt: Splendid Sedums
September To-Do List
Spotlight Special: Viola 'Skippy XL Plum-Gold'
Reader Contest: Two Upcoming Shows
Local Gardening Events
Welcome to the
Washington Gardener Enews!
This is the free sister publication of Washington Gardener magazine.
Both the magazine and enewsletter share the same mission and focus — helping Washington DC area gardens grow — but our content is different.
In this monthly enewsletter, we will:
address timely seasonal topics and projects; post local garden events; and, include a monthly reminder list of what you can be doing now in your garden.
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The September/October 2007 Washington Gardener magazine is available now. If you subscribe by October 25, you can start your subscription with this issue. Single copies of this issue can be purchased directly from Washington Gardener. The issue is also on sale at area Borders, Barnes and Noble, and B. Dalton book stores plus many independent stores like the USNA's Arbor House. This issue's cover story is "Succulent Success: Hardy Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region." Also in this issue: drought-tolerant native plants; the USBG National Garden turns One; Southern Vegetables; Seed Saving Techniques; and, much, much more.
Autumn Annuals
Now that the summer heat is receding, we can all get back out into our gardens to enjoy the smell of damp earth and sound of crisp autumn leaves under our feet. Many of your hot season annuals planted in the spring and early summer may be flagging. To give them a boost and to add color to your landscape right through until the holidays, consider putting in some wonderful cool season annuals. A few of these will even last into next spring for you. Whether in your mixed plantings beds or featured in containers, these annuals will give you several more months of blooms in robust, deep colors. Round them out with some fall decor ornaments such as gourds, squash, scarecrows, corn stalks, and grasses.
Here are 12 to try in your garden this autumn:
- Asters
- Cabbage and Kale
- Calendulas
- Dianthus
- Dusty Miller
- Lobelia
- Mums
- Osteospermum and Argyranthemum
- Petunia and Calibrachoa
- Snapdragon
- Sweet Alyssum
- Viola and Pansy
Do two tasks at once -- while putting in these annuals, why not pop your spring-blooming bulbs right in the same planting holes at the same time?
Happy Growing!
Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener
P.S. As of May 1, our annual subscription rate to Washington Gardener magazine increased to $20. Subscribe or renew for multiple years to save 10%, subscribe/renew for two years at $36 or three years for $54.
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Local Gardening Events
Here is a selection of upcoming events (September 15-October 15) in the greater DC area of interest to gardeners:
DC
Green Evolution: Paintings and Drawings by Suzanne Stryk
September 15-November 11, 9:00am-5:00pm
United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, foot of the U.S. Capitol
Plants are connected to nearly all of earth's life forms through the energy they capture from sunlight and convert to sugars, starches, proteins, and other compounds. These become the food, shelter, structure, and micronutrients that nurture us all, not to mention the textures, colors, fragrances, forms, and therapies that inspire creativity and promote health. Suzanne Stryk's artistic vision transforms this literal viewpoint, as documented in her sketchbooks on display, into lyrical paintings, where her original observations merge with imagination into a dreamlike blend of precise knowledge and myth. It's in this way that every work in Green Evolution explores some connection between plants and animals, allowing the flow of science and personal vision to freely "cross-pollinate." Suzanne Stryk
was born in Chicago in 1953 and currently resides in Southwest Virginia.
Fee: $0/Free. Registration is not required.
For more information: call 202.226.4082 or www.usbg.gov
Franciscan Monastery Garden Workshop: Herbs
September 29, 9:30am-1:00pm
Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery, 14th and Quincy Streets in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, DC
This seminar will feature the monastery's herb collections. Sister Ilia Delio will speak on the future of the gardens. Don Haynie from Buffalo Springs Nurseries will discuss the herbs and the gardens in general.
Lunch is included in the registration fee.
Fee: $35. Preregistration is required.
For more information: call 202.526.6800 or go to: www.myfranciscan.org.
A Symphony of Orchids
October 6, 9:00am-5:00pm, October 7, 10:00am-5:00pm, and October 8, 10:00am-3:00pm
USNA, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC
The National Capital Orchid Society presents its 60th annual orchid show and sale. Artistically arranged orchid displays will inform your choices from among a vast selection of orchids and artwork on sale. Lectures and workshops will be offered throughout the weekend as well as an orchid repotting clinic on Saturday.
Fee: $0/Free. Preregistration is not required.
For more information: call 202.2452726 or go to: www.usna.usda.gov.
MD and PA
Composting and Compost Use for Sustainable Low Impact Development
September 19-21, 9:00am - 2:30pm
USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
The Mid-Atlantic Composting and Compost Use Conference is a biennial event sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Composting Association (MACA), a composting trade association comprised of members from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The technical program is planned and conducted by cooperative extension, research, and teaching faculty from Mid-Atlantic region universities and public and private sector professionals. The theme of the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Composting and Compost Use Conference is generation and use of locally-produced, annually renewable, bio-based performance oriented compost products for stormwater and erosion control for sustainable, low impact development. Instructors will provide tools and information for achieving lower life cycle costs, lower
environmental impact, long-term benefits, and harmony with local economy. Participants will receive CEUs and access to tools for green designs.
Fee: $125, members $100
For more information, call 301.405.4334 or visit www.midatlanticcompost.org.
Behnke's Fall Color Weekend
October 4-7
Behnke Nurseries' Beltsville, MD location
Mums, pansies, and other seasonal plants color up your fall, along with everything you need for Halloween. The Behnke garden center in Beltsville will feature a straw maze for the kids, and on Saturday, food and entertainment.
Free. Registration is not required.
For more information: www.behnkes.com or call 301.937.1100.
Maples for Home Gardens
October 12, 10:00-11:30am
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton MD
Maple (Acer sp.) is one the most versatile and ornamental groups of garden plants. They range in size and usefulness from container plants for small gardens to full-sized shade trees. With approximately 150 species and hundreds of cultivated varieties, there is great diversity to choose from for the home gardener. Anthony S. Aiello, Director of Horticulture and Curator, Morris Arboretum of The University of Pennsylvania, will discuss collecting maples in China and throughout the U.S., will highlight the diversity of maples, and describe some of the best plants for the Mid-Atlantic region. He will also discuss seasonal interest of maples, cultural requirements, and Tony's list of the best maples for your garden.
Fee: $0/Free. Preregistration is required.
For more information: www.brooksidegardens.org
VA and WV
Virginia Garden Festival
September 22, 9:00am-5:00pm
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, 1800 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA
Practical and fun activities for the whole family. Hear well-known speakers share their garden and landscape strategies, visit vendor display booths, learn top 10 earth-friendly tips, watch tree care and lawn demos, and much more.
Fee: $0/Free. Registration is not required.
For event details, call 804.262.9887 or see www.virginiagardening.com.
Fall Plant Sale and Antiques RiverShow
September 23, 12noon-5:00pm
River Farm, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA
The American Horticultural Society’s first annual Fall Plant Sale. Local plant vendors will be selling fall-blooming plants, new releases for the 2008 season, and hard-to-find perennials, shrubs, ferns, and bulbs.
In conjunction with the plant sale, the National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc. will host “Antiques RiverShow,” modeled on the popular public television program, “Antiques Roadshow.” Professional appraisers will be on hand to assess items brought in by visitors in these categories: China, Glass, Silver, Books/Maps/Paper Documents, Furniture, Paintings/Art, Textiles, Toys, Clocks, Coins/Money, and Jewelry. Antique dealers will also be selling specialty antiques. Antiques RiverShow is $15 to have two antiques appraised, or $5 admission to "just go antique shopping."
Fee: $0/Free for plant sale. Registration is not required.
For more information, call 703.768.5700 or visit www.ahs.org.
Saving Your Treasures Workshop
October 6, 9:30-11:30am
Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, VA
Tired of spending money each year on tender perennials that die when a frost hits the garden? Learn simple, successful propagation and storage techniques from Nancy Olney, Green Spring staff horticulturist. They’ll even share some of their treasures with you!
Fee: $20. Registration required.
Call 703.642.5173 to register. More details at www.greenspring.org.
Special Event: Visit Gardens of the Past and Future
Washington Gardener Gardens Past & Future Tour
September 20, 9:00am-3:00pm
Leaving from and returning to West Falls Church, VA and downtown Silver Spring, MD metro stations
Join Cheval Force Opp, Garden Tours, and Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine, for a trip to the past and future of horticulture.
Travel to the past: the William Paca Gardens located in the heart of the Colonial Annapolis Historic District. Our custom tour explores one of America’s most impressive restored 18th-century sites. The Paca Gardens were saved from demolition in 1965 and restored after 10 years of meticulous preservation and archeology work.
Travel to the future: GCA’s Fashion in Bloom at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville, MD. Sneak a peek at the plants coming out next year! We will see new varieties, new lines, new styles and discussions with breeders and growers. Think of it as the Paris runway for plants with ten designer growers showcasing in gorgeous settings, next year's new, hot plants.
Fee includes lunch, snack, coach travel, and all admissions.
Tour attendees receive 10% off Homestead purchases.
Fee: $60.00 each or $55.00 each for current Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers. Preregistration is required.
For more information: www.chevalsgardentours.com or CALL 703.395.1501 TODAY to book your spot.
For even more area garden event notices than we can't possibly squeeze in here, become a member of our free online discussion group. To join the email list serv, just send an email to: WashingtonGardener-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
To submit an event for this listing, please contact: editor@washingtongardener.com and put "Event" in the email subject head. Our next deadline is October 12 for the October 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events from October 16-November 15.
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Spotlight Special: Viola 'Skippy XL Plum-Gold'
Sunny gold faces charm people gazing at Viola F1 'Skippy XL Plum-Gold.' The flowers are uniquely designed with plum shades surrounding the golden centers (face), which contain radiating black lines affectionately called whiskers. The blooms are small, about 1-1/2 inches, but are not to be underrated. The number of blooms produced more than makes up for the size.
'Skippy XL Plum-Gold' won the All-America Selections (AAS) 2008 Cool Season Bedding Plant Award Winner for its ability to grow a lavish number of blooms. In the North, plants can be expected to bloom beginning with spring to the heat of summer. In the South, a fall planting may provide flowering golden faces throughout the winter.
The petite plants growing 6 to 8 inches tall and wide are highly recommended for combination planters. Gardeners can rely on 'Skippy XL Plum-Gold' to provide abundant blooms whether growing in containers, window boxes, an annual, or perennial garden. 'Skippy XL Plum-Gold' may be a perennial in southern regions.
Seed or bedding plants will be available in garden centers this fall or spring. 'Skippy XL Plum-Gold' was bred by Kieft Seeds Holland. The length of time from sowing seed to flower is 10 weeks. The closest comparisons on the market now are 'Skippy Lavender/Yellow Face' and 'Panola Lavender.'
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Reader Contest
For our September 2007 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away passes to two upcoming events. We have several pairs of passes to both shows courtesy of the respective show organizers. You may enter for either one or both.
The first event is the Remodeling & Home D?cor Show, produced by dmg world media, runs Friday, September 21 through Sunday, September 23, at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA. Discover new products and hot trends in building, remodeling, decorating, and gardening! It features more than 500 exhibits, daily stage presentations, appearances by how-to celebrities/professional experts, and more.
The second event is the Green Festival DC, produced by Global Exchange and Co-op America, is on October 6-7 at the Washington Convention Center. You’ll enjoy more than 125 visionary speakers and 350 green businesses (start your holiday shopping now!), great how-to workshops, green films, a fair trade pavilion, yoga and movement classes, delicious cuisine, green remodeling, organic gardening, and live music.
To enter for the Remodeling & Home D?cor Show, send an email with "Home Decor Show" in the subject line to Editor@WashingtonGardener.com by September 17. In the body of the email include your full name and address.
To enter for the Green Festival DC, send an email with "GreenFest" in the subject line to Editor@WashingtonGardener.com by September 30. In the body of the email include your full name and address.
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September To-Do List
Here is our combined garden task list for September 15-October 15 compiled from the previous September 2005 and September 2006 issues:
- Keep an eye out for the first frost date. In Zone 6, it is expected between September 30 and October 30 and in Zone 7 it is predicted between October 15 and November 15.
- Divide and transplant perennials - in particular, peonies and iris.
- Pick apples at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer's market.
- Pot up rosemary and chives for over wintering indoors.
- Take cuttings from your coleus to propagate and over winter.
- Look out for any Poison Ivy vines which will turn crimson in the fall and be easy to distinguish from other vines.
- Check your local garden center for end-of-summer bargains.
- Put netting over your pond to prevent the accumulation of falling leaves and debris.
- Start feeding birds to get them in the habit for this winter.
- Attend a local garden club meeting or plant exchange.
- Pick mature tomatoes and peppers to ripen on your window sills.
- Turn your compost pile weekly and don't let it dry out. Work compost into your planting beds.
- Take garden photos and update your journal.
- Remove rotting fruits from fruit trees and compost it.
- Plant evergreens for winter interest.
- Weed.
- Plant garlic bulbs.
- Collect plant seeds for next year's planting and for trading at the 3rd Annual Washington Seed Exchange on January 26, 2008.
- Plant hardy mums and fall season annuals.
- Fertilize your lawn and re-seed if needed.
- Dig up bulbs from your Gladiolus and other tender bulbs, cut off foliage, dry for a week, and then store for the winter.
- Transplant trees and shrubs.
- Harvest your herbs often and keep them trimmed back to encourage leafy growth.
- Bring in house plants if you took them out for the summer.
- If your conifers start shedding their needles or your spring bulb foliage starts peaking out of the ground, don't worry. This is normal for our Autumn cycle.
- Leave hummingbird feeders out until October 15.
- Start bulb plantings of early spring bloomers at the end of the month.
- Watch your pumpkins and squash for harvest when their rinds harden fully
- Divide ornamental grasses.
- Cut herbs and flowers for drying indoors.
- Plant strawberries in a site with good drainage for harvest next spring.
- Look out for slug eggs grouped under sticks and stones – the size of BBs and pale in color.
- Plant cover crops in vegetable gardens and annual beds (for example, rye, clover, hairy vetch, and winter peas).
- Begin conditioning the Christmas Poinsettias and Christmas cactus to get them ready for the upcoming holiday season
- Bring Amaryllis indoors before a hard freeze. Repot every other year at this time. Store in a cool, dark place and do not water until the flower buds or leaves emerge.
- Your summer annuals will be reviving now with cooler temps and some rain. Cut back any ragged growth and give them some fertilizer. They should put on a good show until the first hard frost.
Have a wonderful 2007 growing season!
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Magazine Excerpt: Splendid Sedums by Kate Tyndall
There is life beyond ‘Autumn Joy.’ Not that this is not a handsome sedum; it is. But as gardeners, we owe it to ourselves to delve beyond the standard bearer of any genus and investigate the delicious possibilities offered by its less hyped members.
Sedums are succulent perennials and more drought-tolerant than perennials with thinner leaves, whose foliage tends to crisp in the heat. As Martha Stewart would say, this is a good thing. However, like most succulents, sedums need well-drained, friable soil of which our region is woefully deficient. Many of the taller sedums, like ‘Autumn Joy’ (also known as ‘Herbstfreude’) become lanky and flop over in our moisture retentive, root-smothering clay soil.
Late summer bloomers, sedums add floral punch to gardens sorely in need of rejuvenation after our searing midsummer heat has laid low all but the hardy. Their nectar-rich, star-shaped flowers, usually gathered in flat or dome-shaped clusters, are a real lure for bees and butterflies. However, their flowers are simply the crowning glory of the sedums’ overall good looks, like the feathered headdress on a Vegas showgirl. Their foliage, plump and curvaceous with the water they store in their fleshy leaves, delights the eye in colors ranging from a palette of greens to bright gold, blue, dusky purple and mahogany. The leaves of some sedums are variegated with tints of ivory, pale yellow, and pink.
This is one big genus of plants, with more than 400 species, most of which are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Sedums tend to inhabit dry or rocky areas, particularly in the mountains, a proclivity that earned them their common name, stonecrops...
Read the rest of this article and get tips on Sedum planting plus care as well as great suggestions for a number of Sedum Selections in the September/October 2007 issue of Washington Gardener magazine.
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Next Issue
The October 15, 2007 issue of Washington Gardener Enews will delve into Sourcing Locally Grown Plants
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Edited by Kathy Jentz
Contact: editor@washingtongardener.com or 301.588.6894.
©Washington Gardener 2007
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