Washington Gardener Enews October 2010

OCTOBER 2010 Welcome to the Washington Gardener Enewsletter!

This enewsletter is the free 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. Without your support, we cannot continue publishing this enewsletter. Our magazine subscription information is on page 6 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 this free enewsletter as well using the form on page 7 of this enewsletter to subscribe to our print magazine.

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 October 2010 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away several passes to the GreenFestivalDC (valued at $15 each).

Washington Gardener Magazine will have a booth at GreenFestivalDC with current and back issues for sale as well as subscriptions. Join us at the nation’s premier sustainability event, where you will see the best in green. Enjoy more than 125 renowned authors, leaders and educators; great how-to workshops; cutting-edge films; fun activities for kids; organic beer and wine; delicious vegetarian cuisine and diverse live music. Shop in the unique marketplace of more than 350 eco-friendly businesses—everything from all-natural body care products and organic cotton clothing to Fair Trade gifts and beautiful kitchen tiles made from renewable resources.

Visit www.greenfestivals.org to learn more.

To enter to win the GreenFestivalDC passes, send an email with “GFDC10” in the subject line to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on Thursday, October 21.

In the body of the email please include your full name, email, mailing address, and your favorite “Wicked Plant” and why. The winner will be selected at random, then announced and notified by October 22. Some of the contest entry responses may be used in future online or print articles.

Fall 2010 Issue

Our Fall magazine issue is printing and mailing this week. If you are a current subscriber, look for it in your mailbox soon. The cover story is on Vines and Climbers. There is a listing of over 20 vining plants that do well in our MidAtlantic gardens.

Also in this issue is the Edibles column, “Easy-to-Grow Garlic” by Cindy Brown. She shares her tips on how to grow garlic here in the Mid-Atlantic and the best varieties for our area.

Our Daytrip is to the Monticello, Jefferson’s famous residence outside of Charlottesville, VA. I visited there myself this past summer and have to say his vegetable garden is impressive. You’ll also find in this issue: • Russian Sage: A Perennial Pleasure • Best Bulbs for Soggy Spots • Confessions of a Plant Hoarder • Native Woodland Aster • Seed Bombs for Guerilla Gardening • Poisonous Weeds • Battling Stink Bugs • Nick Weber’s Heritage Rosarium & Dahlia Patch •New Tree Benefit Calculator • coverage of several local events including our own Tomato Taste • answers to readers’ questions such why their Cucumbers are Bitter and much, much more...

To subscribe, see the page 6 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

Spotlight Special

When John Houser found a tall and columnar evergreen tree growing in his nursery one day, he knew he found a winner. Usually in the nursery business, improvements in plants are due to deliberate breeding and effort. However, once in a while, Mother Nature sends along a genetic mutation — called a “sport” — which is beneficial and superior over the parentage of the plant.

The unusual evergreen found by Houser this day was an arborvitae. A very special arborvitae, with lightning fast growth, a dense branching structure and a tall, narrow habit. Further, it maintained this useful, desirable columnar shape with minimal pruning.

Because it reminded him of a soldier standing at attention, Houser named his arborvitae ‘American Pillar.’

The branches of ‘American Pillar’ are approximately twice as dense as its parent, the ‘Hetz wintergreen’ cultivar of arborvitae. ‘American Pillar’ has a tight pyramidal habit, which creates visual appeal in landscape designs. It grows rapidly to 25 feet or more, remaining a very slender tree, seldom exceeding 3 feet in width at its base, even without shearing.

Its fast growth and hardiness makes it a good choice for many suburban locations, especially for creating fast-growing privacy screens.

Unlike many other plants used for privacy screens — such as hemlock and pine — ‘American Pillar’ has improved diseases resistance. With a substantial root system and narrow habit, it’s also able to withstand high winds without sustaining much damage.

American Pillar’ (Thuja occidentalis ‘American Pillar pp# 20,209) is hardy in zones 3-8 - from Texas to Alberta.

Look for ‘American Pillar’ in the Proven Winners white container at better gardening centers in your area. For more information on American Pillar Nursery in Woodstock, GA, visit www. americanpillarnursery.com.

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• Peoples, Plots, and Plants of DC - Part 2 • Watering Without Waste: Blog Action Day • DC School Garden Photo Contest Winners 2010 • Need a Great Garden Speaker?

• Creative Composting See more Washington Gardener Blog posts at WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com.

October Garden To-Do List

Here is our comprehensive garden task list for gardens in the greater DC metro region for October 15-November 16. Your additions to this list are most welcome: • Cover pond with netting to keep out fallen leaves and debris.

• Harvest sweet potatoes.

• Plant garlic.

• Force the buds on Christmas Cactus by placing in a cool (55-60 degree) room and 13 hours of darkness.

• Apply deer deterrent spray.

• Prevent the spread of disease by cleaning up all infected plants and disposing of them in your trash — not your compost pile.

• Plant cover crops in your vegetable gardens and annual beds (i.e. rye, clover, hairy vetch, winter peas).

• Set-up a cold frame, then plant lettuces, radishes, and carrots from seed.

• If you have a water garden, clean out the annual plants and compost them. Cut back the submerged hardy plants and group them to the deepest pond section.

• Leave seedheads on black-eyed susans, echinacea, goldenrod, sunflowers, and thistles for the birds to enjoy over the winter.

• Check for bagworms, pick off, bag, and dispose of them.

• Dig up and store potatoes in a cool, dark spot.

• Continue to divide and transplant perennials.

• Rake leaves and gather in compost piles.

• Pick pumpkins at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market.

• Cut garden herbs and hang to dry in cool, dry place indoors.

• Start feeding birds to get them in the habit for this winter.

• Attend a local garden club meeting.

• Mulch strawberry beds for winter.

• Turn your compost pile weekly and don’t let it dry out. Work compost into your planting beds.

• Plant evergreens for winter interest.

• Weed.

• Plant spring-flowering bulbs.

• Sow wildflower seeds, such as California Poppies, for next spring.

• Collect dried flowers and grasses for an indoor vase.

• Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools.

• Lightly fertilize indoor plants.

• Pot up Paper Whites and Amaryllis for holiday blooming.

• Check that all vines are securely tied for winter’s cold winds.

• Collect plant seeds for next year’s planting and for trading.

• Pull out spent summer annuals.

• Plant hardy mums and fall season annuals.

• Water evergreens and new plantings to keep them hydrated this winter.

• Fertilize your lawn and re-seed if needed.

• Dig up bulbs from your Gladiolus, cut off foliage, dry for a week, and then store for the winter.

• Transplant trees and shrubs.

• Gather seeds and carefully label them. Store in dry location.

• Keep an eye out for the first frost date and insulate plants as needed. In Zone 6, it is expected between September 30-October 30 and in Zone 7 it is predicted between October 15-November 15.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2010 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

Wicked Plants Reviewed by Jim Dronenburg

This book is perhaps a misnomer. Just because the plants listed may make a person dead (or wish they were) the plants themselves are not, per se, wicked… just their use. That being said, this book is a lovely collection of plants with which to massacre large chunks of one’s neighborhood. Many are quite close to hand and plentiful.

The 61 divisions of the book proper deal with different plants or groups of plants which are poisonous, noxious, and/or offensive. Some, like ergot, are not too likely to be useful to anyone who doesn’t live near a rye field, and some only grow in the tropics. But the stories of illness and death from these plants are, shall we say, instructive. Each chapter ends with “Meet the Relatives,” which lists some related species which may (or may not) be poisonous. Mandragora, for example, is a nightshade; the family includes peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Not all the plants are poisonous in the usual sense. Celery, for example.

If it gets a certain pathogen it may produce large amounts of a compound that fights the pathogen — and may also induce sun sensitivity in those who eat that celery. Uninfected celery does not produce the compound to such a Author: Amy Stewart degree. Another highlighted plant, kudzu, is perfectly edible; it is included as Publisher: Algonquin Books “destructive” simply because it wants to overrun the planet. Some carnivorous List Price: $18.95 plants are included, not as a danger to humans, but for their diet.

Some things, like sharp grasses and stinging nettles (If you walk down by the C&O Canal and see what looks like a clump of catnip in the woods, LEAVE IT ALONE!) produce physical injury (cuts) or a nasty sting. Other plants produce rashes. In that respect, Ms. Stewart may do a disservice-by-neglect in her chapter on poison ivy/oak/ sumac, “The Terrible Toxicodendrons.” She goes into detail about the skin rash but neglects to mention that the plant can be deliberately FED to someone and an internal case of poison is much, much, often fatally worse… although it’s hard to imagine something worse than the proverbial practical joke of, “The Indians used these leaves…” which also, perhaps thankfully, is not included in the book.

I do have to hand it to Ms. Stewart, though, because she tells the stories of accidental (and deliberate) poisoning with great skill. You actually wind up enjoying them, which I would not have thought possible. I’ve even repeated some of them in casual conversation.

Incidentally, one of the most useful (in its way) chapters is the one on plants that can poison pets. One case in point is lilies; all parts are listed as toxic to cats, whereas humans can — and do — eat some lilies. Aloe, used for a topical treatment of burns on humans, can be very bad for pets that chew it. This in itself is worth the price of the book.

Speaking of worth the price of the book…. I recommend buying this book if you are looking for entertainment, and a first step towards learning plants you should avoid. (I say a first step because the illustrations and descriptions are not exact enough to identify a plant in the wild unless you already have a good idea of what you are looking at/for. The nettle illustration in particular is useless. Look at it when you buy the book.)

HOWEVER, if you ARE thinking of sending a person or persons to their final reward, do NOT buy this book. Go to the library and read it there — don’t check it out, that leaves a record — take copious notes, use the notes, and make sure to destroy said notes BEFORE you use the plants. And of course, don’t use anything that grows in your own garden.

Wicked Plants Excerpt: Famous Killers & Unfortunate Victims

• The KGB used ricin, the poison in CASTOR BEAN (Ricinus communis), to murder communist defectors.

• Dr. Thomas Cream, a 19th-century serial killer, slipped STRYCHNINE (Strychnos nuxvomica) to his patients and was eventually hanged for his crimes.

• The ghastly symptoms of pellagra, a syndrome caused by eating too much CORN (Zea mays), could have inspired European myths of vampirism in Bram Stoker’s Dracula: pale skin that erupted in blisters when exposed to the sun, sleepless nights, an inability to eat normal food, and a morbid appearance just before death.

• Frederick Law Olmsted, America’s most famous landscape architect and designer of Central Park, was nearly blinded by POISON SUMAC (Toxicodendron vernix).

• Claudius, Emperor of Rome from 41 to 54 B.C., died under mysterious circumstances. Historians believe his symptoms point to poisoning by muscarine, a toxin found in several species of DEADLY MUSHROOMS. WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2010 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

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DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ October 16-November 15, 2010 The Accokeek Foundation

ington, DE.” You’re invited to attend this lecture for $10.00 at the door. For more information visit www.pvcnargs.org and visit the national organization www.nargs.org

• Tuesday, November 2, 6:30-8:00pm LOCAL FOOD FORUM One of the great things about Southern Maryland is the availability of local food.

Depending on your tastes, you can find locally grown fruits and vegetables, eggs, and meat all within a short drive for a good portion of the year. If you are interested in finding and eating locally grown food, or you are interested in creating a better market for the food you grow or produce, we’d like to invite you to our free Local Food Forum. The Forum meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month during Daylight Savings Time. Meet local producers and learn about the foods that are grown and produced locally. We also talk about how and where to find local food, and work as a group to make local food more available.

Registration is not required. For more information, call 301.283.2113 or email the Foundation.

• Thursday, November 4, 1:00-3:00pm VERMICOMPOSTING AT HOME Presenter: Mark Richardson, Brookside Gardens Staff. As gardeners, we all know the benefits of compost — from adding organic matter to your soil for better nutrient and water retention to diverting landfill waste to reduce our impact on the environment. Despite all the benefits, making good compost at home can be challenging. Join Mark Richardson to learn a simple way to compost your food scraps right in your kitchen using Redworms. Fee includes a vermicomposting starter kit and instruction for starting and maintaining your own vermicomposting bin. Course number 120455; Fee: $95, FOBG: $85; registration required at www.parkpass.org.

3400 Bryan Point Road Accokeek, MD 20607 301.283.2113 www.accokeek.org

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

• Saturday October 23, 9:30am coffee; 10am program GREAT GARDENS I REMEMBER Potomac Valley Rock Garden Society (PVC) Fall 2010 Program. Anne Raver has written about gardening and the environment for 25 years and will share with us some of the dozens of varied and outstanding public and private gardens she’s visited during her long career. Here’s a taste of the virtual tour we’ll take with Anne (adapted from a article Anne wrote for the Piedmont Chapter before speaking to them): “What makes these gardens memorable while others fade from the mind as soon as you return home to see if the bluebells are up? Of course the answer is different for each person. For some it’s the geometric spaces, like those of Sissinghurst in England or the perennial garden at Wave Hill north of New York City, where the proverbial bones are so good that plants can billow into the paths and roses and clematis can weave themselves up through evergreens. Others are drawn to the curving trail like the path through the Douglas firs, carpeted with trillium, erythronium and vanilla leaf at the Chase Garden in Orting WA or the great swaths of blue created by thousands of successive blooming bulbs at Winterthur, the DuPont estate near Wilm4

• Wednesday, November 10, 9:3011:30am OR Thursday, November 11, 9:30-11:30am MIXED WINTER CONTAINER Presenter: Joan O’Rourke, Friends of Brookside Gardens. In this popular class, Joan will help you create a miniature winter garden in a container featuring plants that can stand up to winter’s harshest weather. Mix a variety of dwarf evergreens with a splash of herbaceous plants for some late season color. Cost covers all materials, including a 14” container (or bring your own favorite container). Fee: $60, FOBG: $54; registration required at www.parkpass.org.

EVENT of the MONTH HIGHLIGHT! Washington Gardener will have a booth space at this special event:

GreenFestivalDC

Washington Convention Center Saturday. October 23, 10am-7pm and Sunday, October 24, 11am-6pm You’ll enjoy more than 125 renowned speakers and 350 green businesses (start your holiday shopping now!), great how-to workshops, green films, a Fair Trade pavilion, yoga classes, organic beer, delicious organic cuisine and live music.

Find out about DC environmental initiatives; and learn how neighbors, community nonprofits and city departments are working together to make their cities healthier places to live.

Come to the Mother Earth News Fair Pavilion Community Seed Swap Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Mother Earth News Fair Pavilion to share your seeds, your knowledge and your enthusiasm for different plant varieties with other gardeners and farmers! Connect with folks who might be your neighbors, or from anywhere in your bioregion

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2010 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

and bring any seeds you have to share.

Bring all seeds, whether you’ve saved them yourself or even have varieties leftover from this year’s garden! This is an informal, relaxed event and beginners are welcome Entry Fee: $15

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

•Tuesday, October 19, 10am SELECT NATIVES AND CONTROL INVASIVES Participate in an informative sustainable landscaping class that goes beyond the basics. Professionals gain greater understanding of native plant alternatives and controlling invasive plants through instruction and exercises. Come away with practical information that helps our environment and gives you a marketing edge. Prerequisites are basic experience with landscape design and the ability to read an engineering and architectural scale.

• Wednesday, October 27, 6:30pm FALL HARVEST Begin your evening with a lively presentation by horticulturalist Cindy Brown on the bountiful harvest from Green Springs’ Kitchen Garden. Cindy shows you how to use fall’s fruits and veggies to create a seasonal feast and offers samples.

• Saturday, October 30, 9:30am GIFTS FROM THE GARDEN Nothing says cherished friendship better than giving something you created yourself. Our gardens furnish us the materials: flowers, herbs, bulbs and vegetables, to make unique gifts for the holidays, parties or special occasions. Learn about drying flowers and herbs, forcing bulbs, making relish or chutney, potpourri, and many other techniques. Let your inner artist soar.

• Tuesday, November 9, 10am WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING Attend this informative rainwater harvesting and water efficient landscaping class that goes beyond the basics. Gain greater understanding of sustainable practices through exercises and instruction. Come away with practical information that helps our environment and gives you a marketing edge. Prerequisites are basic experience with landscape design and the ability to read an engineering and architectural scale. Call site by October 26 to order a vegetarian or non-vegetarian lunch for $12.

• Saturday. November 13, 1:30pm TREE IDENTIFICATION: CONIFERS Learn to distinguish a pine from a fir or

DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ October 16-November 15, 2010 spruce in this session with Green Spring United States Botanic Advanced Landscape Director, Mary Olien. Look at the scale Garden Conservatory needle conifers and learn how to distinPlant IPM PHC Short Course Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court Vienna, VA 22182 703.255.3631 http://www.nvrpa.org/park/meadowlark_ botanical_gardens •Saturday, October 23, 10-11am ORNAMENTAL GRASSES TOUR Tour the gardens with Horticulturist Laurie Short and discuss the use, care and propagation of fall-peaking ornamental grasses.

A $5 fee applies and reservations are required at 703.255.3631.

• Saturday, November 6, 5-7pm FOTOWEEKDC GALLERY OPENING RECEPTION “CAPTURING NATURE IN PHOTOGRAPHS” View a juried exhibit of nature photographs taken at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, and meet the photographers.

Light refreshments. Tickets $5. Reservations requested at 703.255.3631 ext. 0.

Mt. Cuba Center 3120 Barley Mill Rd. Hockessin, DE 19707 302.239.4244 www.mtcubacenter.org

• Saturday, October 23, 1-4pm THE MEADOW PROJECT Catherine Zimmerman, author of Urban & Suburban Meadows: Bringing Meadowscaping to Big and Small Spaces, will discuss the challenges of designing, establishing, and maintaining your meadow. Take a walk through the meadow at Mt. Cuba Center and enjoy a book signing and refreshments with Catherine. Cost is $30.

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

• Friday, October 29, 5-7pm POISONOUS PLANTS AND CHILLING COCKTAILS Visitors take a guided tour of the historic gardens in search of poisonous plants and learn intriguing stories of historical figures that suffered at the hands of these deadly plants. After the tour, enjoy chilling cocktails and refreshments in Tudor Place’s historic outbuildings and gardens. 21 and over. Members: $10 Nonmembers: $15

100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 202.225.8333 www.usbg.gov

• Wednesday, October 20, 7:30-8:30pm FLOWER POWER: AMERICAN BOTANISTS AND THEIR PLANTS AT WAR, 1942-1945 This presentation explores the many ways that American botanists, foresters, horticulturalists and agriculturalists used their knowledge and expertise in a broad range of areas on behalf of the war effort, especially in the second world war. The talk centers on important plant commodities that include important materials like rubber, but also medicinal plants like cinchona (the source of quinine), as well as the development of chemicals used as herbicides and fertilizers. It also explores less well known applications like the development of camouflage, novel foodstuffs, and other substitutes that were called for in the crisis over shortages that ensued with the outbreak of war.

FREE: Pre-registration required

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

• Thursday October 28, 4:30-6:00pm EDIBLE FOREST GARDENS WORKSHOP Forest gardens can be as simple or complex as you like and are well suited to compact schoolyard urban lots.

This hands-on demonstration in the Washington Youth Garden is geared for beginners and will help you decide which fruit crops to grow, how and when to plant them, and tips on pruning, fruit thinning and other techniques to boost productivity.

Join head horticulturist Scott Aker of the US National Arboretum in the Washington Youth Garden for an introduction to the concepts, design and maintenance of edible forest gardens. RSVP Now. Space is Limited. Contact Trinh Doan, patricia. doan@dc.gov or 202.535.1653.

Event Listing Notes

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: Wgardenermag@aol.com and put “Event” in the email subject head.

Our next deadline is November 12 for the October 15 edition of this enewsletter featuring events from November 16-December 15.

January 18-21, 2011

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 Magazine Urban Garden Talk Series Continues We are skipping July and August and then continuing our DC Urban Garden talk series with the Historical Society of Washington, DC (HSW) in the fall. Here are the dates and topics, please add them to your calendars and plan on joining us: • Sunday, September 26, Kathy Jentz on “Getting the Most out of Small-Space Urban Gardens” • Sunday, October 31, Cheval Force Opp on “Vermicomposting and Composting Basics” • Sunday, November 28, Michael Twitty on “In Search of African-American Heritage Seed” All three talks are from 2:00-3:30PM at the Historical Society of Washington, DC, 801 K Street, NW, at Mount Vernon Square. Washington, DC 20001; next to the Washington Convention Center and just a couple blocks from Gallery Place.

Directions at www.HistoryDC.org or by calling 202.383.1800. These programs are FREE and open to the public.

CA NC TA EL LK ED SE RI ES

guish the junipers, cedars and cypresses.

Bring a 10X hand lens or magnifying glass. Dress for the weather.

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Enews goes out on the 15th of every month and is a free sister publication to Washington Gardener magazine. The ad rate is $250 per issue or $1,000 for five (5) issues within one calendar year.

The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: washingtongardener@rcn.com.

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2010 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

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Magazine Excerpt:

The Deadly Problem of Poisonous Weeds

Scientists recommend that you learn to identify and avoid plants that produce dangerous toxins. Your life may depend on it! Each year, dozens of people die or are sickened by weeds they didn’t know would cause them harm.

Nightshade “It’s an easy mistake to make,” says Joseph DiTomaso, cooperative extension specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of California at Davis, a member of the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), and author of Weeds of California and Other Western States. “Hemlock and other poisonous weeds are often cousins of edible foods and share similar flowers, leaves, fruit, and seeds. Gardeners and wildfood enthusiasts need to be well-informed to stay safe.”

“While there can be a number of mechanisms at work, most plants produce their own naturally occurring pesticide to deter predators so they won’t be eaten,” DiTomaso says. “It’s a very competitive world, and no plant could survive without producing some defense mechanism.”

Though there are many toxic weed species, WSSA has assembled a “rogue’s gallery” of 10 that are especially problematic. The list is topped by two very dangerous genera of hemlock.

1. Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is a biennial weed with fern-like leaves that can be easily mistaken for parsley. Like parsley, it is in the carrot family. The plant produces a number of toxic substances, but the most deadly is the alkaloid coniine — a neurotoxin that disrupts the central nervous system. Ingesting even the smallest amount can result in rapid respiratory collapse and death. One way to identify poison hemlock is by the purple-red blotches on its stems. This is the species responsible for the death of the Greek philosopher Socrates...

Want to learn more about the Poisonous Weeds growing in our area? Read the rest of this EdibleHarvest column in the Fall 2010 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine.

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SAVE THE DATES! BACK ISSUE SALE!

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MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Design an Herb Garden • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Dandelions • 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 • Edible Water Plants • Water Lilies SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Make Herbs & Vinegars • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Gardening as Exercise • Bulb Planting Basics JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden • Start Annuals from Seed 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

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• The National Garden on its First Anniversary • Building a Bay-Friendly Garden NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 • Gardening with Children • Holiday Crafts with Native Plants • Kid-Friendly Vegetables • Indoor Bulb Forcing Basics • National Museum of the American Indian • Versatile Viburnums 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 • Restored Gardener’s House at Mount Vernon JULY/AUGUST 2008 • Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses • Edible Grasses to Graze On • Slug and Snail Control • Sage Advice: Sun-Loving Salvias • How to Weed • Richmond’s Treasure — Maymont’s Gardens SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 • Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now • Ladybug Lore • Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums) • The Best Time to Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs • A Daytrip to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens • 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 • Cutworm Control • 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 • Aphid Alert 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

WASHINGTON GARDENER ENEWS © 2010 Washington Gardener Magazine All rights reserved.

Washington Gardener Magazine’s 6th Annual Seed Exchanges are: January 29, 2011 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD and February 5, 2011 at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA

SAVE THOSE SEEDS!

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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!

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the greater DC region.

Call 301.588.6894 or email wgardenermag@aol.com for available dates, rates, and topics.