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Vol. 1, No. 7 ??” July 15, 2005
In This Issue:
Summer Safety Tips
Butterfly Watch
July To-Do List
What's Blooming
Local Gardening Events
Welcome to the
Washington Garden 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.
If this enewsletter does not display properly in your email browser, please click above on ???Read This Issue Online??? option.
We encourage you to subscribe to Washington Gardener magazine as well for in-depth articles, inspirational photos, and great garden resources for the Washington DC area gardener.
Magazine subscription information is at the bottom of this enewsletter.
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Summer Safety Tips
Included in our current issue of our print magazine, July/August 2005, are articles on gardener's skin care and dealing with poison ivy, and we thought we'd dedicate a bit of our July Enewsletter to more summer safety tips. By the way, if you have not already subscribed to the magazine, we urge you to do so today. Treat yourself or a friend to a year??™s worth of DC gardening for just $18. Please see the Subscription information at bottom of this newsletter.
For many Americans, working outdoors on the lawn and in the garden is a great way to exercise and to relax. But safety experts warn that if you're not careful with lawn and garden tools, you could be spending more time indoors, starting with a trip to your hospital's emergency room.
"The most frequent injuries are from lawn mowers, which are unforgiving machines," notes John Drengenberg, manager of Consumer Affairs for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing organization. "Statistics tell us that each year lawn mower accidents send 84,000 people to emergency rooms.
But that's not all. Nearly 15,000 others need medical treatment for injuries from trimmers and other power garden tools."
As lawn and garden work begins this spring, Drengenberg and other UL safety professionals recommend taking these precautions when working with power equipment.
- Use lawn and garden power tools bearing the UL Mark, which means that representative samples of that product have been tested to stringent safety standards with regard to fire, electric shock and related safety hazards.
- Read and follow the manufacturer's use and care instructions.
- Before use, inspect tools for frayed power cords and cracked or broken casings. If the product is damaged, have it repaired by a qualified technician, or replace it.
- Always wear safety glasses.
- Always wear proper attire. Keep your clothing, hands and feet away from cutting blades at all times. Never wear loose jewelry when you are working with tools.
- Never alter a product or remove safety features such as blade guards or electric plug grounding pins.
- Use only properly rated outdoor extension cords with outdoor electrical tools.
- Check the switch on a power tool or garden appliance to make sure it's 'OFF' before you plug it in.
- Unplug all portable electrically operated power tools when not in use. These tools contain electricity even when turned 'OFF' but still plugged in.
- Pay attention to warning markings. Don't allow tools to get wet unless they are labeled "Immersible." When using tools outside, make sure they are appropriate for outdoor use.
- Use and store power tools and garden appliances away from water sources to avoid electric shock. Never use power tools and appliances in the rain.
- Never carry an appliance by the cord, and never yank the cord when removing it from a receptacle. When disconnecting the cord, always grasp the plug - not the wire. Keep the cord away from heat, oil and sharp edges.
- Read your lawn mower's owner's manual and know how to stop the machine instantly in an emergency.
- If you have a gasoline-powered mower, store the gas in a UL-Listed safety can.
- Always start the mower outdoors. Never operate the mower where carbon monoxide can collect, such as in a closed garage, storage shed or basement.
- Do not operate an electrically powered lawn mower on wet grass.
- Use an extension cord designed for outdoor use and rated for the power needs of your mower.
- Keep your hands and feet away from the mower's blades. Never reach under the mower while the mower is running. Make all adjustments with the motor off.
- Ensure all safety guards are in place. If you hit a foreign object or have a mower malfunction, turn off the mower (and disconnect the power cord from electric models) before inspecting for damage.
- Never leave a lawn mower 'ON' while unattended.
- Keep other adults, children, and pets clear. Mowers can fling rocks at up to 200 miles per hour.
- Do not allow children to operate lawn mowers.
- Make sure your shoes provide good traction and have sturdy soles to resist punctures and protect toes. Never work barefoot or in sandals, canvas shoes, etc.
Read more about safe outdoor summer fun, including grilling safety and
pool safety, by clicking here.
Happy Growing!
Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener
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Local Gardening Events
Here is a selection of upcoming events in the DC area of interest to gardeners:
DC
Terracotta Crafts
July 19, 6-8:00 p.m.
United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, foot of the U.S. Capitol
Have you ever tried to paint your own terracotta pots or turn one into a candle holder? Spend a relaxing evening in the garden gathering crafty ideas that you can try at
home. Participants will be given the opportunity to paint a container to take home.
Fee: $12. Preregistration required.
For more information: call 202.226.4082 or www.usbg.gov
Bonsai Basics: Tropical
July 30 and August 7, 1-3:30pm
US National Arboretum's National Bonsai & Penjing Museum Lecture/Demonstration Center, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC
Discover the appeal of bonsai during this popular two-part workshop. During the first session, a slide-illustrated lecture covers the history and fundamental concepts of bonsai. The second session is a hands-on experience for you to create a bonsai to add to, or begin, your collection at home. This two-part course designed to educate the novice in the basics of bonsai, is a prerequisite to intermediate level workshops offered in the spring.
Fee: $119. Preregistration required. Registration fee covers tree, glazed pot, soil, & wire. Participants with their own bonsai tools are encouraged to bring them.
For more information: call 202.245.2726 or www.usna.usda.gov
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White House Garden Tours
August 13 and September 17, 8am-2pm
Garden Tours will begin at Sherman Park, just south of the US Treasury Building
Visitors to the gardens will be able to view the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Children's Garden, and the South Lawn of the White House.
Free. Timed ticket required and limited supply. Ticket distribution starting at 7:30 am on day of tour.
For more information: call 202.208.1631 or www.whitehouse.gov.
MD
Wildflower Farm Tour
July 16, 3pm (rain date July 23)
Davidsonville, MD
Spend an hour touring the wildflower farm with Dr. Sara Tangren and asking questions about incorporating natives into your own yard. Over 100 species of flowers, grasses, groundcovers, and shrubs in cultivation. Come see the plants that are flowering this month, and learn about the birds, butterflies, and caterpillars that depend on them! Bring: questions, camera, and binoculars.
Free. Registration required.
For more information: 301.580.6237 or visit www.chesapeakenatives.com.
Composting Your Way to Garden Glory
July 23, 10:30am??“12:00noon
Irvine Nature Center, 8400 Greenspring Avenue, Stevenson, MD
Did you know that yard waste makes up about 20% of the material that goes into landfills! You can reduce your waste while increasing the productivity of your vegetable and flower gardens by collecting and composting your yard waste to make rich garden soil, gardeners??™ gold. If you are new to composting or if you just want some questions answered, come learn about the benefits of setting up your own compost bin, different types of compost systems, including vermicomposting (using worms) and getting your compost pile hot and active.
Fee: $8 or $5 for members. Registration is required. Must be 15 years old or over.
For more information: www.explorenature.org or call 410.484.2413.
The Summer Meadow
July 24, 8am-12noon
Little Bennett Park, Clarksburg, MD
Join two naturalists for a closer look at the summer web of life in both wet and dry meadows. Plenty of species of flowers will be in bloom, attracting butterflies and other pollinators, in addition to the predators of those pollinators ??” birds, spiders, and mantids. We'll take time to identify the sun-loving plants as well as the animals that find food and shelter among them.
Fee: $20 ANS members or $28 nonmembers. Registration required.
For more information: 301.652.9188 or visit www.audubonnaturalist.org.
VA and WV
Making Stepping Stones with Leaf Imprints
July 23, 10:00am
Meadowlark Gardens, Beulah Road between Route 7 and Route 123, Vienna, VA
Make leaf-imprinted stepping stones in this workshop with Tammy Burke, Atrium Horticulturist. In the Horticulture Building.
Fee: $10. Registration is required. Space is limited to 12
For more information: meadowlarkgardens.org/ or call 703.255.3631.
Shade Plants that Dazzle
August 5, 1:00-2:30pm
Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA
Do you have a shady garden? Is it a difficult task deciding what to grow? Don't envy your sunny neighbors; Brenda Skarphol will introduce you to a wondrous array of stunning, shady plants which thrive in the cool environment of a shady garden.
Fee: $9. Registration is required.
For more information: www.greenspring.org or call 703.642.5173.
Festa di Colori e Giardini, A Celebration of Color in the Garden
September 24, 5:00-10:30pm
River Farm, American Horticultural Society, Alexandria, VA
The American Horticultural Society??™s (AHS) 12th Annual Gala 2005 ???Festa di Colori e Giardini, A Celebration of Color in the Garden,??? will celebrate the enduring Italian influence on American gardens. ???The rich cultural heritage of Italy has inspired many things in American culture such as food, music, and certainly gardens,??? says AHS President Katy Moss Warner. ???Italian elements have been incorporated brilliantly to create our own distinctive American garden style.???
In accordance with the theme, the Italian Ambassador to the United States, Sergio Vento, will serve as the gala??™s Honorary Chair. The Italian-themed evening includes dinner with music, an open bar, and an auction.
Fee. Registration is required. All proceeds from the Gala benefit River Farm and the educational programs of the American Horticultural Society.
For more information, email: tgibson@ahs.org or call Trish Gibson at 703.768.5700 ext. 114.
Daylily & Wine Festival
July 16, 9am-6pm and July 17, 1-6pm
Andre Viette Farm & Nursery, Fishersville, VA
Sample wines from many of Virginia's award winning wineries. Enjoy live jazz music while feasting on a wide variety of foods
offered by local restaurants. Stroll through a diverse range of artisans and crafters. Join horticultural experts in the Seminar Tent and learn new tips on landscaping and gardening.
Free. Registration is not required.
For more information: www.viette.com or call 800.575.5538.
To submit an event for this listing, please contact: editor@washingtongardener.com.
Our next deadline is August 12 for the August 15 edition of this enewsletter.
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What's Blooming<
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The spring bulbs are long gome and summer is here. Following are lists submitted by some of our readers of blooms during the week of July 3 working our way from north to south.
Jim Dronenburg up in Knoxville, MD, has in bloom: xChitalpa, oakleaf and lacecap hydrangea, Wisteria sinensis, (it sputters through occasional bloom on and off through the summer); Magnolia grandiflora, Pinellia, Corydalis ochrolucea and lutea; Crinum bulbispermum and one other hybrid; Clerodendrum trichotomum; Lilium pardalinum and another that I think is regale; Sorberia; Hemerocallis fulva and assorted hybrids; Penstemons descended from 'Husker Red'; the last of the Symphytum caucasicum; "Daphne caucasica"--I got it as that, but probably it is D.x transatlantica 'Summer Ice,' and it will bloom on and off all summer. Various hardy Salvia, Dicentra scandens. Sour cherries, black raspberries, currants ripe. Bedding plants-Bulbine.
Ursula Sukinik of North Bethesda, MD, has: Belamcanda chinensis, Ajuga burgundy glow, Alcea rosea. Calendula, Callicarpa D., ???Issai???, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum "Becky, "Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam,' dianthus Sweet William, Echinacea purpurea, Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia), Geranium maculatum & ???max frei,??™ Helianthus tuberosus, hosta, Hydrangea 'annabel,??™ Hydrangea quercifolia, Hypericum perforatum, Impatiens, Itea little henry, Japanese Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis), Lobiela, Nicotiana alata 'Lime Green', Oxalis regnellii 'Triangularis,' Pentas spp, rosa' knock out,' Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue,' tiarella 'black snowflake,' Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), and Zantedeschia aethiopica.
In your editor's own garden in my Silver Spring/DC/Takoma Park border site are: Asstd. Annuals ??“ nicotiana, alyssum, forget-me-not, cosmos, queen ann??™s lace, bachelor??™s buttons, zonal geranium, pansy, Johnny jump up, impatiens, marigolds, and petunias.
roses ??“ mutabilis, mini yellow, alba meidiland; and Lavender Munstead and Hidcote. Hardy begonia, hardy geranium, Hardy pink water lily, Hollyhock (pictured here), Common Tiger daylily, gallardia blanket flower, salvia, Shasta daisy, coreopsis moonbeam, trumpet vine, beautyberry, scabiosa, yarrow, rudbeckia black-eyed susan, tall phlox, liatris, pumpkin squash, gardenia, Rose of Sharon, Ozark strawberry, spiderwort, lamb??™s ear, pickerel weed, hydrangea Endless Summer, rose campion, liriope, euonymus, campanula Bavarian Blue, echinacea, and hostas. Just a few blooms opening: oxalis, cleome, aster monch, and butterfly bush Black Knight.
Troy Force working in her daughter's garden in Dunn Loring, VA, near Tyson's reports: Hibiscus Syriacus, Diana; Hydrangea macrophlla, All Summer Beauty; Asteromoea Mongolica, Kalimeris: all the Hosta, all the daylilys, (Uncle Bryan, Open Hearth, Cranberry Baby, Druids Chant),, Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' Pineapple Lily, Nandina Doestica, Heavenly bambo; Gladiolus 'Boone"; Caryopteris divaricata"; Rudbeckia laciniata, Green Headed Coneflower; Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander', yellow loosestrife; Echinacia purpurea, Shasta Daises; Lysimachia clethroides, Gooseneck Loosestrife; Crepe Myrtle; Gerber daises.
Let us know what is blooming in your garden during the week of August 7. Please include your name, city, state, and plant list. You may also send low-res digital images. Send to editor@washingtongardener.com by August 12 and we??™ll note it in our August 15 issue.
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July To-Do List
The heat of summer is here and time to start doing chores during early morning or evening. Take a brea
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hottest parts of the day.
- Prune Wisteria.
- If your pond water gets low from prolonged drought, top it off with tap water and add a dechlorinator according to package instructions.
- Cut back spent Daylily stalks.
- Pinch back any annuals that may be growing leggy.
- Divide and cut back bearded iris.
- Check your pond pump for debris and clean it out every few weeks.
- Watch for slug damage and set out traps or Sluggo.
- Check for mosquito breeding grounds. Dump out any water that sits stagnant for more than three days.
- Weed.
- Cut off bottom, yellowed foilage on tomato plants.
- Stake and tie-up any tall-growing perennials such as phlox or delphiniums.
- Wash out birdbaths weekly with diluted bleach solution.
- Water thoroughly especially if you receive no rain for more than 5-7 days.
- Take cuttings from azaleas and camellias to start new plants to share.
- Check your local garden center for mid-summer bargains.
- Hand pick Japanese Beetles or shake a branch over a bucket of dishwater.
- Repot the houseplants you've moved outdoors for the summer.
- Pick blueberries at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer's market.
- Pinch back any straying strawberry runners.
- Deadhead perennials for a second flush of blooms later this summer.
- Thin out small trees and cut off any suckering branches growing from the bottom root ball.
- Inspect for powdery mildew. If seen, prune back perennials to create needed circulation.
Annuals are now hitting their peak. Keep them well-watered and add a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them going through September.
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So you've visited Brookside Garden's Wings of Fancy show or your kids have caught the butterfly "bug" and are all set to set up a butterfly garden at home. Where to start?
One great resource is the MonarchWatch.org Web site. They provide great detail on how to create the perfect environment for butterfly watching.
According to the site, the Washington DC area's highest population period for Monarchs is September 14-26 with a peak date of September 22. Strong head winds or several cold fronts moving through the area could delay or speed up their arrival.
The site is worth a visit for their indepth Milkweed report and list of nectar sources with bloom details. In addition, you can have your own backyard garden certified on the site as a Monarch Waystation.
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Next Issue
The August issue of Washington Gardener Enews will cover Local Agricultural Fairs.
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Edited by Kathy Jentz
Contact: editor@washingtongardener.com or 301.588.6894.
?©Washington Gardener 2005
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