LOOSELEAF A publication of the University of Maryland Extension Howard County Master Gardeners.

Transcription

1 LOOSELEAF A publication of the University of Maryland Extension Howard County Master Gardeners NORTH RIDGE ROAD, SUITE 240 ELLICOTT CITY, MD (410) FAX (410) June 2016 INSIDE 2 Howard County Fair Time 2 MG Day at Miller 3 Latin for Gardeners 5 Continuing Ed 5 Return your Survey 6 The Tasty Herbs 7 Alpha Ridge Conservation Garden 8 Million Pollinator Challenge 8 Wavyleaf Basketgrass Blitz 9 Schoolyard Habitat 10 Whipps Garden Sale Success 11 Garlic Mustard Invades Program Update from Georgia It's always fun and informative to participate and/or observe our programs. So my commendations and thanks to all those participating in Days of Taste and Our Environment in Our Hands which were intensive May programs involving many of our MGs and Interns. At this writing, I am looking forward to helping with these educational programs for our youth! A colleague on the Howard County Environmental Sustainability Advisory Board sent information concerning the detrimental results of the use of road salt. As noted in the article, the majority of de -icer products consist of common table saltchloride. Road salt improves tire adherence to the pavement but has adverse effects on property and the environment. The State Highway Administration has reduced its application of salt by one-third during the last five years through pretreatment of brine solution and other actions. One particular fact, the state highway department applies only about 25% of the salt in Maryland, with 35% applied by local governments and 40% by private property owners. The 40% of private property owners relates to HOA and neighborhood communities where contractors are used. A thought for all of those in such communities: can we sensitize our neighbors and HOAs to the detrimental results of use of salt, and encourage the use of other materials/procedures? The Zika virus is of much concern. The Maryland Department of Agriculture is distributing tips on preventive measures. Be sure to check the website for recommendations which we can take on our own properties. Help with our MG data collection: MG Kathy Hartley has been helping people with volunteer data input, usually by . (hcmgwebmaster@gmail.com) Kathy continues to be glad to do this so contact her if you have a question about tracking your hours. She has a busy schedule this summer so I asked if she might do individual hands-on sessions in the fall here at UME. Please let me know if you would like to be on her list, and I will work to schedule some sessions. I'm hoping we'll soon see some sun and warmer gardening temperatures! Georgia Eacker Master Gardener Coordinator geacker@umd.edu The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.

2 Calendar Highlights for June MG Day in Miller Library Garden Mark Your Calendar! View the MG electronic calendar in your preferred format: Month, Week or Agenda. Click here for the calendar. You ll find times, locations, and contact info for these events in June. 6 Bay-Wise meeting 14 Continuing Education 18 MG Day at Miller library 20 LooseLeaf Deadline! 28 Conservation Stewardship Work Enchanted Garden, Tuesdays Whipps, Thursdays HC Conservancy, Fridays Ask a Master Gardener Volunteer for a session or two! Sat., June 18 is MG Day in the Enchanted Garden at Miller Library. Plan now to join your colleagues from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. We ll learn from each other about composting, vegetable gardening, plants for pollinators, pruning, herbs, rain gardens and more! This event exemplifies our mission: To educate Howard County residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes and communities. The objectives is to have MGs at different locations around the garden available to answer questions from visitors. The Miller Branch has lots of customer traffic, especially on Saturday mornings. The library will promote the event between now and June 18, and we ll have a notice in the kiosk just outside the garden gate. We currently have a small poster as part of the MG window display near the indoor café at the library. If you would like to volunteer, please let Ann Hackeling or Janine Grossman know. Hope to see you there! Ann Hackeling, 2013, ann.hackeling@hclibrary.org Janine Grossman, 2012, janinegrossman@gmail.com Volunteer for the MG Exhibit at the Howard County Fair We typically have a great location to meet and greet Howard County residents! It s an ideal opportunity to talk about gardening, and to recruit for the intern class of We re looking for volunteers every day during the Fair from Sunday, Aug. 7 through Saturday, Aug. 13. Select your favorite two-hour shift starting at 11:00 am and ending at 9:00 pm. There are six shifts per day, so you may even want to sign up for more than one! Parking is free and you ll get a pass to enter the Fair. Interns will be paired with an experienced MG. If you would like to work one or more shifts, please contact MG Michele Wright at (before 9:00 pm, please) or wrightm_29067@msn.com. LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 2

3 Latin for Gardeners June s Native Maryland Plant: Asclepias tuberosa (uh-sklee-pee-us too-bur-oh-zuh) Asclepias tuberosa L. (butterfly weed) is one of the most easily recognizable species of milkweed (Asclepias spp). Throughout the summer it blooms bright orange flowers atop its stiff 2 stems with lance-shaped foliage; mid-summer the narrow 4-8 seed pods emerge. Asclepias tuberosa s straight and hairy stems have a watery translucent sap, not the characteristic sticky, milky sap of other milkweed species. Asclepias tuberosa has a long bloom period and is easily grown in dry, sunny locations in the garden, even poorer soils, as long as it has good drainage and it is drought tolerant! Throughout history Asclepias has been used as a treatment for pleurisy and other pulmonary ailments. Carl Linnaeus named the genus after Asclepius, the Greek god of healing. Tuberosa, the specific epithet, means full of swellings or knobs, referring to its enlarged root system which includes a tap root that can reach depths of 1 or more in mature plants. (Continued on page 4) LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 3

4 (Continued from page 3) Many people are aware that milkweed is a preferred nectar source for pollinators but not everyone knows that it is a vital plant for the monarch caterpillar -- it is the only food the caterpillar will eat! The monarch butterfly co-evolved with A. tuberosa so the caterpillar can consume the plant and its poisonous toxins which serve to prevent the insect from becoming someone s dinner! Plant some Asclepias tuberosa in your garden and you too can help sustain the amazing monarch butterfly! NOTE: Knowing the Latin name for Butterfly weed means you ll never confuse it with the commonly called butterfly bush, which is in the genus Buddleia. Butterfly bush is native to China, and while its flowers do attract butterflies, not a single butterfly in North America can use buddleia as a host plant, a plant that will provide food for the emerging caterpillars. ~ Alison Milligan, MG 2013 ali_milligan@yahoo.com LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 4

5 Return your Annual Survey Today! Georgia sent everyone the Howard County Master Garden Annual Survey a few weeks ago. Please take a minute to fill it out and return it as soon as possible. The form asks for your current address, phone number and . Your phone and may have changed since you completed the last survey, so be sure to return the form promptly. The goal is to create an up-to-date contact list that can be shared on a password-protected page of the UME Howard County internet section Continuing Education Speaker Series MGs, Watershed Stewards, Master Naturalists and their guests are welcome to attend. All sessions will be held at the UME office, except for the field trip on September 13. Check the MG electronic calendar for updates. For questions, contact: Karin DeLaitsch kdlaitsch@gmail.com; or, Joanna Cumbie rladywalking@msn.com JUNE 14 9:30 11:00 AM AUGUST 9 9:30-11:00 am SEPTEMBER 13 Time TBD The Pollinator Observation Survey Olivia Bernauer, Masters Student at University of MD Dept. of Entomology Woodland Gardening Workshop Lyle Almond, Forest Stewardship Educator at Wye Research and Education Center Field trip to Patuxent Research Refuge (PRR) Anne Cottle, MG Learn about current University research conducted on this timely topic. This workshop focuses on conservation landscaping practices, woodland aesthetic design considerations, forest botanical enterprise opportunities, and forest bathing (shinrin-yoku). A $35 registration fee includes a full-color 130 page manual, The Woods in Your Backyard, as well as Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council s Conservation Landscaping Guidelines, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service s Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping. Orientation video of PRR goals and research methods, a schoolyard habitat tour, and a tram tour of the South tract. OCTOBER 11 9:30-11:00 am NOVEMBER 8 9:30-11:00 am Bringing It Together Ann Coren, MG Upcoming Advanced MG Training, plus Overview of Other State MG Programs, Activities, & Training Alicia Bembeneck, University of Maryland Extension State Training Coordinator Ann teaches how to garden for pollinators, birds, and water quality. She brings concepts from soil science, insect life cycles, songbird life cycles, native plant ecosystems, food gardening, along with simple "how to s." LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 5

6 The Tasty Herbs It is said that the culinary use of lemon balm causes the mind and the heart to become merry. What a delicious start to this introduction to culinary herbs, often thought of as the tasty herbs. They add distinct flavor, replace salt or sugar, provide nutritional value, aid in digestion, and make bland recipes exciting. Many of these herbs are also grown for their value as teas. I generally think of herbs as sweet or tangy although there are other ways to categorize their flavors, such as bitter, minty, and licorice-like. The sweet culinary herbs include basil, mint, cilantro, hyssop, lovage, lavender, and chervil. These are best used fresh. Tangy herbs include sage, fennel, dill, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and savory. These dry well for off-season use in the kitchen. These are the most popular herbs for cooking, but certainly not a complete list. The Farm & Fork Society has a respectable guide to the basic culinary herbs and their uses. Depending on the herb, all parts of the plant can be used; stem, flowers, leaves, and roots. Fresh herbs are bold and add the sensuous aroma which enhances food. Fresh are always preferred to dried herbs when cooking. In general, one teaspoon of dried herbs is equivalent to one tablespoon of fresh herbs. In the south of France a favorite spice blend is called herbes de Provence, a mixture of lavender flowers with dried savory herbs--basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme. Americans have become captivated with this pungent, complex flavor-enhancer for fish, game, red meat, poultry, and vegetables. Recipes using herbs are abundant. From teas to meats and fish, vegetables, cakes, cookies, candies, and ice cream, a cornucopia of tastes awaits. Sweet woodruff adds a unique flavor to fresh strawberries. Lavender ice cream is a heavenly delight. Use leaves and florets from borage for a tasty salad. Thyme, a member of the mint family, comes in more than 300 varieties and flavors including lemon, caraway, lime, and orange balsam. An excellent resource on all aspects of growing and using culinary herbs can be found at the Penn State Extension. Pattee Fletcher, MG 2014 patteefletcher@yahoo.com Sweet Woodruff Bee Balm Creeping Thyme LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 6

7 What s New in the Alpha Ridge Conservation Garden? Limestone and Metamorphic Rock! The Conservation Garden at Alpha Ridge (AR) was conceived as a rain garden. While the Howard County Master Gardeners (HC MGs) were involved in the design, they were not involved in the site selection and this has been a problem in sustaining it as a rain garden. Situated along a slope, rather than a level basin area, water flows across the garden and never slows to permeate into the substrate. This is especially problematic during heavy rains: water surges through the garden, washes out the mulch and settles in the drainage swale below. The ravine below the garden has clogged and created other problems for the employees at AR. Some modifications were clearly needed to bring this garden to a beneficial status. After consideration and study, the HC MGs decided to morph the rain garden concept into a Conservation Garden design. Part of the solution was to incorporate limestone and locally sourced Cockeysville marble. The Cockeysville marble was part of the initial design, but the perimeter stone did not compliment the beauty of the garden. Dick Hammerschlag (2015) and Mark Wallace (2016 Intern) saw this and decided to extend the use of stone into the garden itself. The expanded use will highlight and isolate each planted species, provide an enhanced rooting zone for the plants, identify walking areas to protect the plants, reduce space for weeds, and create a more diversified landscape. The stones will also help slow the flow of water, enabling more infiltration. Visually, the addition of stones throughout the bed softens the distinction between garden and border. The two stone types were not mixed the Cockeysville marble is on the western side of the site and the limestone is on the east. By highlighting planted and unplanted areas, it will be easier to locate new native plantings as the site matures. The Master Gardeners are grateful to the staff at AR, who continually support our effects. So if you ever have the good fortune of meeting Wayne, the County employee responsible for AR, please say thanks. He provides the mulch that we need free of charge; he also provided the additional stone. Wayne assigns laborers to assist us, especially appreciated as we were moving the heavy stones. Please visit this revised landscape and let us know what you think about our Conservation Garden. Linda Olson (2015) and Dick Hammerschlag (2015) Photo: Gail Burns, Susan Bishop, Doris Wilcher, Carol Heidenhausen 2nd photo: Mark Wallace and Dick Hammerschlag LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 7

8 Million Pollinator Garden Challenge A campaign to register a million public and private gardens and landscapes to support pollinators was launched in June The goal is to register one million gardens by June Any individual can contribute by planting for pollinators and joining this effort to provide a million pollinator gardens across the U.S. Every habitat of every size counts, from window boxes and garden plots to farm borders, school gardens, corporate and university campuses. Everywhere we live, work and play can offer essential food and shelter for pollinators. A network of gardening and conservation organizations support this effort. A few of the groups include Monarch Watch, Xerces Society, The Herb Society of American, U.S. Botanical Garden, National Wildlife Federation, and the National Garden Clubs. MG Janice Winter created a slide presentation to promote the MPGC and it was well received at Miller Branch library a few weeks ago. There were 55 people in attendance, including several MGs: Dorothy Moore, Michele Wright, Joanne Winters, Janine Grossman and Carolyn Cradler. MG Ann Hackeling, Enchanted Garden coordinator and research specialist at Miller, shared a variety of educational posters, printed collateral, and assorted books on pollinators. Winter noted that Maryland is the first state to ban neonicotinoids, and urged everyone to avoid using pesticides whenever possible. They can have an adverse effect on pollinators. She explained that single blossom flowers are favorites of bees because they provide easier to access the pollen. Try to include flowering plants and shrubs in your gardens to attract more bees as well as all of the other pollinators such as birds, butterflies, moths, beetles and insects. To learn more, go to Join the Wavyleaf Basketgrass Blitz Tues, June 28 is the day we attack this evil invasive at MPEA! Wavyleaf basketgrass is our newest invasive nemesis and unfortunately it is spreading quickly. Master Gardeners and other volunteers will work from 9:00 to 11:30 am to pull and remove it. Japanese barberry will be out backup option if the wavyleaf is bearing seeds. We don t want to help it spread! Wear long pants and a hat. Bring water and bug spray. Join us for the morning or drop in and help for as long as you can. We ll start from the Trotter Road entrance to the park. For more information, contact Aylene Gard at kgmerger@verizon.net LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 8

9 Patuxent Research Refuge Schoolyard Habitat One delight of volunteering at the Patuxent Research Refuge is the diversity of opportunities to work with plants. One project directed by Bill Harms, citizen botanist, is the herbarium update. Previous surveys of the Refuge flora occurred from 1936 to 1946 and from 1961 to Herbarium: 1) A collection of dried plant specimens usually mounted and systematically arranged for reference, 2) A place that houses an herbarium. The herbarium at PRR contains 4,200+ specimens from 1,200+ species. It has been described as an exceptional reference collection of plants occurring in the area lying between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C. Some plants no longer occur on the refuge and others, either not found in the original survey or introduced since then, are being discovered. A flower and its parts are key to identification, so we hike the Refuge looking for blooming things. The plants we locate are laid in a press with the parts spread out for clear examination. The plants stay in the tightly fastened press a week or more, depending on moisture that will evaporate, leaving long lasting dried specimens. Dried specimens are taken to the North Tract office where they are identified, mounted, labeled and filed. The mounted, labeled and photographed specimens are filed for future study in the herbarium in phylogenetic order, alphabetic within genera. Specimens are placed in tightly fastened press to dry. This is a joint project with the Smithsonian Institution, so we collect enough samples of each plant share. It s exciting to think that the plant we collect and preserve today will be available for study years from now, and that we have added to the scientific base of plant knowledge. If you d like to participate in this survey please let us know. The time commitment is as little or long as you d like. You can specialize on one task or follow plants you collect from beginning to end. You must have a PERMIT before collecting specimens. Workdays in the Schoolyard Habitat will continue on Wednesdays through June from 9:30 am to noon. Example of a mounted and labeled specimen. To volunteer, contact Ann Coren, Master Gardener, anncoren@hotmail.com or Diana Ogilvie, Ranger and Volunteer Coordinator, Diana_Ogilvie@fws.gov. LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 9

10 Whipps Garden Cemetery Annual Plant Sale Benefits Whipps With help from more than 30 volunteers, countless plant donations from Master Gardeners, and purchases by the returning community, the 2016 plant sale was the best ever! The sale started on Thurs., May 12 for Master Gardeners. It was open to the public on Friday and Saturday in between the rain showers. Expanded offerings this year included natives, herbs, roses, trees, as well as the return of the registered daylilies donated by Fred Briscoe, a local daylily grower. Plants were arranged by shade or sun, and there was an assortment of hard-to-find plants from a local nursery. Special horticultural presentations were given by our own Master Gardener Intern Bob Glascock. He talked about growing herbs. A Baltimore City Master Gardener Intern Betty Walke Whipps spoke on Gardening for the Butterfly Effect. Compost bins were given away to Howard County residents by Paul DiCrispino, Rosemary Noble and Elaine Kielman on Saturday morning. A special thanks goes to all our Master Gardener colleagues who helped coordinate, transport plants, set up, talk with customers, and tear down the sale. A special thanks goes to Betty Rice for her Ostrich ferns and many other perennial donations. The plant sale was a success thanks to all who volunteered! Proceeds will go toward maintenance of Whipps Garden Cemetery. A quiet moment during the annual plant sale. Retaining Wall Added: An Eagle Scout Project by Steven Mitchell and Boy Scout Troop 1022 has been completed. The area was cleared of several unsightly trees and replaced with healthy Viburnums and Daphnes, plus a new bench, hellebores, and a bird house. Update on the Garden: A few roses in the Rose Garden have started to bloom, and should peak around Memorial Day. The Herb and Butterfly Gardens are being updated thanks to Bob Glascock and Dorothy Moore. Paul Kojzar is completing a drip water system for the Herb Garden. While Boy Scouts from Troup 1022 constructed an awesome retaining wall. volunteers focused on Daffodil Day and the plant sale, the weeds started to take over. And with all the rain the daffodil greens are staying green longer and flopping over, but they ll soon be gone and everything will look better again. Plans are being made to utilize the lovely theater area by scheduling monthly presentations starting in July. Watch for dates and topics. And join us any Thursday morning to volunteer in the garden! Aleta Gravelle, 2009, agravelle@verizon.net LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 10

11 Garlic Mustard Invades MPEA, MGs Respond! Conservation Stewardship is a monthly MG program that is truly making a difference at MPEA (Middle Patuxent Environmental Area). If you haven't visited MPEA you really should add it to your list of places to hike. And plan on joining the MG team on the fourth Tuesday of each month to learn more. Last month a group of 15 MGs and some volunteers from Amica Mutual Insurance Company pulled many bags of garlic mustard. Jeff Claffy, assistant Natural Resources Manager at MPEA, organized the activity along with MG Aylene Gard. MG Intern Linda Chubbs captured the action with some terrific photos. Mark your calendar for June 28 when the task will be to remove wavyleaf basketgrass which is invading MPEA and many parts of PVSP. Conservation Stewardship work skips July and August, and will begin again on Tuesday, September 27. LooseLeaf June 2016 Page 11