Why are the good looking ones so naughty?

Back in July, I wrote about the 12 Relationship Rules for Gardeners. This tongue in cheek post compared the challenges of creating a healthy landscape with the challenges of building a healthy relationship.

Rule number 7 mentioned that choices based on looks alone are often more trouble than they are worth. Such is often the case when we add non-native, invasive species to our landscapes.

As defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Invasive plants are introduced species that can thrive in areas beyond their natural range of dispersal. These plants are characteristically adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigor combined with a lack of natural enemies often leads to outbreak populations.

As gardeners, it is sometimes tempting to want to add some of these plants to our landscape. After all, a plant that self-propagates or spreads to quickly fill in a large area can seem like a good thing. But once invasive plants take over our native plants, the result can be:

• an area's natural biodiversity is destroyed
• native plants can eventually become permanently eliminated
• the animals that need native plants for food and habitat cannot use many of the non-native ones
• it can costs billions of dollars to control invasive exotic plants

Native plants, on the other hand, generally require less water and less chemicals, which make them much friendlier for the local environment.

Once you decide to start creating a more eco-friendly garden, some of the decisions you have to make may be tough ones. But in the long run, choosing native plants, or at least NON-invasive species, will be much better for the environment and much easier to maintain.

Here are links for more information about invasive plant species in the area:

Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland

Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia (pdf file)

Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (pdf file)

More about worms - fishing for answers

I recently wrote a post about the wonders of earthworms in a garden.

While working on the post, I was going to mention how I sometimes get earthworms for my garden.

Every now and then if I accompany my husband to a bait shop, I buy a small bucket of worms and take them home and drop them in my soil. I’ve been told that isn’t really a good idea and that they will die there. But since they would have died as bait on the end of some fisherman’s line, I figured dying in a pile of nice moist compost in my yard might be just as acceptable an end for these “sacred” creatures as being strung on a hook and chomped in half by a hungry fish.

But in my continuing effort to learn the correct “environmentally friendly” way of doing things, I wanted to check with a "worm expert" before I recommended this method. What I found out was that the harm that I was doing might not be to the worms, themselves, but to the environment because I was introducing a non-native species.

I contacted Tami S. Ransom, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia who has done some research on introduced species.

Here is what she said.

Hi Betsy. I saw that you had already posted your blog about adding earthworms to gardens. The only thing I wanted to bring to your attention is that all of the earthworms that you buy as bait or for compost piles are invasive earthworms. In urbanized areas, such as the target area for your blog, invasive earthworms are already well-established. Pretty much any earthworm that you find in your garden is a non-native earthworm. And, it is true that these non-native earthworms can be beneficial for gardens.  

However, if you post a follow up to your original post, you should caution your readers that if they decide to purchase earthworms for their gardens, they should avoid purchasing "Alabama jumpers". These earthworms in the genus Amynthas have been recently introduced from Asia. Because they are recent invaders, data about their effects is still scarce. However, it does appear that they can damage forest ecosystems. When introduced here in the South, they seem to thrive. I've seen riparian areas here in Charlottesville where it appears they are denuding areas of leaf litter and reducing the understory plant community. 

Here's a link to a recent story about these Asian earthworms: 

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/110507/news_20071105041.shtml 

As I said, in urban areas, it's probably not too big of a deal to put purchased worms in gardens (as long as they aren't those Asian ones!) The European invasives are already here to stay. All the compost worms that people buy are also invasives. But, if you are trying to be eco-conscious, then making your already established worms happy is probably the best way to go :)

Thank you Tami. As always, I appreciate all the wonderful scientists and scholars who are willing to help us all learn the right way to "take care of our share" of the planet!

National Eat Outside Day - August 31 - Pick Your Pleasure

Did you know that August 31st is National Eat Outdoors Day? This annual event celebrates the end of summer vacation with a day of outdoor dining. Have your coffee and bagel on the patio, take a sandwich to work for an outdoor picnic, or treat your special someone to a night of fine dining under the stars.

Of course, if you grow anything that’s edible, your favorite Eat Outdoors activity might be strolling through your own garden and sampling the fruits, vegetables and herbs that are ripe for the picking.

Another great activity that gardeners will particularly enjoy for National Eat Outdoors Day is to visit a pick-your-own fruit or vegetable farm. There are plenty of pick-your-own farms to allow you the true gardeners experience of eating produce fresh from the tree, vine or plant. Below is listing of some of the local farms and what they have available to pick for the next few weeks.

Butler’s Orchard– Germantown, MD – raspberries, blackberries, apples

Crooked Run Orchard– Purcellville, Virginia - apples, plums, Asian pears, red raspberries

Great Country Farms– Bluemont, VA – potatoes, concord grapes

Heartland Farm and Orchard – Markham, VA – peaches, apples

Hollin Farms– Delaplane, VA – Peaches, Black Berries, Tomatoes, Greenbeans, Okra, Sweet Peppers, Summer Squash, Eggplant, Bitter Melon, Chinese Long Beans

Homestead Farm– 20 miles nw of DC in Montgomery County, Maryland – currently has apples

Larriland Farm – Woodbine, MD – peaches, apples, tomatoes, sweet corn

Rock Hill Orchard – Mount Airy, MD – snap beans, red raspberries, apples

Stribling Orchard – Markham, Virginia – peaches and apples

To find more pick your own farms near you, visit this website  PickYourOwn.org

*Note: All information was taken from farm websites. Please call ahead to verify dates and products available for picking.

Win $5000 for your youth garden project

Take the Green Thumb Challenge! Green Education Foundation (GEF) and Gardener’s Supply Company have teamed up on an exciting funding opportunity for established youth garden projects nationwide!

The organizations are calling on schools and youth groups to submit chronicles of their garden projects in a race to win a $5,000 prize. The award is designed to support the continued sustainability of an exceptional youth garden program that has demonstrated success, and has impacted the lives of kids and their community. Read more

How to Earn Green ($$$) by going Green

How would you like to earn a little green ($$$) by going green in your landscape? There are several programs in the area that offer rebates and financial incentives to help encourage you to go green and conserve water in your landscape.  

Montgomery County Maryland Residents – Create a RainScape - Rebates of up to $1200 for participating in RainScapes Rewards Rebate Program. Maximum rebates available for various landscape changes: for installing rain gardens ($1200), conservation landscaping ($750), urban tree canopy ($600), permeable pavers ($1200), pavement removal ($1200), green roofs ($1200), rain barrels ($200), cisterns ($500), dry wells ($600)

Gaithersburg Rainscapes Rewards Program - $50 rebate for rainbarrels; up to $500 for conservation landscaping

Rockville Rainscapes Rewards Program - $50 rebate for rainbarrels; up to $500 for conservation landscaping

District of Columbia RiverSmart Homes Program - This District-wide program offers incentives to homeowners interested in reducing stormwater runoff from their properties. Homeowners receive up to $1,200 to adopt one or more of the following landscape enhancements: Shade Trees , Rain Barrels , Pervious Pavers , Rain Gardens , BayScaping

For more information about these programs, check out the links above.

An interview with Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener magazine, about local green gardening trends

According to statistics collected in the National Gardening Association’s (NGA) 2004 and 2008 Environmental Lawn and Garden surveys, the number of households in the U.S. that practice environmentally friendly gardening techniques increased from an estimated 5 million in 2004 to 12 million in 2008.

Although those statistics sound great for our country, as a whole, I wondered how many gardeners in the Washington DC Metro area are making similar changes in their gardens.

Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener magazine, took a break from preparations for her Third Annual Tomato Tasting, for a short interview on the subject.  

Question: Have you noticed a trend towards more eco-friendly gardening among your readers and fellow gardeners?

Kathy’s Answer: We have been publishing for 5 years and in that time I have noticed an increase in questions about earth-friendly gardening practices. I'm hearing from many who have stated they are seeking to reduce the size of their turfgrass lawns and who are trying to attract wildlife to their yards. In non-gardeners I also see that trend. They are asking about lawn services that are truly green, not just in name only.  

Question: What types of environmentally friendly techniques have you seen starting to show up in local gardens? (more native plants?, rain barrels? less chemicals, etc.)  

Kathy’s Answer: I see a lot more interest in adding native plants to gardens, although I think the trend of using ALL natives has hit its peak and is now tapering off to a more moderate use. Gardeners are working in natives where they can, instead of going whole hog natives-only.

Gardeners are saving water and planting more drought-tolerant varieties. Many are investing in rain barrels and are even talking about cisterns.

Most of the gardeners I encounter were already avoiding chemical herbicides and pesticides except as a last resort. The last few years just seems to reinforce that conviction. Many now want to cut out any gas-powered garden and lawn tools, as well.

Question: Vegetable gardening is certainly one type of gardening that seems to lend itself to "organic" gardening, because of the health aspects of not using chemicals. Do you think vegetable gardeners are more concerned about practicing eco-friendly techniques than perhaps flower gardeners?  

Kathy’s Answer: I would not say they are more concerned, but certainly equally as concerned. Gardeners are very aware that what they put into the soil is what they get out of it - be it an ornamental plant or edible one. They know that organic is the most healthy and sustainable practice.

I do see more ornamental gardeners adding vegetable beds and fruit trees to their gardens. They are better able to control what goes into their food that way and I think they also enjoy being able to grow their own food. The popularity of cooking shows has helped feed into this trend, so to speak. People are a great deal more aware of their food sources and food quality these days.

Question: What do you think is motivating more people to practice environmentally friendly techniques? Are people doing it for their families, the planet, for wildlife?  

Kathy’s Answer: I think it is out of personal conviction, though the influence of peer pressure cannot be discounted. If your neighbors have on sprinklers all day and spray everything down with chemicals, you think that is "the norm." But if none of your neighbors do those things, it probably would not occur to you to do them either.  

Question: Are gardeners being influenced by any particular people or groups? Did the White House Organic garden encourage more organic vegetable gardeners?

Kathy’s Answer: The White House organic edible garden seemed to have most influence on people who had never gardened before, rather than current gardeners. I see current gardeners being most influenced by what they see in garden centers, in gardening publications, and what they see at local public gardens. They are very visual and always looking out for what is new, improved and problem-resistant. Gardeners want beauty, but they also want gardens that are as low maintenance as possible.

Gardeners often swap plants with neighbors or with fellow garden club members. In that way, their plant selection is almost viral.
------------------------------
Thanks, Kathy, for taking the time to share your thoughts on eco-gardening. I especially like your comments about how gardeners learn from their neighbors and fellow gardeners. It’s a good lesson for all of us to try to set a good example with our gardening practices and even the choice of plants that we share at plant swaps and with fellow gardeners.  

Kathy Jentz worked for 15 years in association publishing (both trade and professional organizations). She saw a need for gardening information specifically for the DC (MidAtlantic) area and started Washington Gardener Magazine in 2005. She is President of the Takoma Horticultural Club and on the board of the Silver Spring Garden Club. Here is a link to Kathy's Washington Gardener Blog, one of my local favorites.

Washington Gardener magazine, is the gardening publication published specifically for the local metro area — zones 6-7 — Washington DC and its suburbs.

Earthworms - Wriggling Wonders of the Garden

Earthworms are the intestines of the soil. – Aristotle

One of the most memorable questions that I ever received from a fellow gardener was from the gentleman who called me with his earthworm problem. “What can I do to get rid of all of these awful earthworms,” he said. “They’re all over the place.”

Although most gardeners would love to see slimy, wriggling earthworms, rolling around in their soil, this gentleman saw them only as a nuisance. Such is the case with many garden critters, which are shunned at first sight and sometimes even eradicated from a yard long before the gardener takes the time to learn their bountiful benefits.

There is no doubt that earthworms are slimy little critters. Nevertheless, if you have earthworms in your yard, you should feel lucky. If you could create a miniature little robot that could aerate your soil by creating passageways for air and water, all the while adding valuable nutrients to the soil, wouldn’t you do it? Too late. Nature has already created this creature and we have named him “earthworm”.

Like many creature’s, an earthworm’s primary activity is eating and eliminating what it eats. But in the case of the earthworm, the old adage of “garbage in, garbage out” isn’t very accurate. With earthworms, what they eliminate, called castings, are pure gold to your garden soil.

You don’t have to go to the extent of Cleopatra who supposedly considered earthworms so indispensable to the agricultural economy of ancient Egypt that she declared them sacred, subjecting exporters to the death penalty. But you should definitely roll out the red carpet for these creatures by giving them what they like – a nice layer of damp fallen leaves or other organic matter.

In my continuing effort to learn more about “environmentally friendly” landscaping, I decided to see what else I could find out about earthworms.

Environmental benefits of earthworms

• Earthworm poop peps up your plants. Earthworms eat microorganisms in the soil. As the organic matter passes through their system, it is fragmented and inoculated with other microorganisms. The resulting feces or casts contain nutrients and organic matter that is more readily taken up by plants.
• Earthworms help stir things up! A large proportion of soil passes through the guts of earthworms, and they can actually turn over the top six inches of soil….in about ten to twenty years. But in the process of moving dirt around, they can bring essential nutrients back to the top layers of the soil that had leached down.
• Earthworms help prevent erosion. Earthworms make soil more porous as they move through it. Some species make permanent burrows deep into the soil. These burrows can remain long after the worm has died, and can be a major conduit for soil drainage, particularly under heavy rainfall. At the same time, the burrows minimize surface water erosion.
• Earthworms help soil retain moisture. By fragmenting organic matter, and increasing soil porosity, earthworms can significantly increase the water-holding capacity of soils.
• Earthworms help prevent water pollution. By allowing more water to seep into the soil, earthworms help prevent pollution by minimizing runoff.
• Earthworms provide channels for root growth. The channels made by deep-burrowing earthworms are lined with readily available nutrients and make it easier for roots to penetrate deep into the soil.
• Earthworms help feed local wildlife. Earthworms are a favorite food of many bird species and other friendly garden predators such as toads and turtles.

If you see earthworms in your yard, then it is a good sign that you have a somewhat “healthy” garden. Earthworm populations tend to increase in areas with richer organic matter levels and decrease with soil disturbances, such as tillage and potentially harmful chemicals. If you would like to attract MORE earthworms, here are a few tips:

1. Avoid using chemicals. Pesticides are one of the biggest threats to earthworms today. Many common pesticides, even "organic" pesticides, kill earthworms, some with mortality rates as high as 100%. Chemicals that are used to kill Japanese beetle grubs, for example, also kill earthworms. Some chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and fungicides can also kill earthworms.
2. Avoid unnecessary cultivation. Studies have found a direct correlation between the frequency of cultivation and the number and size of earthworms: the more frequently the ground is cultivated, the fewer and smaller the worms. When possible, cultivate beds by hand or with a digging fork. Hand cultivation has a significantly lower mortality rate for earthworms than machine cultivation.
3. Add compost and other organic matter to your soil. If you make your own compost, you may see earthworms in your compost pile. Spreading a thick layer of finished compost on new garden beds, or digging it in when you plant, is a great way to improve your soil, produce healthier plants, and attract worms, all at the same time. If you don’t have a compost pile, you can feed the worms by adding certain food scraps such as vegetable peelings and coffee grounds directly to your garden either in shallow holes or under layers of mulch.
4. Add mulch. Worms are easily killed by surprise frosts on unprotected soil in spring and fall. Mulch provides an insulating blanket that can help protect them from the cold. It also helps keep soil cool and moist in the summertime when worms are typically driven deep underground to hide from warm temperatures and dry soils. Organic mulches such as straw and shredded leaves are also favorite worm foods.

*Many of the facts for this article were found from this source: The Living Soil: Earthworms, NRCS website

Virginia Go Green Garden Fest - September 11, 2010

The fifth annual Virginia GoGreen Garden Festival will be held Saturday, September 11, 2010, at the Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 West Broad Street in Richmond, VA. This fun, educational event, sponsored by the Virginia Green Industry Council, runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, free for children 12 and under. Parking is free on the museum lot.

There will be many items for sale, including plants, garden products, landscaping services, fresh honey, crafts, gardening books, pottery , landscape photographs and much more .

Expert Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer all of your gardening questions and observation hives will be on display for visitors to see bees in action making honey. Children’s activities will include bunny petting, crafts and face painting.

The Festival also features live music by local artists, food by local bakers and lunch by Strawberry Street Foods.

One of the Festival’s goals is to help make environmental stewardship a way of life for every person of any age. Exhibits will provide information and demonstrations on how each of us can do our part to improve air and water quality, recycle our finite natural resources and maintain the health and well being of our Chesapeake Bay. The Science Museum of Virginia will offer tours of their environmental displays throughout the day with special discounts on museum passes.

Make plans now to attend the Garden Festival Saturday, September 11. Enjoy a few hours of fun and information for the entire family and go home with a rain barrel, a lavender plant, a bird house, a Barn Again wood product or the makings for a backyard pond. For more information on the Festival, contact Rick Baker at rick.baker@vdacs.virginia.gov or 301.275.2077. Virginia GoGreen Garden Festival handout (pdf format)

Biggest, sweetest, yummiest? Enter the DC State Fair

There I was, wandering around twitter the other day and saw a tweet that said "Is that a pickle in your pocket or...."

That's how I found out about the upcoming, first ever DC State Fair.

The DC State Fair is scheduled for August 28th, 2010 at the Tubman Elementary Field (11th and Irving Streets NW) as part of the Columbia Heights Day Festival, which runs from 10am - 6pm.

The idea for the DC State Fair was planted by local blogger Amelia Showalter (Gradually Greener) back in 2009 when she was lamenting the lack of a DC area fair that would allow local gardeners and bakers to show off their home-grown and home-made goodies and compete for prizes. Fellow bloggers Jenna Huntsberger (Modern Domestic) and Ken Moore (The Indoor Garden(er)) helped to nurture Amelia's idea and keep it growing and now its ready to bloom!

If you love home gardening, community gardening, baking or canning AND you live in DC, you can enter one of the great contests and compete for one of the fun prizes. DEADLINES are fast approaching for many of the categories.

Here is a list of some of the fun contests, sponsors and prizes:

• Cupcake Contest (sponsored by Treet) – Deadline: August 25

• Best Home-Made Pie (sponsored by Fat Man After Dark) – Deadline: August 25

• Tastiest Tomato (sponsored by Glittarazzi) – Deadline: August 28

• Biggest Vegetable (General) (sponsored by Washington Gardener magazine) – Deadline: August 28

• Biggest Vegetable (Container Gardens Only) (sponsored by Washington Gardener magazine) – Deadline: August 28

• Funkiest-Looking Vegetable (sponsored by Soupergirl) – Deadline: August 28

• Home-Made Jam Contest (sponsored by the DC Rollergirls) – Deadline: August 26

• Home-Made Pickles Contest (sponsored by Glittarazzi) – Deadline: August 26

• DC Homebrew Contest (sponsored by The Black Squirrel) – Deadline: August 23

• DC Photo Contest (sponsored by Ten Miles Square) – Deadline: August 22

For more information or to register for contests online, visit the DC State Fair Website

The benefits of permeable surfaces are finally starting to soak in!

I like to look at life as a learning experience. When I run across something that I’m not sure about, I love to take the opportunity to learn something new. Thanks to a local stormwater expert, the benefits of permeable surfaces are finally starting to soak in!

Recently I met a fellow gardener who told me about all of the great eco-friendly features of her landscape. One of the key features she mentioned was her lack of lawn.

Since maintaining a green lush lawn can require a lot of water and chemicals, many people feel that cutting down on lawn is a good thing for the environment. But when I stopped by her house for a visit later in the week, I wasn’t really sure she was as environmentally friendly as she thought.

Instead of a lawn, almost the entire front yard of her small property was filled by a huge, concrete circular driveway.

I have heard many times that pervious surfaces, or surfaces that allow water to soak into the ground, are better for the environment. But I thought that the main reason for that was to allow any chemicals that you use in your landscape to soak into the ground rather than finding their way into the storm drains. Since she doesn’t use chemicals, was her impervious driveway still bad for the environment?

I decided to consult an expert: Jan-W. Briedé, PhD, the Stormwater Outreach Manager for the State of Virginia. Here is what I learned:

“An impervious surface that large is bad for the environment even if the homeowner doesn't use chemicals,” Dr. Briedé explained. “It is a well established fact that the total amount of stormwater runoff is increasing with increases in impervious areas such as roads, roofs, driveways, and parking lots. In summary, the infiltration of rain water into the soil decreases with increases in development.”

“In agriculture fields and forests typically 50% of the rainfall infiltrates, or soaks into the ground, while in our towns and suburbs only 15% to 35% of the rainfall infiltrates. The increase in runoff that results from increases in impervious areas has devastating impacts on creeks and streams. It is also one of the reasons why we saw the flooding in Nashville earlier this year and recently here in the Washington area. Increased runoff and decreased infiltration of rainwater is also one of the causes of the dropping groundwater tables and the reason why we need to drill deeper wells to get to the groundwater. These are some of many reasons why we need to try to keep all the rain that falls on our property where it belongs….in our yard.”

I asked Dr. Briedé what a better choice would have been for my well-intentioned friend.

He explained that constructing the driveway out of something that would allow water to soak through is always the best choice for a large driveway.

“In historic times we have always had some form of pervious pavement,” Dr. Briedé said. “ Dirt roads would let water infiltrate, while in the cities during long forgotten time, cobble stones were placed far enough apart so that water could infiltrate into the cracks between the stones. The father apart the stones were placed, the more water could infiltrate, or the faster the water could infiltrate. The same principle is used with pervious pavement today.”

“There are essentially three types of pervious pavement: permeable pavers, permeable concrete and permeable asphalt. All three methods are worth considering around the home when you are considering landscaping projects. While permeable asphalt and concrete are best used for driveways and parking areas around the home, pavers can be used for all those as well as for decks and walkways. Using some form of pervious pavement in your landscaping, you can reduce the runoff coming from your property while keeping the water where it belongs: your soil, where it will be available to your plants. Can you imagine the difference it could make to your water bill if you could infiltrate more water into the soil on your property, instead of letting it runoff into the creeks and streams? Your trees and shrubs in particular will thank you for it.”

“In addition to using permeable surfaces, homeowners may also help reduce stormwater runoff by methods such as green roofs, rain barrels and cisterns, rain gardens and swales.”

Dr. Briedé suggested the following websites for more information:

Pavers: Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute

Concrete: Pervious Concrete: When it Rains, it Drains

Asphalt: Porous Asphalt: National Asphalt Pavement Association