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On August 5, 2010, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture announced the occurrence of thousand cankers disease in black walnut trees (Juglans nigra) in Knox County, Tennessee. Although this lethal disease has been present in western states for at least a decade, it had not previously been reported in the native range of the black walnut east of the Mississippi River. The presence of this devastating disease in the eastern part of Tennessee poses a great risk to black walnut trees in Virginia. Virginians should be on the lookout for this disease in black walnut trees.
See attachment for details. | | 9/30/2010 |
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The Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) program is a volunteer-based program that is working towards identifying new populations of invasive species in Fairfax County parks so they can be eradicated before they cause ecological damage. Become a Volunteer Survey Leader and lead other volunteers on systematically surveying parks and reporting new potentially damaging populations of invasive species. This is a great chance to work outdoors and meet other people interested in nature. Volunteers must be able to walk off trail and identify native and non-native species. If you would like to help out on a survey or more information on the program please contact me at Erin.Stockschlaeder@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703 324 8750. You can also check out the EDRR schedule of events at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/resources/IMA/IMA-calendar.htm . Training Dates: August 18th from 5-7 p.m. Huntley Meadows Park. September 15th form 3-5 p.m. Ellanor C Lawrence Park. October 20th from 3-5 p.m. in meeting room at Huntley Meadows Nature Center. Please RSVP if you would like to attend as space is limited. | | |
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A very thought provoking study indeed. The “ first do no harm” statement should be taken to heart and is of course what the title of the replanting guide Greg Zell and Rod Simmons worked on. I still hear constant pushing for biological controls thinking this is so much better than chemical, cultural, or other control methods, but this is not often the case. A few examples we can add that some folks maybe familiar with:
- Releasing Praying Mantids. Not only are the ones commercially available usually the larger Chinese Mantis who then eat our native smaller Carolina Mantis (which is now fairly rare around urban settings perhaps due to this), but this rarely has the desired effect anyways. You can’t make them eat just pest species (they are just as likely to hide in a flower head and eat pollinators as well as other native beneficial, smaller species) but they also eat each other so they are never at a high enough population density to actually control pest numbers.
- Asian Ladybugs. The species was released with all sorts of promises like the mantids of controlling a myriad of pest insects. The problem is that they also eat the native ladybugs (some say they are responsible for the near extirpation of the New York state insect which was the 9-spotted Ladybug and the most common ladybug in the East before the introduction of the exotic). They will also eat other soft bodied, non-target insect species which may then become rare also. Having said that, they are often released in large numbers but they disperse rapidly (especially if no prep is made for them before hand) and so spread all over but may not remain in numbers to control pests anyways. No to mention they often form aggregations in our houses in winter and can be quite stinky under those conditions.
- Tachnid flies. Certain species were introduced to control gypsy moths. Problem is that they find many moth species potential hosts including most of our giant silkworm moths and butterfly caterpillars. Same can be said for the fungi introduced for these reasons and also wiping out large numbers of Lepidoptera.
With so many problems with invasive exotic species ACCIDENTALLY introduced, we should really be careful with what we intentionally introduce. The path to hell is paved with good intentions. I often use an example of thinking of nature as a puzzle, with different pieces fitting together and how we should follow Aldo Leopold’s first rule of intelligent tinkering: don’t lose any of the pieces. I also always mention that when you add an extra piece to an existing nature puzzle, it upsets the picture. A piece may fit perfectly well where it came from and evolved, but can have dire consequences when we try and make it fit into another nature puzzle. I like solving puzzles but don’t want the added complications of extra and missing pieces. | Read the publication | 8/31/2010 |
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The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Pesticide Control Board invite farmers, pesticide dealers, pest control firms, homeowners and golf courses to participate in the 2010 pesticide disposal program, which collects unwanted, outdated, or banned pesticides and disposes of them in a safe manner. VDACS, through its Office of Pesticide Services (OPS), provides this service at no cost to participants in the designated localities. The program is funded through pesticide product registration fees collected by OPS. Since its inception, Virginia’s Pesticide Disposal Program has collected and destroyed over 1.5 million pounds of outdated and unwanted pesticides, completely eliminating the environmental threat they could have posed.
This year, the disposal program takes place in the following localities: the counties of Arlington, Caroline, Essex, Fairfax, Gloucester, King & Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Loudoun, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
For Loudoun and Prince William Counties and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park the disposal will be held on September 14, 2010, from 9am – 1pm at the Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department, 3510 James Madison Hwy., Haymarket, VA 20169-1932.
For Counties of Fairfax, Arlington, and the Cities of Falls Church, Alexandria and Fairfax, the disposal will be held on September 15, 2010 from 9am – 1pm at the Merrifield Garden Center-Fair Oaks, 12101 Lee Hwy., Fairfax, VA 22030
Participants must transport their unwanted pesticides to central collection sites located within the service area. If participants cannot safely containerize the unwanted pesticides for transport, the disposal contractor will make arrangements to do that for them. Only unwanted pesticides will be accepted. Pesticide contaminated material (for example, pesticide contaminated fertilizer) will not be accepted as part of the disposal program. In addition, the program does NOT accept motor oil, paint, fuel, fertilizer or other chemicals.
Participants should complete a pesticide disposal registration form ahead of time and return the completed form to VDACS, PO Box 1163, Richmond Virginia 23218. The form is available at: http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pesticides/disposal.shtml or by contacting the Pesticide Disposal Program at 804.786.3798.
For more information you may also contact the Agriculture Extension Agent in your locality:
Fairfax: Adria Bordas (703) 324-5369
Loudoun County: Corey Childs & Debbie Dillion (703) 777-0373
Prince William: Paige Thacker (703) 792-6285 | Pesticide disposal registration form | 9/16/2010 |
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The 4th annual Heritage Harvest Festival, hosted by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation in partnership with Southern Exposure Seed Exchange,and the Central Virginia Master Gardeners is a fun, family-oriented, educational event promoting gardening, sustainable living, local food and the preservation of heritage plants. The 2010 Heritage Harvest Festival will be held on Saturday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the West Lawn of Monticello in Charlottesville.
At the heart of the Heritage Harvest Festival are over 40 educational programs, lectures, cooking demonstrations, and food tastings that include the ever popular Tomato Tasting. To kick off the event, Rosalind Creasy, founder of the edible landscape movement, will host a Preview lecture and local foods buffet dinner on Friday, September 10 at the Monticello Visitor Center. For more information on the Festival, visit www.heritageharvestfestival.com or call 434-984-981 for tickets. | see details | 9/12/2010 |
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Ixodes scapularis
IDENTIFICATION — Not all garden pests are found on plants. Some are actually on the gardener! Unfortunately, this pest is hard to spot. The black-legged tick (or deer tick), the main culprit in infecting humans with Lyme disease, is tiny. Brick-red adult females are about 3/25 in. long, and the black males are a little smaller. After feeding, females can be two to three times that size. During the immature nymph stage, they’re only about the size of the head of a pin and translucent with a gray tinge. This is the phase during which they’re most likely to attach to humans or pets and transmit disease.
Only 1 to 5 percent of black-legged ticks carry Lyme disease, most commonly in Canada and the northern United States.
CONTROL — The best control for black-legged ticks is to avoid them. They’re found in wooded areas or tall grass, so stay on paths and keep your lawn mowed. Keep pets in mowed areas, as they can bring ticks indoors or be infected with Lyme disease themselves. Mowing grass short raises the temperature and lowers humidity at ground level, which causes ticks to dehydrate and die.
Wearing long-sleeved, light-colored shirts and long pants helps keep ticks away and also makes it easier to see any that might have made it onto you. Tuck your pants into your socks to keep the little critters from crawling up your legs. Repellents with deet also keep ticks at bay.
After coming indoors from brushy areas, check for ticks, especially in your hair and around your waist and inner thighs. They need to be attached for a couple of hours to transmit disease, so removing them promptly is important. It’s best to use tweezers. Grasp the tick’s head and body and pull carefully.
For more information on Lyme disease, go to the American Lyme Disease Foundation Web site at www.aldf.com or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/. | for more informtion.. | 9/15/2010 |
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Come see the art of the Flora!
At Blandy Experimental Farm, through August
Native plants take center stage in a new exhibition of illustrations from the upcoming Flora of Virginia. The Art of our Plants: Illustrating the Flora of Virginia will be open through August at the State Arboretum of Virginia at the University of Virginia’s Blandy Experimental Farm, in Boyce. A grand opening of the exhibition will be held Sunday, July 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free. | | 8/31/2010 |
| | The tender geraniums (Pelargonium) contain a compound that paralyzes Japanese beetles when they eat the flowers - they can recover within 24 hours, but before then they are usually devoured by predators; now scientists have isolated the compound and patented it for use as a beetle control.
- The Avant Gardener June 2010 | | 7/15/2010 |
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Saturday, April 17, 2 p.m.
Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington Va.
Film produced by local filmmaker Cintia Cabib. The documentary explores the vital role of seven community gardens in Washington, D.C., not only as sources of fresh, nutritious food, but as outdoor classrooms, places of healing, centers of social interaction, and oases of beauty and calm in inner-city neighborhoods. The screening will be followed by a Q-and-A with Cabib.
The Arlington Career Center's student-built "Little Green House" mobile exhibit, made of recycled and environmentally friendly materials, will be on display outside Central Library during this event.
Call 703-228-6321 for more information. | | 4/18/2010 |
| | Phytophthora ramorum (P. ramorum) was recently confirmed from bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) seedlings at a commercial greenhouse in eastern Pennsylvania. P. ramorum is the causal agent for the disease referred to as Sudden Oak Death (SOD), ramorum leaf blight or ramorum dieback and has a broad range of hosts, including hardwoods (e.g., coast live oak), softwoods (e.g., Douglas-fir), and landscape plants (e.g., camellia and rhododendron). More than 100 plant species and cultivars representing more than 70 genera are susceptible to P. ramorum. Some may succumb to the disease, whereas others facilitate the spread of the fungus. In addition to potentially serious environmental impacts, this organism threatens commercial timber production and the nursery industry. The presence of P. ramorum in the U.S. has already resulted in restrictions in foreign and domestic trade. It is important to understand that P. ramorum has been detected on assorted nursery stock on several occasions in Pennsylvania and other eastern states since 2004 after originally being found in California in 1995. To date, swift action by state and federal personnel against infected plants has prevented the disease from escaping to become established in natural areas in the East. Unlike previous discoveries, the pathway of introduction for this latest Pennsylvania discovery is, as yet, undetermined. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry (PDA-BPI), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine unit (USDA-APHIS-PPQ), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, Division of Forest Pest Management remain vigilant in their P. ramorum surveying efforts. In response to any confirmed detection, PDA, BPI and USDA-APHIS-PPQ establishes mitigation protocols to prevent the pathogen’s movement and conducts investigations to trace potentially infected materials.
Citizens, who may have planted bay laurel, are encouraged to carefully inspect their plants for wilted or spotted leaves, browning foliage or twig dieback. If suspicious plants are found, samples should be taken to a county extension office or the Agriculture department for testing. | | 4/30/2010 |
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HELP IN THE GARDEN, a personal gardening service business, is currently looking to fill part-time positions for the upcoming season. We are starting our fourth year in Loudoun County and looking to expand into Fairfax County.
Very flexible hours -- make your own schedule! Pay is $18.00 per hour. (See attachment.) Please call Sharon Lynch 540-454-9500 for an interview or more information. | See details | 3/31/2010 |
| | Bird "feeder"
Put peanut butter in cleaned-out egg shells. Makes a nice little cup in the snow and birds love it, especially the wrens since they don't seem to like black oiled sunflower seeds.
George Graine
Fairfax Representative,
Virginia Master Gardener Association
P.S. Branches that are iced over should be left to melt when the sun comes out. To remove snow from heavily laden branches, use a broom and gently shake with an UPWARD motion. I know this does not seem to be the natural thing to do; however, a downward motion tends to break branches. THINK SPRING! | | 2/28/2010 |
| | Conservation begins at home! Mark your calendars to join Audubon at Home Ambassadors launching our new program to promote "Wildlife Sanctuaries" in backyards, schoolyards, HOAs, churches and elsewhere, throughout northern Virginia. You are invited to meet on Sunday, Feb. 7, 1-3:30pm or on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6:30-9pm.
These meetings are for anyone interested in ASNV's new wildlife sanctuary certification project, with an emphasis on training folks to be ambassadors for the program. The purpose is to provide orientation and preliminary training to prospective outreach volunteers, or to those simply interested in eco-savvy landscaping and property management. Meetings will take place at the Packard Center , 4022 Hummer Road , Annandale 22003 . There will be a PowerPoint review of the Audubon at Home program with staff naturalist, Cliff Fairweather, and a discussion of our native wildlife and habitats with Huntley Meadows park manager, Kevin Munroe. We will be introducing promotional pamphlets, the application form for property owners, and the attractive outdoor "Wildlife Sanctuary" sign that certified properties may post to show support for habitat restoration. We'll talk about how to have your property certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary and how to become an ambassador for the program. | See program details | 2/15/2010 |
| | 10-20 Media announces the 2010 'New Year' release of the GardenPilot iPhone App. This initial release of the searchable garden app features over 14,000 illustrated plant information pages to assist the researching gardener in plant selection and local retail sourcing. | | 2/15/2010 |
| | Open to the public. Presented in Culpeper by the Four-County Master Gardeners (Culpeper, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock). Professor Robert McDuffie and Dr. Alex Niemiera of Virginia Tech will discuss the "Top Ten Worst Landscape Design Ideas," "Woody Plants You Can't Live Without," "Tough Plants for Tough Times," and "Gardens of England and Wales." $30 for active Master Gardeners, $35 general public. Registration deadline February 27. See attached brochure for more information and registration form. | | 2/28/2010 |
| | Perennial Plant Association named Amsonia hubrichtii (Arkansas amsonia, Arkansas blue star) as its 2011 Perennial Plant of the Year. Native to the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas, this bushy plant produces light blue star-shaped flowers and fine, feathery ¾-inch long foliage. It blooms during April and May. The flower color lightens in warmer temperatures.
Univ. of Ga. horticulture professor Allan Armitage said the plant makes an outstanding display, particularly in the fall when the leaves turn a golden yellow color. This low maintenance, full sun plant is hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.
Baptisia australis (false blue indigo) is the 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year. | See plant photo | 1/31/2010 |
| | This message is from the President of VMGA.
Those of you who were at the VMGA Board Meeting on Saturday heard the news about the passing of Bud Gregory after a terrific fight with a reoccurrence of melanoma. He was loved and admired by all who knew him. Among his accomplishments were his involvement with the Beautiful Gardens plant introduction program started in 2003, introducing a multiple bloom lily to the plant world and known for sharing many of his plants with master gardeners. He and his wife, Fran were the unit reps for Northern Shenandoah Valley MGA (Clarke, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Shenandoah counties). We will miss him. | | 1/15/2010 |
| | There is a myth about American Mistletoe, the green-berried parasitic plant often hung in doorways during the holiday season to elicit kisses from those standing beneath it. Reputed to be the "kiss of death," it is said to be so poisonous that humans can be killed if they ingest the leaves or berries. This myth has been endlessly repeated throughout the years, reappearing every December in countless holiday safety reports on television and in print.
Is it true? Is American Mistletoe (Phoradendron species), a holiday killer? Two physicians and researchers from Pittsburgh decided to find out. Dr. Edward P. Krenzelok (Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh) and Dr. Terry Jacobson (Carnegie Mellon University) examined data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers and found 1,754 reports of mistletoe exposure over a seven-year span. Curiously, not only had no one died of mistletoe poisoning, in the overwhelming majority of the cases (approximately 90 percent), the patient experienced no effects at all. Those patients who did have effects suffered only minor discomfort. Treatment at a poison control center or at home made no discernible difference in patients' recovery or outcome.
Most mistletoe ingestion is reported in children, often those under two, who finding a couple of berries or leaves that have dropped to the floor will put them in their mouths. Drs. Krenzelok and Jacobson found that such exposure was not dangerous, and that the children could be observed and treated for poisoning symptoms, such as nausea or diarrhea, at home. They suggest that parents call their local poison control center and follow the advice given. The study did not indicate whether ingestion of large quantities of mistletoe might be more toxic, nor did it address the degree of exposure that might be toxic in pets (who might be inclined to eat a larger quantity than a child).
Causing at most only minor discomfort, American Mistletoe does not seem to have earned its reputation as the "kiss of death." Its European cousin, Viscum album, sometimes used in herbal remedies, is more toxic, but is not sold commercially in North America and is thus rarely encountered. | See details | 1/15/2010 |
| | Get ready for the buzz about Baptisia australis—the Perennial Plant Association's (PPA) 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year. Garden writers across the nation will likely be extolling the virtues of this versatile perennial in coming months. B. australis is also known by the common names blue false indigo, wild indigo and baptisia. B. australis is an excellent plant to anchor the back of the border. It is also valuable for cottage gardens and native plant gardens, and native areas of prairies or meadows. It is best as a specimen or planted in small groups. Read more at GardenCenterMagazine.com. | See details | 1/20/2010 |
| | The poinsettia is the most widely tested consumer plant on the market today, proving the myth about the popular holiday plant to be false:
Scientific research from The Ohio State University has proved the poinsettia to be non-toxic to both humans and pets. All parts of the plant were tested, including the leaves and sap.
According to POISINDEX, the national information center for poison control centers, a child would have to ingest 500-600 leaves in order to exceed the experimental doses that found no toxicity.
A study by Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University found that out of 22,793 reported poinsettia exposures there was essentially no toxicity significance of any kind. The study used national data collected by the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that keeping this plant out of the reach of pets to avoid stomach upset is a good idea, however pet owners need not fear the poinsettia and banish it from their homes for fear of a fatal exposure. The American Veterinary Medicine Association of America (AVMA), agrees. | | 12/30/2009 |
| | Gaillardia F1 ‘Mesa Yellow’ AAS Flower Award Winner
‘Mesa Yellow’ is the first hybrid blanket flower with a controlled plant habit and prolific flowering. The 3-inch daisy like flowers and globe shaped seed heads offer a superior presentation of color which continues throughout the summer.
Snapdragon F1 ‘Twinny Peach’ AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner
Who took the snap out of Snapdragon? ‘Twinny Peach’ the AAS Winner, is a snapdragon without the snap. Why? Because it is a double or butterfly flower form that does not have the jaws or joints to snap.
Viola F1 ‘Endurio Sky Blue Martien’ AAS 2010 Cool Season Award Winner
A burst of clear blue greets gardeners with ‘Endurio Sky Blue Martien.’ This unique spreading/mounding viola may look delicate, but delivers tough-as-nails performance in the garden.
Zinnia ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner
A stunning combination of new and old describes ‘Zahara Starlight Rose.’ Zinnias are old-fashioned flowers but these rose and white flowers are a new bicolor for this sun loving class of annuals. | See details | 1/15/2010 |
| | VIRGINIA ISSUES INVASIVE PLANT QUARANTINE IN FOUR LOCALITIES
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) today announced a temporary quarantine restricting the movement of Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) and articles known to be infested with any life stages of this plant into, within or from the counties of Accomack and Northampton on the Eastern Shore and the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
“Now is the time to take action to limit the spread of this highly invasive plant," said VDACS Commissioner Todd P. Haymore. “Beach Vitex, a deciduous, woody vine native to the Pacific Rim, grows rapidly along dunes and shorelines causing damage to these areas by crowding out native plants and threatening the habitats of various animals, including the endangered loggerhead sea turtle. Although sometimes used as an ornamental plant by property owners who are not aware of its invasive nature, Beach Vitex has been planted in the mid-Atlantic area for the purpose of stabilizing dunes. However, it is less effective than native grasses in controlling dune erosion. In fact, several native grasses are now considered superior for dune stabilization plantings.”
The purpose of this quarantine, which goes into effect October 26, 2009, is to help prevent the spread of Beach Vitex by prohibiting its artificial movement and the movement of those articles that are capable of transporting it. The quarantine restricts the movement of any life stage of the plant, including roots, stems and seeds and any article known to be infested with this plant, such as sand, soil or mulch known to contain Beach Vitex in any life stage.
The first confirmed finding of Beach Vitex in Virginia occurred in 2008. Since then, it has been detected in several sites in the Commonwealth. It has the potential to spread to other areas through artificial movement by individuals or through natural movement. Seeds and stems could be carried by water currents to uninfested coastal areas. The plant can reproduce easily from seeds and even the smallest pieces of broken stem.
The temporary quarantine, which will become permanent upon approval by the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is designed to reduce the artificial spread of Beach Vitex to areas that currently are not infested. Without this quarantine, this invasive plant and articles infested with it would be allowed to move freely throughout the regulated areas, spreading the pest’s presence.
“I urge concerned citizens as well as affected landowners not to attempt eradication or control measures for this invasive plant on their own,” said Commissioner Haymore. “Instead, citizens should contact the VDACS Office of Plant and Pest Services or their local Virginia Tech Extension Office to report the presence of Beach Vitex.”
For more information on Beach Vitex, citizens should contact their city or county agricultural Extension agent, listed in the local government section of your telephone directory under Virginia Cooperative Extension Service (VCE), or visit VCE's Web site at www.ext.vt.edu/offices . They may also call VDACS’ Office of Plant and Pest Services in Richmond at 804.786.3515 or in Franklin at 757.562.6637. More information is available at www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/beachvitex.shtml , the Web site of the United States Department of Agriculture, National Invasive Species Information Center. | | 12/30/2009 |
| | Beginning March 1, 2010, Shenandoah National Park will institute an Outside Firewood Ban in an attempt to slow the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a destructive invasive exotic beetle that feeds on ash trees. As of 2009, the EAB is responsible for the deaths of
tens of millions of ash trees throughout the Midwest and in some eastern states. Currently, the closest documented EAB infestation is in Fairfax County, Virginia, only 55 miles east of Shenandoah’s northern boundary. Foresters across the state are working to control the spread of this devastating insect through quarantines, bans, and public education.
The EAB is often spread by the movement of infested firewood. Over the last several years, EAB infested firewood has been found at campgrounds, hunting camps, NASCAR events, rest stops, and picnic areas throughout the Midwest and Eastern U.S. The park’s campgrounds and picnic areas are the most
likely areas for EAB introduction into Shenandoah National Park. Because of the seriousness of a potential infestation, park managers are implementing the firewood ban effective March 1, 2010. The regulation will require that visitors not bring any firewood (or wood scraps) into the park. Visitors
may gather dead and downed firewood in the park or purchase wood at Park Camp Stores. The park’s vendor’s sources have been approved and are being monitored for EAB. Additionally, visit ors are encouraged to use charcoal for cooking fires.
White ash trees, comprising approximately 4% of the park’s overall forest, are found in 16 forest communities that together cover 65% of the park’s acreage. Given what is known about EAB infestations, an outbreak in Shenandoah National Park could lead to a total loss of white ash in the park and surrounding areas. Shenandoah’s managers want to avoid the same widespread devastation to the ash population that the woolly adelgid has wrought on the Eastern Hemlock. | | 12/15/2009 |
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This is a series of webinars that will offer people the opportunity to learn a lot of great information about EAB without incurring excessive costs and time expenditures related to actual travel. All of the webinars are free, although registration is required to access them. There are names and contact information on the page should you have questions about the University. | Schedule and registration | 2/28/2010 |
| | Todd P. Haymore, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), announced survey results today that indicate infestations of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) appear to be confined to Northern Virginia. Only 14 of more than 3,000 traps were positive for EAB. All of these were located in Arlington and Fairfax Counties, areas already known to have EAB.
"While we did see indications of continued EAB activity in Northern Virginia," said Commissioner Haymore, "we did not trap any borers in other parts of the state. It is possible that the insect has spread to other areas, however, so in all likelihood, we will survey the state again in 2010." | Se more information | 11/30/2009 |
| | Perennials, shrubs and trees can be pricey. They are valuable investments in our properties, our future, and the environment. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society helps make our choices wiser through its annual Gold Medal Program. A panel of horticulture experts selects winners that exhibit outstanding horticultural and aesthetic appeal and are available to the home gardener.
Joe Ziccardi Jr., coordinator of the PHS Gold Medal Program, announced the 2010 winners this July. The complete listing of plants with profiles and sources is at www.goldmedalplants.com. The 2010 Gold Medal winners are Clethra alnifolia 'Compacta' (dwarf summersweet), Ilex 'Red Beauty' (Red Beauty holly), Illicium floridanum 'Halley's Comet' (Florida anise), Juniperus conferta 'Silver Mist' (shore juniper), and Styrax japonicus 'Sohuksan' (Emerald Pagoda snowbell). | See details | 12/15/2009 |
| | The Fairfax County Police Department is launching its
seasonal public awareness effort to remind motorists to be on the lookout for deer as they travel the roadways this fall. Studies show that nearly one in every 136 Virginia drivers will be involved in a deer-related crash over the next 12 months. In Fairfax County, 45 percent of all deer collisions are recorded in October and November.
During deer breeding season, October through December,
adult deer are highly mobile. Deer are especially active pre-dawn to mid-morning and dusk to early evening. These periods of deer activity correspond with traveling commuters, as well as students en route to and from school.
Fairfax County Police Department Wildlife Biologist Victoria
Monroe, urges motorists, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists, to use caution and to be vigilant in their search for deer. "Where you see one deer, there are bound to be many more, as they typically travel in herds," Monroe said. "Watch for eye shine along the roadsides; immediately slow if you spot a deer. If a deer is frozen in place on the road, reduce speed and flash your headlights." | for further information | 11/30/2009 |
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The summer issue of In Season is now available online. | See the Summer Issue of In Season | 11/30/2009 |
| | Note: This tip is from Horticulture Magazine
Keeping Clippers Clean
August 25, 2009
My tip is a necessity for your gardening bucket/tool box.
I save the sprayer nozzle from empty bottles of cleaning solutions, such as glass cleaner. I rinse them and exchange them with the lid on a full bottle of rubbing alcohol.
Armed with this handy inexpensive disinfectant spray when cutting and trimming, I spray my pruner with the alcohol between tender plants to disinfect it. Since I started using this handy tool I haven’t spread disease like mildew, etc, from one plant to another.
The alcohol also helps to disinfect an accidental cut finger right in the garden. Honestly, who stops gardening to go in and wash with soap and water every time you cut or jab your finger & open the skin. For me that would only happen when I was finished gardening; which is when the sun goes down. | | 11/25/2009 |
| | Friday, October 16th
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
Sanctuary
2589 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna
703-938-2119
2:45 – Refreshments
3:00 – Program
Our educational outreach event is open to the public and local high school students, free of charge. What a wonderful opportunity to ask friends to join Ayr Hill Garden Club for Dr. Jeffrey Kirwan’s Remarkable Trees of Virginia Project. The program seeks to engage a new generation of Virginians with recognizing, enjoying and protecting our Commonwealth’s most significant trees. Along with Nancy Ross Hugo and fine-art photographer Robert Llewellyn, the team has documented over 1,000 trees that were nominated by citizens and will be celebrated in a fine art book distributed by University of Virginia Press. | | 10/16/2009 |
| | When: Tuesday, September 15th at 7 p.m.
Where: Green Spring Gardens
The Fairfax County Park Authority will hold three public meetings for stakeholders, Friend's groups and the public at-large on the proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget reductions. Attendees will hear how the Park Authority is funded, discuss proposals for dealing with budget reductions and have the opportunity to voice concerns and suggest proposals to manage these reductions.
Your presence at this meeting is very important. If you care about the future of Fairfax County Parks like Green Spring Gardens, Riverbend, Scott's Run, Huntley Meadows Park, Hidden Pond, etc., please show up and support funding for parks. Please let the people who manage not only county parks but also recreation centers and golf courses know that you care about parks. | | 9/16/2009 |
| | WASHINGTON – The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) has won Nickelodeon’s Parents’ Picks Award as Washington, D.C.’s Best Tourist Spot, garnering more votes than several other area attractions. According to voters who went online from May 5 to July 15 to cast their ballots, the USBG is “the one place that every out-of-towner just has to see.”
“We are incredibly proud that the U.S. Botanic Garden was selected as Nickelodeon’s Parents’ Pick for Best Tourist Spot in Washington,” said Acting Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, LEED AP. “Visitors can’t help but feel closer to nature while walking through the Conservatory and the National Garden. I hope many more families will take the time to explore the U.S. Botanic Garden and enjoy all that it has to offer.”
“We’ve long aspired to be a family-friendly destination for out-of-towners as well as a familiar sanctuary for our local community,” said Holly Shimizu, Executive Director of the United States Botanic Garden. “It’s wonderful to know that people — and especially parents — from Washington and around the world helped us win this national award.” | | 9/30/2009 |
| | The Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, DC is seeking a qualified candidate for a 100% permanent position as Embassy Gardener beginning immediately.
To Apply:
Please send your resume, a letter of interest and salary expectations no later than September 1 in electronic format (Word document, PDF file) to: wasjob@eda.admin.ch Please write into the subject line, “Embassy Gardener” to ensure timely processing of your application. Please do not contact the Embassy. Only those who are chosen for an interview will be contacted. | | 9/30/2009 |
| | Join students from across the country to learn more about the field of horticultural therapy by enrolling in Introduction to Horticultural Therapy this fall. At the non-profit, Horticultural Therapy Institute (HTI), our mission is to provide education and training in HT to those new to, or experienced with, the practice of using gardening and plants to improve the lives of others. Our faculty is dedicated to teaching best practices with passion, and our past students form a community of learners that become horticultural therapy practitioners in a variety of settings. Take one class, or the full certificate program and see how our curriculum can meet your needs. The class will be offered at the Hospice & Palliative Care of Greensboro, NC, Oct. 15-18, 2009. Remaining certificate classes will be held in North Carolina. The certificate program offers ten semester credits of HT coursework from Colorado State University. For full class descriptions, schedules and enrollment forms go to our web site at www.htinstitute.org or call 303-388-0500. | Enroll here.. | 9/5/2009 |
| | David Austin’s rose ‘Graham Thomas’ is the World’s Favorite Rose, according to the rose aficionados in the 41 member countries that make up the World Federation of Rose Societies. | | 9/15/2009 |
| | More than $6,000 in Prizes to be Awarded in McLean for the Best Tomatoes.
NatureSweet® Tomatoes are vine-nurtured and hand-picked for homegrown taste. How do yours measure up? The Seventh Annual NatureSweet Best Homegrown Tomato Challenge is coming to Virginia this year to find out! The event will be held at the Giant® store at 1454 Chain Bridge Road in McLean on Saturday, August 15. Gardeners are invited to bring in their best tomatoes in both the small and large tomato categories for a chance to be one of two $2500 winners! Two runners-up in each category will each receive Giant gift cards valued at $250. | more information and registration... | 8/31/2009 |
| | Since 1953, the American Horticultural Society’s Great American Gardeners Awards program has recognized individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to horticulture across America. Nominations for the 2009 Great American Gardeners Awards are now being accepted until September 30, 2009.
In 2010, twelve separate Great American Gardeners Awards will be presented, including the prestigious Liberty Hyde Bailey Award for significant contributions to the horticultural fields of teaching, research, writing, plant exploration, administration, art, business, and leadership. Other awards will acknowledge outstanding achievements in garden communication, commercial horticulture, landscape design, floral design, urban beautification, and youth gardening. | more information.. | 9/30/2009 |
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As many of you probably know, late blight on tomato and potato is in the news. Late blight caused the Irish Potato Famine back in the 1840’s. The destructive potential of this disease, only realized when environmental conditions are optimal, is well documented. It is expected that you will be receiving a number of inquiries from concerned growers about late blight due to the increased news coverage. Therefore, we wanted to tell you what we do know about the current situation and give you some pointers on diagnosis and more detailed information about preventative fungicide sprays and what to do if you do suspect late blight on tomato or potato.
See attachment for details. | | 8/31/2009 |
| | ‘Endurio Sky Blue Martien' viola has been selected as an All-America Selections Cool Season Award winner. Bred by Syngenta Flowers, the plant has a spreading mounding habit that reaches 6 in. tall and 10-12 in. wide. It produces delicate ¾-in. single sky-blue flowers. In mild southern regions, it flowers throughout the winter. In northern temperate climates, it provides 2-season color, flowering well after 1st frost when planted in fall and again in spring after snow has melted and the soil has warmed. It can also be planted in early spring and will flower well into summer. | See picture | 8/30/2009 |
| | Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a serious plant disease that affects tomato and potato around the world. It can be responsible for major garden and crop loss. This disease has been identified in tomatoes being sold in home garden centers in New Jersey and other northeastern states. If you or your friends, family or neighbors purchased tomato plants from “big box” stores, your plants may be infected with this disease. Please read our gardener alert (first item under What’s New) on the Jersey Tomato page. | Gardener Alert | 8/31/2009 |
| | The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) intends to establish a temporary quarantine of the movement of regulated articles in the lower Peninsula and the greater Tidewater areas of Southeastern Virginia to areas outside the quarantined locations for the purpose of preventing the artificial spread of the Imported Fire Ant to uninfested areas of the state.
Counties affected by the temporary quarantine: James City and York
Cities affected by the temporary quarantine: Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg
The quarantine will be enacted on or about June 24. Movement of articles capable of transporting Imported Fire Ants out of the quatantine area will be restricted unless the regulated articles have been inspected or if a compliance agreement is in place.
Regulated articles include - but are not limited to - SOD, nursery stock, and soil.
| | 8/30/2009 |
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Eco-Lawn, a seed mix developed by Wildflower Farms features wide adaptability, high draught tolerance, and good performance in full sun to considerable shade – and it can be mown or left alone for a natural flowing carpet effect. The Avant Gardener, July 2009 | | 7/30/2009 |
| | The leaves of beautyberry shrubs (callicarpa) contain two compounds which repel mosquitoes as effectively as DEET, and now the USDA Natural Products Utilization Research Unit in Oxford MS has found that these extracts will also repel ticks and even fire ants for one to several hours. The Avant Gardener, July 2009 | | 7/30/2009 |
| | Join Meadowlark Botanical Garden’s Visitor Center staff as a volunteer and assist those coming to enjoy the gardens. Duties include the following: welcome visitors; register program participants; process gift shop sales; direct phone calls as needed; refer visitors to garden areas of greatest seasonal interest. Training provided. For information, contact Danielle Beres, 703-255-3631, ext. 4, at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna. | | 7/30/2009 |
| | The U.S. National Arboretum has teamed up with the green industry to feature plants new to American horticulture in an exhibit that opens today at the facility operated by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Washington, D.C. Located at the arboretum's Visitors Center and the surrounding Introduction Garden, the “Living Gardens Catalog” puts a twist on the traditional plant catalogs gardeners often receive in the mail. Informational posters that resemble catalog pages for each of the featured plants are set up in the lobby. Visitors can then view these plants, some of which are being displayed in public for the first time, in the garden outside. The exhibit features a variety of plants, from bedding annuals and perennial plants to shrubs and trees.
The exibit is open from June through October. | more information | 10/30/2009 |
| | Great way to get experience working in public gardens. Part-time seasonal gardener position available (up to 20 hours/ week; no benefits). Duties include gardening, propagation, and curatorial tasks. Gardening tasks in the following gardens: Virginia Native Plant Garden, Roses and Companions, Concentric Garden, Vista Garden, Mixed Border, Spring House Overlook, and Entrance Garden. Occasional weekend work required. Call 703-642-5173 for information. | | 6/30/2009 |
| | A revised USDA Hardiness Zone map will be released this year, Scientific American reported. Horticulturalists and experts who have helped with the revision expect the new map to extend plants' northern ranges and clearly show the extent of gradual warming over the past few decades. USDA commissioned the revised map after a flap in 2003, when the American Horticultural Society released a draft update based on 16 years of temperature data. USDA had funded the project but rejected the update, which was configured differently and showed significant warming over the 1990 version, with many parts of the nation shifted into warmer climate zones | See more.. | 5/15/2009 |
| | Crown gall, caused by the bacterial pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens, is a disease known to infect woody ornamentals and tree fruits. Jan Byrne with Mich. St. Univ. Diagnostic Services said growers of herbaceous perennials, especially those propagated by cuttings, should be aware of the disease and its symptoms. Infected plants produce an abnormally large number of cells that form the gall. Galls can appear on the roots, stems and foliage and range from pea-size to more than 1 ft. in diameter. The bacterium enters plants through wounds, often those made by cultural practices such as grafting, pruning or cutting propagation. Larger galls may destroy plant vascular tissue causing dieback or death. With time gall tissue breaks down, releasing the bacterium back into the soil or onto other host material. Good sanitation is an important component of control. There are several control products that contain a strain of Agrobacterium that is antagonistic toward the gall causing pathogen. Product efficacy varies with the type of plant material being treated. These products are meant to protect healthy plants and do not eradicate current infections. Copper-based fungicides can be used to help limit spread, but do not eradicate current infections. | See details | 5/5/2009 |
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Some of you may be experiencing an unusually high number of calls coming from constituents about their observation of what appears to be significant die-offs of perching birds, particularly those common to bird feeding stations (e.g., finches). This situation is more likely to be occurring in the western and southwestern parts of the state, but may show up anywhere in the Commonwealth. In most cases, this is part of an on-going outbreak of salmonellosis that has been spreading throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
This is a disease that occurs naturally in the environment, but occasionally spikes to higher than normal levels. We seem to have entered into one of those periods this year. However, at the same time, there also has been evidence of salmonella contamination arising from or spread through contaminated bird seed (see additional links off the same one provided above) and there may be a recall underway in your area. Clients should be encouraged to check the name brand(s) of seed they may be providing at their feeding stations to determine whether it may be involved in a recall. If so, they should stop distributing any of the contaminated seed, cleanse all feeders, and use only “clean” seed. I’m attaching a useful pamphlet that describes proper sanitary care around feeders for your use.
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, in conjunction with the National Wildlife Health Center of the U.S. Geologic Survey, is monitoring the presence and spread of this outbreak. If you have reports of significant die-offs of small songbirds, please forward information about the location and/or from whom you received that information to Justin Folks ( justin.folks@dgif.virginia.gov) so that they can do the necessary follow-up on tracking each incident. | See Details | 4/30/2009 |
| | Pesticide phytotoxicity on plants can often be distinguished from pest problems by the pattern and timing of symptom development. Univ. of Mass. ext. floriculture specialist Tina Smith said the damage may not appear for several days, pesticide damage symptoms often occur all at once and have a regular distribution on the crop. Pathogen-caused symptoms usually develop over an extended period of time in random or grouped patterns. Pesticide phytotoxicity can appear as different symptoms, including leaf speckling, cupping and twisting and other leaf distortions or plant death. Pesticide damage can be prevented by applying pesticides during the cooler parts of the day. Early morning treatments allow foliage to dry before temperatures reach 85°F-90°F. Take special precautions when using oils. Treat when conditions allow the oil to dry quickly. Other suggestions to prevent pesticide damage: add surfactants only when recommended on the pesticide label; never apply insecticides with a sprayer that was previously used to apply herbicides; don't apply pesticides to plants that are under moisture stress; avoid using more than 1 emulsifiable concentrate in a tank mix; don't apply pesticides with fertilizers unless the label states otherwise; never use broadleaved weed killers and brush killers around the greenhouse; and follow label directions exactly. | Read more.. | 4/25/2009 |
| | For the first time in 20 years, All-America Rose Selections has named a single winner for 2010: Easy Does It, a floribunda hybridized by Harkness New Roses of England and introduced by Weeks Roses of Wasco, Calif. The double-ruffled flowers of Easy Does It feature mango orange, peach pink and ripe apricot hues. It has a moderately fruity fragrance. The rose is disease-resistant and easy to maintain. | See details | 4/20/2009 |
| | Flower Award Winner: ‘Mesa Yellow’ gaillardia (blanket flower).
‘Mesa Yellow’ quickly fills in containers, making it adaptable to 4-inch and larger containers. It offers a branching, mounding habit with horizontal vigor and continuous blooming. It is naturally drought tolerant, and the flowers can be cut and used for summer bouquets. If left on the plant, they attract butterflies. It is hardy to Zone 5.
Bedding Plant Award Winners: ‘Twinny Peach’ dwarf snapdragon and ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ zinnia.
‘Twinny Peach’ is a unique dwarf snapdragon with a double or butterfly flower form. The name ‘Twinny’ refers to twins or doubles, a reminder of the double flower form. Flowers are peach, yellow or light orange, blending together for a novel presentation. Gardeners can expect spikes of pastel colors throughout the growing season.
‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ is the first zinnia with rose and white bicolor blooms produced on disease-resistant plants. The branching plants are resistant to leaf spot and mildew. The single rose and white, 2-inch blooms are stunning and encourage impulse sales. It provides continuous flower color with minimal care. | Read more | 4/15/2009 |
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Hosta of the Year is Earth Angel for 2009, as designated by American Hosta Growers Association. Selected by Shady Oaks Nursery in 2002, this sport of Blue Angel is one of the largest variegated hostas that you’ll find. It produced large near-white flowers in June and July. It will take shade or part sun and makes an impressive specimen plant in any hosta-growing area of the country. | | See details | 4/15/2009 |
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Join Meadowlark Botanical Garden’s horticulture staff as a volunteer and learn from the pros how to cultivate and maintain a wide variety of plants. Volunteers receive a free annual pass to the gardens, invitations to special events, and camaraderie with like-minded people. For more information, call Doris Rodriguez, chief horticulturist, at 703-242-9425. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna. | | 4/15/2009 |
| | Saturdays, April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2 and 9
9am-1pm. Local growers provide you with shrubs, native plants and wildflowers, ornamental grasses and unusual perennials and annuals. Friends of Green Spring (FROGS) receive 10% off in the Garden Gate Plant Shop. The Green Spring Master Gardeners available at each Garden Market. Plant shopping and free gardening information – what a great way to spend a Saturday morning! | | 5/9/2009 |
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Early bird registration for Horticultural Horizons ends in 2 weeks – register before March 1 and pay the same price as our 2007 AND 2005 seminars! A great value for a day of training and admission to Ginter. Registration increases to $45 after March 1. | See event details | 3/2/2009 |
| | A horticultural association in Virginia has created a new plant introduction program for 2009 called Beautiful Gardens, complete with promotional materials for independent retailers. The introductions are all tested across the varied climatic zones throughout Virginia to ensure customers are successful with the plants they buy. The program, created by the Virginia Nurserymen’s Association Horticulture Research Foundation Inc., is available to independent retailers in Virginia and was made possible through partial funding from a local grant. The group established 1-acre test sites in Glade Spring, Halifax County and Blacksburg, as well as at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, to test the plants.
The plants in the program so far include the following:
- Cercis chinensis ‘Don Egolf,’
- Chinese Redbud
- Helleborus x hybridus Pine Knot Strains, Lenten Rose
- Agapanthus x ‘Monmid’ Midknight Blue, Lily of the Nile
- Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake,’ Oakleaf Hydrangea
- Ilex x ‘Virginia,’ Holly
- Thuja x ‘Steeplechase,’ Arborvitae
- Buxus x ‘Green Velvet,’ Boxwood
- Stokesia laevis ‘Peachie’s Pick,’ Stokes’ Aster
- Musa basjoo, Hardy Banana
More plants are expected to be released in 2010, and Beautiful Gardens is presently soliciting nominations for its 2011 distribution | Find out more.. | 3/30/2009 |
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Join in a big celebration of natural history milestones featuring exhibits, activities, and a brief program as we mark Darwin’s 200th birthday. Event includes live music, birthday cake, and special call-in visitors. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, on Sunday, February 22, 2 to 4 p.m. Cost is $3 for children (12 and under), $5 for all others. For reservations and information, call 703-255-3631. | see details | 2/23/2009 |
| | Excerpted with permission. This information is from an article written by George Graine for The Virginia Gardener.
Selecting de-icing salt can be confusing. De-icing products are used to provide safety, to eliminate damage to plant material, and to prevent damage to sidewalks and driveways. Below is a list of various de-icing ingredients and the qualities of each. Keep in mind that the products noted are melting agents, and you should not think of them as traction material. To minimize damage, use less salt and mix in abrasives such as sand, cinders, or ash.
Magnesium chloride is a member of the most recent generation of de-icing salts. If used as recommended, it should not harm plants and is effective to -13 degrees. You also can use this product in much smaller quantities than other de-icing products.
Sodium chloride (a.k.a. rock salt) has been around forever and will work fast at temperatures down to 18 degrees F. It is the least costly de-icer, but it also is the most damaging to plants because it retards plant growth. It is also harsh on new concrete.
Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) is fine to use around plants, but it is toxic to aquatic life. Thus, consider the possibility of runoff into a pond or stream. The product is effective down to 25 degree F.
Calcium chloride, another old product, acts fast and effectively down to 5 degrees F. It can damage plants and is also harsh on new concrete.
Urea is a nitrogen fertilizer, but it will work as a de-icer even if the temperature goes down to -25 degrees F. Any runoff of urea that moves into a planting bed or turf endangers those plants, since it stimulates untimely growth.
| Impact of ice melters on water quality | 3/5/2009 |
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This sale is...for the birds!
Trees and shrubs provide seeds or berries, shelter and nesting sites for birds. The seedling selections in this year's package were chosen with our feathered friends in mind. They will attract songbirds to your backyard and help sustain them year-round.
12 bare-root seedlings for
$17.95 | See plant images and the order form | 2/28/2009 |
| | Perennial Plant Assoc. has named Baptisia australis (false blue indigo) as its 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year. This low-maintenance plant has an upright, spreading habit and reaches 3-5 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Native to the Eastern U.S., it produces thick stems with gray-green, ovate leaves and racemes of indigo-blue lupinelike, 1-inch flowers. Dark-brown seed pods are produced in fall. The plant can be used in borders or in the landscape as a specimen plant.. It’s hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9. | see details | 2/15/2009 |
| | Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' - Variegated Japanese Forest Grass
One of the most popular, beautiful and elegant of all grasses - not to mention that it's one of those few that are shade- loving, a slow, steady creeper that's never invasive. Growth habit is arching. Its graceful and brilliant yellow leaves have green stripes and a tawny-pink fall color, as an added bonus. This wonderful cascading foliage is gorgeous around water features, by pathways, and under trees, and is extremely useful in mixed containers. The shock of color this beauty lends to a shady location is unsurpassed, and it would be difficult to find a garden that couldn't be improved by its classic and sophisticated nature. The only possible improvement would be if it were evergreen. Cut the foliage down to the ground in late winter or early spring.
Full to part shade. Zones 5-9 - Height 12-18" | See image | 1/30/2009 |
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Mealybugs are common garden and houseplant pests. These cottony white bugs attach themselves to leaves and stems and suck plant juices. Their damage can cause leaves to drop and the sticky honeydew they secrete to drip on carpets and floors.
While there are many organic and conventional pesticides to control mealybugs, here’s a simple solution that doesn’t require any spraying at all. Researchers at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania found that chilling plants infected with mealybugs to 36 degrees F for 2 days reduced the infestation for up to two months, but didn’t harm the plants. This treatment was effective only on plants that can take the cold temperatures, such as gardenias, citrus, and fuchsias. | Read more | 12/31/2008 |
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Each year the GreatPlants program highlights new or overlooked trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses that show superior qualities for Nebraska landscapes. The Tree of the Year: Corneliancherry dogwood (Cornus mas); Conifer of the Year: Serbian spruce (Picea omorika); Shrub of the Year: Creeping mahonia or creeping barberry (Mahonia repens); Perennial of the Year: Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii); and the Grass of the Year: Shenandoah switchgrass (Panicum ‘Shenandoah’). | Read more | 1/15/2009 |
| | Int’l. Flower Bulb Center in Hillegom, Netherlands, has launched the Bulbs in the Landscape Web site to provide landscapers in the U.S. and Canada info about the use of flower bulbs. Divided into 7 sections, the site provides info on common uses and applications including as part of flower mixes, seasonal bulbs, as well as specifics on planning, planting and maintenance. A section with downloadable charts provides details on perennializing bulbs by climate zone, bulb/perennial companion plantings, names of flower bulbs and more. Most info is presented in both metric and American units of measure. | Read more.. | 1/15/2009 |
| | Spring Meadow’s Oso Easy Paprika was recently awarded the gold medal for Best Groundcover Rose at the Rose Hills International Rose Trials. The trials are held at the Pageant of Roses Garden at Rose Hills Memorial Park outside of Los Angeles. Roses were evaluated in a parklike setting for health, vigor, growth habit and foliage and flower beauty. Paprika was awarded the highest score for roses in the shrub/groundcover category. | See Picture | 1/10/2009 |
| | This often overlooked fall gardening chore can lead to water disasters!
Now that the weather has turned colder and nighttime temperatures are dipping into the 20's, it's time to disconnect and reel in your hoses for the winter. Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of busted hose connectors or, worse yet, broken water faucets because we forgot to disconnect our hoses from an outside faucet or spigot.
- Take a walk around the house and gardens and locate all your hoses, connectors, and sprinklers.
- Carefully drain all the water from your hoses BEFORE you roll them up for the winter.
- Tie your hoses with some twine to keep them coiled neatly.
- Store your hoses in the garage or basement for the winter.
- Covering the open ends of your hoses will keep ants, spiders, and other unwanted pests from making a home in your hoses over the winter. If you don't do this, be sure to flush your hoses with plenty of water before hooking them up to your sprinklers in the spring!
- Clean your sprinklers and any hose connectors and store these in the garage or basement for the winter.
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| | European alpine clematis (Clematis alpina) features twining foliage that can reach up to 6 feet tall and nodding, bell-shaped flowers. Now there’s a new selection from Holland that boasts attractive golden leaves. Stolwijk Gold clematis (C.alpina ‘Stolwijk Gold’) has the same vigorous growth habit as other alpine clematis, but has golden foliage that contrasts well with its blue spring flowers. The foliage changes to chartreuse later in summer. Stolwijk Gold is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7 and the gold foliage color is most vivid if the plant is grown in full sun. Plant it in well drained, fertile soil and provide a strong trellis for this vigorous grower. | See details | 12/31/2008 |
| | American Rhododendron Society has named 27 rhododendrons as annual winners for 2009. Winners are selected for 4 categories in each of 7 geographical regions, as well as 1 tropical winner. The lists are developed by local chapters which record plants that have done exceedingly well in members’ gardens over a number of years. | See details | 12/10/2008 |
| | The Master Gardeners of Southern Nevada are looking forward to welcoming you to Las Vegas and the fabulous 2009 International Master Gardener Conference! Early Bird Registration for our March 22-26, 2009 conference is open through November 15!
Please see the attachment for details. | | 11/15/2008 |
| | The American Hosta Growers Assoc. chose ‘Earth Angel’ as its 2009 Hosta of the Year. Introduced by Hans Hansen at Shady Oaks Nursery in 2002, ‘Earth Angel’ has large, heart-shaped, blue-green leaves with a wide, creamy-white border. Pale-lavender flowers top the clump in early summer. ‘Earth Angel’ is a variegated form of ‘Blue Angel.’ | See details | 11/28/2008 |
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You may have heard that you can’t grow anything under or around a walnut tree. Well, there’s some truth to that. The roots, leaves and nuts of several different walnuts and some hickories produce a substance called juglone that inhibits growth of certain plants. Those plants that are susceptible include members of the tomato family, potatoes, blueberries and azaleas.
Luckily, there are many plants that don’t seem to be bothered. Some plants that resist walnut toxicity are European wild ginger, bee balm, spiderwort, Siberian iris and weeping forsythia. A more extensive list of plants can be found at the University of Wisconsin Urban Horticulture Web site: | See list of Juglone Tolerant Plants | 11/14/2008 |
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American Ivy Society chose Hedera helix ‘Eva’ as its 2009 Ivy of the Year. ‘Eva’ was discovered in the early 1960s by Tage Melin in Hjallese, Denmark. It is a variegated bird’s-foot ivy that has foliage with a cream to white margin with a gray-green center. It is self-branching, but light pruning produces more lateral branching. It also produces long runners. Hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 6, ‘Eva’ can be used as a houseplant and in all types of topiaries. It should be grown in medium to high light levels. Under low light the variegation fades to pale green. Under low temperatures the foliage takes on a pink shade. | See Picture | 10/30/2008 |
| | I am offering again composted manure to those who want to turn over their gardens this fall. It's great stuff. No chemicals, fertilizers -- just natural manure mixed with straw and hay. I need to get rid of enough of it so I have room in my bunkers for the winter. You can bring a pickup truck and I can load with the tractor, or just bring heavy duty trash bags or
empty kitty litter buckets, whatever works for you. Times to pick up:
tomorrow (Saturday) between 9 and 1, and next Saturday (Sept. 27) between 9 and 1. Please email me for directions!
Farmer Anne
Star Gazing Farm 501(c)3
A haven for retired farm animals and wayward goats | Star Gazing Farm | 9/30/2008 |
| | Organic apple growers are using pigs to control the devastating plum curculio pest: sending pigs into an orchard during the June drop period to eat fallen apples kills the curculio larvae in the dropped fruit before they can migrate into the soil to develop into adults; the pigs’ grazing also reduces orchard weeds. The Avant Gardener, August 2008 | | 10/1/2008 |
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Mustard seed meal, a byproduct of mustard (Sinapsis alba) grown for oil, may prove to be as valuable a natural herbicide as corn gluten meal; in tests by the Agricultural Research Service it reduced weeds such as annual bluegrass, chickweed and creepeing wood sorrel by 60% to 95% when applied to the soil surface of container grown ornamentals.
The Avant Gardener, August 2008 | | 9/30/2008 |
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When you need a break from hot dogs and rides at Montgomery County’s Fair, come see the “Bay-Friendly Garden”--an oasis created by the Master Gardeners of the Montgomery County Cooperative Extension. This year’s County Fair will be held August 8-16 at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. | | 8/16/2008 |
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This series of 6 classes is for the gardener who would like to know some of the science behind gardening. Classes are on Saturday mornings, beginning in January through early March 2009. Taught by Master Gardeners, classes will focus on plant and soil science, problem avoidance and organic or least-toxic control strategies. This short course requires a fee to cover all class materials. Registration forms will be available on October 1, 2008. Check our website or call, Call 703-792-7747 for tuition and registration information. Location will be mid-county and announced in the upcoming months. Along with the exact dates and cost of the classes. | | 11/15/2008 |
| | VCE Tree Stewards Volunteer Training Course Runs September 10 – November 12
FAIRLINGTON COMMUNITY CENTER hosts an 8-week training to train advocates for our urban canopy. Join Tree Stewards for Arlington and Alexandria. Training will be on Wednesday nights from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm, plus Saturday mornings: 10/11 and 11/1 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Cost: $120.00
See also the attached brochure. | Register for the Course | 9/1/2008 |
| | Glyphosate products like Roundup may also damage woody plants. Hannah Mathers, Ohio St. Univ. Ext. nursery and landscape specialist, said glyphosate applied improperly or in too high of a dosage is causing a phenomenon known as split bark. Through the tree's uptake, the chemical deteriorates the bark structure and destroying the winter hardiness of the plant. The cosmetic damage makes the plant unsalable. Mathers is teaming with Monsanto to develop a safer glyphosate product. Mathers said that until safer glyphosate products are developed, a change in weed management practices is required to control split bark. "When glyphosate use is necessary, use a glyphosate product around woody plants that has no adjuvant load," Mathers said. "Products that have a full adjuvant load are the worst around ornamental plants because of the increased potential for uptake of the glyphosate by the surfactant into the bark." | | 9/15/2008 |
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A new "green" garden rating system called the Sustainable Sites Initiatives will do for landscapes what the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program is doing for buildings: promote sensible environmental and energy design and usage for every aspect of soil, air, water and light; dozens of horticultural and industry groups and institutions have contributed to the just-published "Preliminary Report on Standards and Guidelines", and a full rating system is due in three years. Source: The Avant Gardener, Aug. 2008 | See the Report | 9/5/2008 |
| | According to the annual report of the Garden Media Group include: gardening for the 'greener good" has replaced gardening for personal gratification... the chemical-needy garden has been almost totally supplanted by the "eco-chic" garden... water conservation, low-maintenance plants, buying local, and gardening for the birds and bees are definitely in. Source: The Avant Gardener, Aug. 2008 | | 8/31/2008 |
| | Drift roses are a new line of groundcover roses developed by Conrad-Pyle Company; 'Red Drift', 'Peach Drift', 'Pink Drift' and 'Coral Drift' are appearing in garden centers this year. Source: The Avant Gardener, Aug. 2008 | | 8/31/2008 |
| | For shaded areas that get little foot traffic, the new No-Mow Fine Fescue Blend is hailed as the ideal green-all-year turf, and it never needs mowing; from Pacific Sod, seed sold nationally. Source: The Avant Gardener, Aug. 2008 | See Details | 8/31/2008 |
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A biosystems engineer at Clemson University has found a bacterium that can convert rotten peaches into a biofuel. South Carolina alone produces 20 million pounds of unmarketable peaches a year. Source: The Avant Gardener, Aug 2008. | | 8/31/2008 |
| | This year’s All-American winner, ‘Summer Valentine,’ features stunning, 5-inch pink b looms with a magenta eye and picotee edges.
The flowers are perched on 22- to 28-inch tall scapes and float about 5 inches above the foliage. It blooms 30 to 130 days per year. | Find out more | 8/5/2008 |
| | Symptoms of daylily leaf streak caused by the fungus Aureobasidium macrostictum was found by members of Univ. of Md. Co-op. Ext. on daylilies. The yellowing streak symptoms start at the leaf tips and progress along midveins. This disease can also cause reddish-brown spots that may be confused with daylily rust (Puccinia hemerocallidis). Daylily rust can cause similar brown to yellow leaf streaks, but is characterized by distinct orange pustules. Daylily leaf streak occurs most often in summer during periods of high humidity and rain. Plants recover when temperatures decrease in fall. The fungus overwinters on dead, infected leaves. | See details | 7/30/2008 |
| | Most cool-season lawns immediately took a dive in quality with the record heat of early June. Attached is a brief newspaper article I developed for the Smith Mtn Lake Association on irrigation and mowing BMPs for cool-season lawns. If you can adapt any part of this text to serve your needs, please feel free to make it your own.
Michael Goatley, Jr.
Extension Turfgrass Specialist
Virginia Tech | Read Article | 7/20/2008 |
| | The U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., recently opened an exhibit devoted to sustainability. "One Planet — Ours" showcases garden displays on the Conservatory Terrace and interpretive and sculptural displays in the National Garden and Bartholdi Park. Visitors can also view "Cool Globes," an exhibit of more than 40 sculptures depicting solutions for unsustainable practices. The exhibit runs until Oct. 13. | See Details | 7/30/2008 |
| | Rudbeckia and veronica are 2 plants in Maryland that have been found to have heavy downy mildew infections. Karen Rane, director of the Univ. of Md. plant diagnostic lab, said there are some things growers should know about the fungal pathogen. There are several species of downy mildew fungi and most have a limited host range. Environmental conditions favorable for infection and spread (cool and moist) are similar for all species. Symptoms include yellow to brown discolored areas on foliage, curling of leaves, leaf drop, distortion of new growth and stunting of infected plants. Look for white to gray, fuzzy fungal growth on the undersides of discolored leaf lesions. Examine newly purchased plants for symptoms since the fungus can come into a greenhouse on infected plants. | See details | 7/30/2008 |
| | Proper identification is the first step to controlling weeds in the nursery, said Tom Dudek, hort. ext. specialist at Mich. State. He suggests 2 publications: "Weeds of Container Nurseries in the United States" by Joseph C. Neal, N.C. St. Univ,. and Jeffrey F. Derr, Va. Tech; and "An IPM Pocket Guide for Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes" from Mich. State Ext. (pub. No. E-2982) The pocket guide is also available online. | See details | 7/15/2008 |
| | The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) is seeking entries for its 2008 Conservation Landscaping Contest. This competition celebrates properties around the Chesapeake Bay watershed that adhere to the CCLC’s “Eight Elements of Conservation Landscaping.” These “Eight Elements” include guidelines that promote clean ground water, good wildlife habitat, and healthy soils. Winning entries will showcase gardens that are both beautiful and environmentally friendly. Sites may be residential or non-residential, and must be located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed (which covers sections of MD, VA, PA, DE, WV, and NY). Novice gardeners, students, schools, businesses and professionals are all welcome to enter up to three sites each. Contest applications and the “Eight Elements” guideline list can be found on the CCLC website www.chesapeakelandscape.org. Applications due August 1 and winners will be announced in mid-September. Winners will receive conservation landscape related prized, be featured on the CCLC website, and possibly be part of a conservation gardens tour with owner permission. | See details | 7/30/2008 |
| | Red thread and pink patch always appear during cool, wet periods on ryegrasses, bluegrasses, and perhaps even the fescues. We've had numerous calls this past week from around SW Va re: the diseases and David McCall of PPWS provided some comments on control alternatives that I developed into a new podcast and a short pdf attachment highlighting the appearance of the diseases at Turf and Garden Tips. As a rule of thumb, the diseases do not warrant chemical treatment, but they generate a lot of concern because they are so visible. | See Garden Tips | 6/15/2008 |
| | A new daffodil photo database has been added to the Internet Links. | See details | 6/15/2008 |
| | Hemerocallis Summer Valentine was named 2008 winner of the All-American Daylily Award. Well-formed flowers are adorned with a wide rose eye and picotee edging. Flowers are perched on 22- to 28-inch scapes and float about 5 inches above the foliage for a well-balanced presentation. | See details | 6/4/2008 |
| | Scotts Miracle-Gro is working with U.S. EPA regarding a nationwide recall of Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed with Weed Preventer All Purpose Plant Food. The action was initiated in connection with an investigation of the product's federal registration. Retailers that carry this product are being advised to stop the sale of and remove this product from store shelves. No other Scotts Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed products are affected. | See details | 5/30/2008 |
| | Retired Extension Horticulturist, Thomas E. Pope, PhD, and colleague, Neil Odenwald, PhD, retired head of School of Landcape Architure at LSU, spent several years making digital images of plants for the home garden. These were made over the entire country -- Florida to Washington and Maine to California.
With endless hours of work, this has now evolved into a NATIONAL plant data base launched on the internet April 22, 2008.
There are over 8,000 images online at present and more than 2,000 waiting to be added. Approximately 2800 plant species are represented at this time with extensive cultural information on each. All is FREE to any person registering on the site
In developing this, Master Gardeners were one of prime audiences targeted. This site is very user friendly and has extensive search features. | Access the database | 5/31/2008 |
| | Japanese beetle populations will be down this season. The drought of 2007 kept the grub populations at all time lows and amount of adult emerging this season will be low. However, if you have properties that were being irrigated last year don’t put your guard down about Japanese
beetles.
Source: TPM/IPM Weekly Report for Arborists,
Landscape Managers & Nursery Managers
University of Maryland Cooperative Extension | | 5/15/2008 |
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Darcy Levit Honker, 703/256-6895
darcy@audubonva.org
Hear the Birds Calling?
BIRDATHON 2008 Starts April 25
Northern VA area - Welcome the coming of spring while raising money for your local Audubon Society chapter by participating in the annual BIRDATHON with your family and friends. BIRDATHON 2008 is the perfect opportunity for all nature enthusiasts (novices and experts) to get into the woods during the height of spring migration.
To participate in this event sponsored by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV), begin by forming a BIRDATHON team and picking a date to conduct your 24-hour bird count between April 25 and May 11. Then, notify the ASNV of your BIRDATHON teammates and date. ASNV will promptly send you a BIRDATHON packet so that you may start asking friends and associates to pledge money for each species identified on your count.
Teams can be between two and five people and all ages are encouraged to participate. Since 2003 the BIRDATHONers have covered natural habitats such as county, state and national parks, wildlife refuges, area wetlands, and into the woods.
Prizes will be awarded on Thursday, May 29, at the Providence Presbyterian Church (9019 Little River Tpk in Fairfax) for most species found and most money raised for ASNV.
To find out how you can see songbirds in the morning, raptors in the afternoon, and maybe even an owl after dark while raising money for ASNV, please e-mail info@audubonva.org or call 703/256-6895. | | 5/1/2008 |