Washington Gardener Enews - September 2011

SEPTEMBER 2011 Welcome to the Washington Gardener Enewsletter!

This enewsletter is the sister publication of Washington Gardener Magazine. Both the print magazine and online enewsletter share the same mission and focus — helping DC-MD-VA region gardens grow — but our content is different. In this monthly enewsletter, we address timely seasonal topics and projects; post local garden events; and, a monthly list of what you can be doing now in your garden.

We encourage you to subscribe to Washington Gardener Magazine as well for indepth articles, inspirational photos, and great garden resources for the Washington DC area gardener.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This enewsletter will no longer be sent out as a PDF via email to nonsubscribers. Without your support, we cannot continue publishing this enewsletter nor Washington Gardener Magazine! Our magazine subscription information is on page 9 of this enewsletter.

If you know of any other gardeners in the greater Washington, DC-area, please forward this issue to them so that they can subscribe to our print magazine using the form on page 9 of this enewsletter.

You can also connect with Washington Gardener online at: • Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Web Site: www.washingtongardener.com Sincerely, Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener Magazine

Reader Contest

For our September 2011 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away a copy of The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer by Stephanie Cohen and Nancy Ondra from Storey Publishing($25 value).

Stephanie Cohen and Nancy Ondra, both Pennsylvania gardeners, are thoroughly obsessed with everything about gardens and gardening — digging, planting, designing, and creating great canvases of living color and texture. Their encouraging words, based on practical experience and the belief that there is more than one right way to create a garden, boost confidence and promote experimentation. Along with design basics, they present 20 garden plans, as well as the before-and-after stories of gardens they’ve created for themselves and their families.

To enter to win The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer, send an email with “Primer” in the subject line to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on September 30.

In the body of the email please include your full name, email, mailing address, and tell us about your favorite autumn perennial and why. The book winner will be announced and notified by October 2. Some of the entry responses may be used in future online or print articles.

Summer 2011 Issue

Our Summer magazine issue is now printed and mailed, If you are a subscriber as of July 15, you should have it now. The cover story is on Ornamental Edibles. From swiss chard to artichokes, how to mix attractive edible plants into your ornamental garden landscape.

To subscribe or renew today, see page 9 of this enewsletter.

You’ll also find in this issue: • A DayTrip to Nemours Estate and Gardens in Delaware. (See an excerpt from that story on page 9 of this enewsletter.)

• Amsonia aka Arkansas Bluestar Three Seasons of Color • Growing A-Maize-ing Corn — the best techniques and varieties for success in our region • East Native Summer Bluet • Fertilization Facts • Urban Foraging: the Ultimate Revenge Against Weeds!

• Cucumber Beetles • Summer Love for Your Garden • A “Magical” Garden Before and After Transformation • Casey Tree’s Summer Almanac • Famed Landscape Architect Florence Everts of Washington, DC tells her personal garden story • An Interview with Linna the Locavore and much, much more...

To subscribe, see the page 9 of this newsletter for a form to mail in or go to www.washingtongardener.com/index_ files/subscribe.htm and use our PayPal credit card link.

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Living Tribute to 9-11 Victims • Fenton Friday: Waterlogged!

• Landreth Seed Company Needs Our Help!

• Crafty Gardeners Share their Favorite Projects • Video Wednesday -- CSI: Garden Pests See more Washington Gardener Blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

September Garden To-Do List

Spotlight Special SuperNaturals Grafted Tomatoes: Mighty ‘Mato

Grafted vegetables are created when the top part of one plant (the scion) is attached to the root system of a separate plant (the rootstock). Now, American gardeners can leave disease concerns to past generations, as the new SuperNaturals™ line of grafted vegetables promotes a bountiful harvest! According to GardenLife.com, which is selling the tomato plants online, “Commercial cultivation of grafted vegetable plants began in Korea and Japan at the end of the 1920s.

Today, produce growers worldwide are adopting the use of grafted tomato stock, particularly in Asia, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.”

The benefits of SuperNaturals Mighty ’Mato™ vs. a non-grafted tomato plant: • Extreme vigor for improved quality and quantity of fruit • Tolerance to environmental stresses like extreme temperatures or poor soils • More abundant harvest over a longer period of time • Resistance to soil borne pathogens and pests • Increased disease resistance including resistance to early and late blight and blossom end rot • Space-saving. Double grafts allow for two different varieties on one plant!

Territorialseed.com will by carrying exclusively grafted varieties of the line in 2012. In addition to grafted tomatoes grafted eggplants, peppers, melons, cucumbers, and squash are planned for 2012 release.

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Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for September 15-October 16. Your additions to this list are most welcome: • Keep an eye out for the first frost date. In Zone 6, it is expected between Sept 30 and Oct 30 and in Zone 7 it is predicted between Oct 15 and Nov 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 and begonia to propagate and over-winter indoors.

• 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 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.

• Remove rotting fruits from fruit trees and compost them.

• Plant evergreens for winter interest.

• Weed.

• Plant garlic bulbs.

• Collect plant seeds for next year’s planting and for trading at the 6th Annual Washington Seed Exchange on January 28, 2011.

• Plant hardy mums and fall season annuals.

• Fertilize your lawn and re-seed if needed.

• Dig up bulbs from your Gladiolus, Canna, Caladiums, 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 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 – they are 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.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

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                                           

       ~ Thursday, April 21           ~ Saturday, July 16

             ~ Wednesday, September 21

     

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  ~ Thursday, December 15

                                      

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                                                                                                                                                         

         

     

  

     

    

    

            

  

            

                                                                             

  

                       

TO REGISTER TODAY for one or more of the tours:

Go online at www.shop.behnkes.com.    Click on Behnke Garden Tours Bus Trips.      to  There is a $3.00/person handling fee pay     online.     OR mail a registration form to: Garden Tours, 8000 N. Park St., Dunn Loring, VA  22027     Please make check payable to  Cheval’s 2nd Act.      

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

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DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ September 16-October 15, 2011 The Accokeek Foundation 3400 Bryan Point Rd. Accokeek, MD 20607 301.283.2113 www.accokeekfoundation.org

• Saturday, October 8, 10am-12:30pm PUTTING YOUR GARDEN TO BED Cold weather is on its way, and your summertime vegetable garden should be prepared. This course will provide you with the information needed to put your garden to bed for the winter months. We will discuss amending your soil and your space, as well as how to clean things up. Fee: $25 non-members, $20 members.

Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Avenue Wheaton, MD 20902 301.962.1400 www.brooksidegardens.org

• Saturday, September 17, 11:00am4:00pm CHILDREN’S DAY - ADVENTURES WITH FOOD - LET’S MOVE AND GROOVE! Brookside is a proud participant in Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens, a national initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama to provide opportunities for museum and garden visitors to learn about healthy food choices and promote physical activity. Children will move and groove throughout the day keeping fit while they enjoy activities throughout the gardens.

Also, don’t miss another special opportunity happening on September 17th from 11am-4pm - the Friends of Brookside Gardens annual plant sale has been extended!

Peruse an incredible collection of plants near the Visitors Center while all the Children’s Day activities are happening.

• Thursday, September 29, 6:30-8:00pm HOW TO GROW A SCHOOL GARDEN A FREE lecture with authors Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Rachel Pringle. For more information or to register online visit ParkPASS (course #159949).

Eco City Farms and Centro Ashé Eco City Farms 4913 Crittenden Street Edmonston, MD 20781 240.581.0484 www.centroashe.org

• Tuesday, September 27 and Tuesday, October 4, 6:00-9:00 pm COMPOSTING FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING • Tuesday, October 11 and Tuesday, October 18, 6:00-9:00 pm HIGH TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION & APPLICATIONS 4

Glencarlyn Library Community Garden 300 S. Kensington Street Arlington, VA 22204

• Sunday, September 25, 10am-3pm AUTUMNFEST PLANT SALE and MORE Rain or Shine, Free: Treats and Drink made from our HERB GARDEN; Talks on Native Bees (11am), Fall Planting (12noon), Pollinator & Herb Gardens (1pm) Potpourri making for adults & children. For Sale: Perennials, Flowering Shrubs, Small Trees … just in time for Fall Planting!

Rhonda Stevenson of Country Gardens, Toms Brook, VA. will bring a large selection of plants from her nursery to support our library garden. Come early in the day for the best selection. Cash or check only please. For more information, contact: Judy Funderburk at 703.671.5310 or Paul Nuhn @ 703.379.9619.

Green Spring Gardens 4603 Green Spring Road Alexandria, Virginia 22312 703.642.5173 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/

• Saturday, September 17, 9am-3pm FALL GARDEN FESTIVAL Support one of Virginia’s most innovative and exciting public gardens. The Fall Festival is a FROGS (Friends of Green Spring) sponsored fundraiser filled with activities, music, silent auction and an expanded plant and craft sale. Proceeds help acquire plants for the garden and add to Green Spring’s educational efforts. Call Green Spring Gardens at 703.642.5173 for more information.

• Friday, September 23, 1:30-2:30pm BASIC GARDENING: GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE Discover how the choice of plants in the landscape can influence visitation to your backyard by the wildlife around us. Learn how to provide four basic components which will help sustain wildlife populations in the urban environment. Register on-line at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/ or call Green Spring Gardens at 703.642.5173.

Code: 290 484 5401 $10 • Saturday, September 24, 9:30am-11am SELECTING ROSES The Consulting Rosarians from the Arlington Rose Foundation will present a seminal on selecting and caring for roses, including: roses in the landscape, selection, pruning, diseases, spraying, and fertilizing. Register on-line at fairfaxcounty. gov/parks/gsgp/ or call Green Spring Gardens at 703.642.5173.

Code: 290 484 5801 $15

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

• Saturday, October 1, 9:30am-11:30am FERN IDENTIFICATION SIMPLIFIED Expand your knowledge of the ferns found in Northern Virginia. Learn simple techniques to identify them and discover ways to use these lovely ferns in the landscape.

The class concludes with a walk through the gardens to take a closer look at these beauties. Register on-line at fairfaxcounty. gov/parks/gsgp/ or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

Code: 290 484 6001 $20

Hammond-Harwood House

19 Maryland Avenue Annapolis, Maryland 21401 410.263.4683 www.hammondharwoodhouse.org • Saturday, September 24, 5-8pm THE GARDEN PARTY The annual Garden Party to benefit the Hammond-Harwood House will be entertaining chez nous, in the garden of the Hammond-Harwood House. The HammondHarwood House is a historic museum of 18th Century Arts. It is a Palladian mansion built in 1774, and is described as the jewel of Annapolis. Enjoy music, drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the garden, along with the chance to peek inside this magnificent house.

Prince William Cooperative Extension www.pwcgov.org/vce/enr

• Saturday, October 8, 9:00am-12noon GETTING YOUR GARDEN READY FOR WINTER & USING NATIVE PLANTS IN YOUR LANDSCAPE Children’s Program: Bugs on the Menu!

Make Friends with Carnivorous Plants Taught by VCE - Prince William Master Gardener Volunteers At the Teaching Garden at St. Benedict Monastery, 9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow, VA 20136. All programs are free. A children’s program is offered concurrently with each Saturday in the Garden program. Please register separately for the children’s program at 703.792.7747.

Takoma Horticultural Club • Wednesday, Sept 21, 7:30-9:00pm GARDEN INSECTS Monthly meeting of the Takoma Horticultural Club co-sponsored by the City of Takoma Park, MD. A Presentation

by Michael Raupp, Ph.D., Professor of Entomology, University of MD, on garden insects. Mike will speak about what insects are “bugging” our gardens now and what to do about them. He will also

DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ September 16-October 15, 2011 talk about the “beneficials,” those insects that are helpful as predators and pollinators. Many of you know Mike from his multiple local radio and TV appearances or from his web site: http://www. bugoftheweek.com/.

This event is Open to the public and Free. At the Auditorium, Takoma Park Community Center 7500 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD. Directions and details at www.takomahort.org and http://www. takomaparkmd.gov/

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden 1644 31 Street NW Washington, DC 20007 202.965.0400 ext 112 www.tudorplace.org

• Thursday, September 29. 6-8 pm TUDOR NIGHTS: HARD CIDER AND THE HARVEST Celebrate the season of the harvest at Tudor Place. Roam public rooms of the mansion with informed guides on hand, and get an up-close look at an item from our collection selected for its ties to the season -- a 1904 vase adorned with autumn leaves in the Arts & Crafts style, crafted by the Rookwood Pottery. Apple cider punch will be served.

(Ages 21+) Members: Free; Nonmembers: $15 REGISTRATION: http://septembertudornights.eventbrite.com/

United States Botanic Garden Conservatory 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 202.225.8333 www.usbg.gov

• Saturday, September 24, 10am-3pm PLANT LITERACY FESTIVAL! Do you speak plant? Do you whisper to willows? Have you argued with an azalea?

Ever coaxed a cactus? Whether you’re fluent or a beginner, drop by the Plant Literacy Festival to learn more about these amazing beings! From roots to fruits and microbes to menu items, travel through various activity stations and explore all the parts that make plants unique, valuable and tasty! Please note: Festival occurs rain or shine.

Location: Conservatory Terrace FREE: No Pre-registration required • Friday, October 14, 12pm-1pm Landscape for Life Brown Bag Lecture Series: Right Plant, Right Place?

Bill McLaughlin, USBG Curator Truly successful gardens provide beauty, require little chemical input and give back to nature. By emphasizing Mid-Atlantic native plants and understanding their

requirements, the homeowner can have it all! The USBG, in partnership with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, has developed Landscape for Life (www.landscapeforlife.org), a program for home owners on sustainable gardening and based on the principles behind the Sustainable Sites Initiative. This Landscape for Life series serves to highlight how home gardeners can incorporate sustainability into their personal landscapes. These brown bag lectures can be done individually or as a series.

Location: Conservatory Classroom FREE: Pre-registration required: Visit www. usbg.gov

US National Arboretum 3501 New York Avenue, NE Washington, D. C. 20002-1958 202.245.2726 www.usna.usda.gov

• Saturday, September 17, 11am-3pm 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WASHINGTON YOUTH GARDEN The longest serving youth garden cultivating a love of fruits and veggies in the DC metropolitan area! WYG’s anniversary celebration will take place on the grounds of the US National Arboretum. It will be a festive day celebrating this exciting milestone filled with live music, activities for children and adults, delicious local fare, a dedication planting of blueberies, the introduction of WYG honey and more! All are invited to join in this exciting celebration. See www.washingtonyouthgarden.org for more details.

Event Listing Submissions

To submit an event for this listing, please contact: Wgardenermag@aol.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 taking place from October 16-November 15, 2011.

DC State Fair Rescheduled

Despite Hurricane Irene’s tantrum, DC State Fair is plowing ahead!

We’ve relocated to Crafty Bastards, on October 1--it’s a bit late for some of our veggie contests, so we won’t be having the Tastiest Tomato this year, unfortunately, but Longest, Heaviest, and Funkiest-Looking Vegetables should still be in the running! Plus, there’s the Vegetable Sculpture, Baked Goods contests (Pie and Cupcake), and the jam and pickles contests will be incorporated into Crafty Bastards’ Crafty Food Awards powered by DC State Fair.

Check out the details at http://dcstatefair.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/newdate-for-dc-state-fair/ and share with all your friends!

Featured Event Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello in Charlottesville, VA Saturday, September 17 (pre-festival events on Friday, September 16)

Learn about all the events, buy tickets, or sign up to volunteer, at:

www.heritageharvestfestival.com

Advanced Landscape Plant IPM PHC Short Course January 3-6, 2012 For registration information contact: Avis Koeiman Department of Entomology 4112 Plant Sciences Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 Tel: 301-405-3913 Email: akoeiman@umd.edu

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

5

Autumn Annuals

By Kathy Jentz 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?

Argyranthemum frutescens Marguerite Daisy ‘Butterfly’

Osteospermum hybrid Osteospermum ‘Soprano® Light Purple’ 6

Lobelia erinus Lobelia ‘Laguna™ Sky Blue’

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

Dianthus hybrid Dianthus ‘Devon Cottage™ Rosy Cheeks’ All photos for this story by Proven Winners.

LAST FEW DAYS!

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MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Cherry Trees MAY/JUNE 2005 • Stunning Plant Combinations • Turning Clay into Rich Soil • Wild Garlic • Wisteria • Strawberries JULY/AUGUST 2005 • Water Gardens • Poison Ivy • Disguising a Sloping Yard • Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens • Water Lilies SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Bulb Planting Basics JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden MARCH/APRIL 2006 • Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs • Azaleas • Figs, Berries, & Persimmons • Oak Diseases • Basic Pruning Principles MAY/JUNE 2006 • Using Native Plants in Your Landscape • Crabgrass • Peppers • Secret Sources for Free Plants • Alternatives to Invasives JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Hydrangeas • Theme Gardens • Agave • Find Garden Space by Growing Up SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes • Oatlands Plantation • Native Woodland Plants NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Weed-free Beds with Layer/Lasagna Gardening JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007 • Indoor Gardening • Daphne Care Guide • Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes • Houseplant Propagation MARCH/APRIL 2007 • Stormwater Management • Dogwood Selection & Care Guide • Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips • Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens MAY/JUNE 2007 • Roses: Easy Care Tips • Native Roses & Heirloom Roses • Edible Flowers • How to Plant a Bare-root Rose JULY/AUGUST 2007 • Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass • How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head • A Trip to the William Paca House & Gardens • Hardy Geraniums SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 • Succulents: Hardy to our Region • Drought-tolerant Natives • Southern Vegetables • Seed Saving Savvy Tips NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 • Gardening with Children • Kid-Friendly Vegetables • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • National Museum of the American Indian • Versatile Viburnums

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 • Dealing with Deer • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • Delightful Daffodils MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, and Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras) • Brookside’s Phil Normandy • Japanese-style Garden MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives • Build a Better Tomato Cage JULY/AUGUST 2008 • Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses • Edible Grasses to Graze On • Slug and Snail Control • Sage Advice: Sun-loving Salvias SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 • Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now • Ladybug Lore • Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums) • The Best Time to Plant Spring-blooming Bulbs • 14 Dry Shade Plants Too Good to Overlook NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 • Outdoor Lighting Essentials • How to Prune Fruiting Trees, Shrubs, and Vines • 5 Top Tips for Overwintering Tender Bulbs • Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick • A Daytrip to Tudor Place JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 • Compost Happens: Nature’s Free Fertilizer • Managing Stormwater with a Rain Garden • Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum • Grow Winter Hazel for Gorgeous Winter Color MARCH/APRIL 2009 • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips • Spring Edibles Planting Guide for the Mid-Atlantic • Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start • Redbud Tree Selection and Care • Best Local Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells MAY/JUNE 2009 • Top 12+ Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat • Salad Table Project • Grow and Enjoy Eggplant • How to Chuck a Woodchuck from Your Garden SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • What’s Bugging Your Tomatoes • Growing Hops FALL 2009 • Apples • How To Save Tomato Seeds • Persimmons WINTER 2009 • Battling Garden Thugs • How to Start Seeds Indoors • Red Twig Dogwoods • Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region • Visit to Riversdale House SPRING 2010 • Community Gardens • Building a Raised Bed • Dwarf Iris • Broccoli SUMMER 2010 • Fragrance Gardens • Watering Without Waste • Lavender • Potatoes FALL 2010 • Vines and Climbers • Battling Stink Bugs • Russian Sage • Garlic WINTER 2010 • Paths and Walkways • Baltimore’s Cylburn Arboretum • Edgeworthia • Kohlrabi SPRING 2011 • Cutting-Edge Gardens • Final Frost Dates and When to Plant • Bleeding Hearts • Onions

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2011 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

Coming Soon!

Washington Gardener Magazine’s DayTrip columns compiled into one handy publication — available soon in both paper and e-book versions. Great gift idea!

In Our Next Issue...

FALL 2011 Herb Gardens

A DayTrip to the Biltmore Estate An Intriguing Personal Garden Story

Tomato Taste Results

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by September 20 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication! oooooooooooooooooooooooo

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Magazine Excerpt: Amsonia hubrichtii/ Arkansas Blue Star by Elizabeth Olson

The Perennial Plant Association selected Amsonia hubrichtii as Perennial of the Year for 2011.

A. hubrichtii is part of the Apocynaceae or dogbane family, and is related to Vinca minor. This Amsonia species is named in honor of the renowned malacologist Leslie Hubricht, who collected samples of this remarkable blue star plant in 1940 while looking for unusual snails of the Ouachita Mountains in western Arkansas. The full indigenous area for Mr. Hubricht’s blue star extends from the Ouachita Mountains into eastern Oklahoma.

A. hubrichtii grows well outside of its limited native range and is proven to be hardy in USDA Zones 4–9. This herbaceous perennial takes about three growing seasons to reach maturity and is long-lived. A mature plant will have about 50 stems on a plant that grows three feet high and wide.

The Chicago Botanic Garden included A. hubrichtii in its evaluation study of hardy Amsonia species in the 1990s, and awarded A. hubrichtii a rating of 4½ stars out of a maximum of 5 stars. The only deficiency noted was reduced flower production compared to that of other Amsonia species. Hubricht’s blue star received the highest ratings possible for the remaining categories of habit display, winter hardiness, and resistance to disease and pests.

Hubricht’s blue star dies down in the winter and starts to sprout in April. It is deer-resistant and well-noted for providing three seasons of interest: clusters of pale-blue flowers in spring; copious amounts of feathery, apple-green foliage throughout summer; and brilliant, clear-yellow foliage for at least a month in autumn. It is most often planted because of the colorful display it provides from October into November.

The light-blue, star-shaped flowers are carried in upright clusters for about 10 days in late May to early June. The seedheads are unremarkable. Prune the plant to 10-12 inches in height immediately after the bloom cycle has ended to encourage a fuller growth habit for the summer. The sap is sticky; wear gloves when pruning...

Want to learn more about growing Amsonia in the Mid-Atlantic? Read the rest of this PlantProfile column in the Summer 2011 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. See the subscription information and details below.

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