Hello Friends, Neighbors, Fellow Gardeners,
Happy Mother’s Day and Memorial Day! It’s time to start planting for the spring! Here are some garden tips, educational opportunities, and videos for May. There are some online events, check out U.S. Botanic Garden, Master Gardeners of Montgomery County, and Maryland Gardens. A lot of gardening events are announced on Facebook and we share them on our Facebook page as well as on our mctgardenclub.org website. Some upcoming events include Brookside Garden’s Designing with Native Plants, MC Master Gardeners’ Grow It Eat It 2021 Online Speakers Series, Flowers and Bees Online Children’s Program, Sandy Spring Museum Garden Club’s Drive-Thru Plant Sale, Hillwood Estate’s Horticulture How-To Pollinator-friendly Container Garden, and more.
- Mark beds outside where new plants are to go.
- Collect supplies for starting seeds.
- Sharpen and replace tools as needed.
- Take an inventory of pots and containers; clean or replenish potted soil.
- Go on a virtual garden tour to see what plants are thriving in other’s area home gardens.
- Plan for 2021 with these Free resources: Landscaping with Native Plants by the Maryland Native Plant Society, Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas by the National Park Service, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia Reading Room. Visit our Online Gardening Resources page for more helpful online resources.
- Buy a good gardening book or magazine subscription for a gift for your favorite gardener.
- Have a question about gardening? Check the University of Maryland Extension’s New Maryland Grows blog for garden tips.
Online Gardening Resources
There are many resources for recipes to make from your garden crops including seed companies, local farms, and online recipe cookbook catalogs. If you grow vegetables, these are very useful resources as the recipes feature the very plant you are growing. Here are few links to recipes you can make from your garden crops
#LocalIsTheNewNormal #BuyLocal
- Support Our Local Farmers – Join a CSA and have fresh local produce delivered to you!
- Visit a local farmers’ market.
“During shelter-in-place, farmers’ markets remain open as an essential service, providing a vital source of fresh fruits and vegetables and food staples for our communities in a spacious, open-air setting. But our community and our farmers’ markets could be jeopardized if we don’t each do our part to stay safe during this public healthy crisis.
In good times, farmers’ markets have been places to gather and converse, however, now is the time to follow public health and safety advisories and resist the urge to linger and socialize. We all have a critical role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19.”
How to Support Farmers and Safely Shop at Farmers’ Markets
Download Montgomery County’s Office of Agriculture 2020 Farmers Market Flyer to find a farmer’s market near you.
Support our local farmers! Shop at the #derwoodfarmersmarket!
Open for advance order curbside pickup & delivery until April 10th.
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The Full Market Season Opens April 17th, 2021.
For the winter season through April 10th you can still get your market groove on with online ordering from all your favorite farmers and vendors using our curbside pickup or doorstep delivery to 20855, 20850, 20878 & 20880 on Saturday for doorstep delivery and/ or curbside pickup at the front yard of Neighborhood Church, 16501 Redland Rd, 20855. Pickup happens from 9am until 11am through April 10th. Get started here: MilkLadyMarkets.org/preorder
Flowers and Groundcovers
How to Plan and Maintain a Perennial Garden | University of Maryland Extension
- After the last frost date, plant warm-season annuals and tender bulbs (calla lilies, dahlias, gladiolus) in the ground and in containers.
- Pinch out growing tips of leggy seedlings.
- After spring bulbs bloom, let leaves turn yellow and die before trimming.
- Remove last of spring flowers, replacing with transplants or seeds.
- Fertilize summer flowering bulbs.
- Begin hardening off tender transplants.
- Water transplants deeply when dry.
- Plant and prune roses.
- Pests to watch for: Aphids, spidermites, whiteflies, Deer, slugs, snails.
- Diseases to watch for: Damping off of seedlings.
- See UMD’s HGIC Garden Tips for more details.
- For a list of native plant resources, visit: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/native-plant-resources
Trees and Shrubs
- Plant and transplant shrubs that have finished blooming.
- Directly after blooming, prune flowering shrubs and vines.
- This is a good time to plant evergreens.
- Prune damaged branches.
- Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs before new growth.
- Prune crepe myrtle when you can see what is still alive.
- Prune out Eastern tent caterpillar egg masses.
- Begin planting when ground is not too wet.
- Fertilize plants not getting ready to bloom if needed.
- If you MUST mulch: Remove old mulch and then add 2″-3″ shredded pine or pine needles, keeping 3″ away from trunk.
- Remove Ivy, Pachysandra, and other vine-like ground cover from under shrubs.
- Soil test established trees that have not been performing well.
- Put diseased leaves, pesticide-laden grass clippings and weed seeds out for recycling rather than the compost pile.
- Mulch or compost healthy leaves.
- Spray with dormant oil to decrease pest infestations.
- Remove dead and dying trees.
- Pests to watch for: Eastern caterpillar, Gypsy moths, sawfly, azalea lacebug, spidermites, leafminers, caterpillars, adelgids, scale, aphids, borers
- Diseases to watch for: Apple scab Cedar-apple, hawthorn or quince rust, Verticillium wilt, Oak leaf bilster
- For more tips, see UMD’s HGIC Garden Tips for more details.
Growing Small Fruits
Many small fruits—strawberries, currants, blackberries, grapes, blueberries, and raspberries—are well-suited to Maryland’s growing conditions. Small fruit plants are generally long-lived. If you’re planning to grow them, pay special attention to cultivar selection and site preparation. Cultivars should be adapted to your soil and climatic conditions. If possible, select cultivars with the fewest insect and disease problems. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-small-fruits
Herbs, Veggies, and Fruit
- Keep new fruit plants watered.
- Keep all transplants watered deeply for 2-3 weeks.
- Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, sweet potato. Put cages/stakes in at the same time you plant them.
- Sow seeds of: beans, melons, cucumbers
- Divide perennials and herbs.
- Put up trellises and teepees for peas, climbing beans, etc.
- Harvest your herbs and keep them trimmed back to encourage leafy growth.
- Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees.
- Pests to watch for: Asparagus beetle, aphids, cabbage worms, cutworms, Deer, rabbits, woodchucks, birds.
- Diseases to watch for: Damping off of seedlings, Fireblight of pears, apples.
- Here are some more UMD’s HGIC Garden Tips.
Lawns
- Fertilize turf only if weak. Apply 1 lb. N/1,000 sq. feet.
- Mow high to reduce weeds and stress: Fescue & Bluegrass: 3″ – 3 1/2″; zoysia grass at 2″
- To control crabgrass and broadleaf weeds, apply pre-emergent herbicide to lawn (when forsythia blooms drop).
- Dethatch if necessary and plug aerate BEFORE applying weed control.
- Reseed bare spots or overseed (through early April).
- Have soil tested (every 3 years minimum).
- Clean yard of all leaves and other debris.
- Turn your compost pile.
- The annual soil science calendars from the Natural Resources Conservation Service are both educational and beautifully done. The one for 2020 as well as those for previous years are available as free PDFs here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/edu/?cid=nrcseprd1250008
- Diseases to watch for: brown patch, and red thread
- Pests to watch for: Grubs
- See UMD’s HGIC Garden Tips for more details.
Indoors/Houseplants
- Repot and fertilize houseplants when new growth begins.
- Rotate houseplants to promote even growth.
- Remove old leaves, damaged stems.
- Pinch out growing tips of leggy cuttings and plants that are overwintering.
- Clean the leaves of your indoor houseplants to prevent dust and film build-up.
- Pests to watch for: aphids, spider mites, mealybug, and scale
- See UMD’s HGIC Garden Tips for more information.
Indoor/Outdoor Insect and Wildlife Tips
- Give your house plants a quarter turn every few weeks.
- Repot larger plants that are going outside for the summer.
- Remove old leaves, damaged stems.
- Put up birdhouses.
- Put suet out for birds.
- Keep bird feeders clean and filled.
- Switch your deer deterrent spray.
- Caulk and seal your outside walls to prevent insects and wildlife from coming indoors.
- Set out traps for mice, moles, and voles.
- Watch for: carpenter ants, flies, mosquitos, stink bugs, termites, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, deer, mice, moles, snakes, squirrels, and voles.
- For more information, see UMD’s HGIC Garden Tips.
Source: University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) and the Washington Gardener.
Montgomery County MD Food and Beverage Guide
The 2019-2020 Montgomery County Food and Beverage Guide has arrived!
This year’s Guide lists over 70 MoCo Made food and beverage producers and farmers, with products ranging from honey to craft beverages to artisanal meats and more.
Master Gardener Plant Clinics
Varied Locations, dates, and times
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What can Master Gardeners do for you?
- Help you select and care for annual and perennial plants, shrubs and trees.
- Determine if you need to test your soil.
- Provide you with information on lawn care.
- Identify weeds, beneficial and noxious insects, and plant diseases and remedies.
- Teach you how to use pesticides, mulch and compost.
- Guide you in pruning trees and shrubs.
- Provide you with options for managing wildlife.
- Provide you with gardening resources.
- Help you submit a plant sample for diagnosis
Plant Clinics are held at several sites in the county on a weekly basis and at special events such as garden festivals and the county fair. Regularly scheduled Plant Clinics are located at public libraries and farmers’ markets throughout the county as well as at the Audubon Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase. There are also clinics three days per week at Brookside Gardens. The busiest season is April through September, but some clinics are open year-round. Bring your plant samples and questions to one of these locations in Montgomery County, MD (see link below to find a location near you):
https://extension.umd.edu/mg/locations/plant-clinics
Support Our Local Farmers – Join a CSA and have fresh local produce delivered to you!
CSAs are seeing record numbers of subscribers http://ow.ly/eiQT50zD5lW – find your farmer here: http://ow.ly/jbO250zD56M
CSAs can take many forms, but essentially they are community supported farms in which members contribute to farming projects, usually by way of membership fees, in exchange for fresh, local produce. The concept came to the United States from Europe in the 1980s. They are a great way to take advantage of fresh, locally grown fruit, vegetables, herbs, and more while supporting nearby farms. Each one is different, some offer pickup locations in urban areas, some offer only farm-based pickups.
There are multiple CSAs located around the County offering a wide variety of products. CSAs begin taking sign-ups for spring and summer seasons in the early part of the year, and they tend to fill up FAST! Know of another CSA not on our list? Let us know! Montgomery Countryside Alliance also maintains a list:
http://www.mocoalliance.org/community-supported-agriculture.html
When it comes to sun or shade, 6 hours is the magic number. “Full sun” plants need 6 hours, or more, of direct sunlight. Plants that prefer “part sun” or “part shade” want only 4-6 hours. The difference between part sun and part shade is timing–“part shade” plants do not want their sun time to be when the sun is strongest (between 12 and 2). If you have less than 4 hours or all dappled sunlight (under trees) go for plants that prefer “full shade.” Garden sPOTS has a short video showing an easy way to determine exactly how many hours of sun you have.
GardensPOTS returns to the Derwood market on May 8. Watch for them in booth 23 this Saturday here: www.milkladymarkets.org/derwoodvendors
Gardening Tips VIDEO: https://youtu.be/kmKrsNacX4M
#derwoodmarket #lovemdmarkets Derwood, Maryland Derwood, MD Community Page Derwood/Rockville/Olney Online Yard Sale
Designing with Native Plants
Brookside Gardens, Montgomery Parks
May 8, 2021, Saturday
10am to 11:30am
Interested in learning how to incorporate native plants into your garden designs? Join us this Saturday at 10 am for a virtual lecture on gardening for pollinators and wildlife in your backyard. If you can’t watch live, we’ll send the online recording to registrants. To learn more and register online, visit: https://bit.ly/3vALUIs.
MC Master Gardeners’ Grow It Eat It | 2021 Online Speakers Series
Getting a Fresh Start in the Garden?
Let the Montgomery County Master Gardeners teach you how to begin a new garden or refresh one from the ground up.
For 2021 we will be offering the following programs in lieu of an in-person Grow It Eat It Event or Spring Conference.
Free, except where there is a $ sign
May 8, 10 am
Less Lawn More Life
May 15, 10 am
Blossoms and Bees Children’s Program
May 22, 10 am
Native Plants for Shade
June 5, 10 am
Managing Garden Pests
June 12, 10 am
Native Plants for Sun
Flowers and Bees Online Children’s Program
SAT, MAY 15 AT 10 AM EDT
Montgomery County Master Gardeners – Maryland – Online Event
Drive-Thru Plant Sale
SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2021 AT 9 AM EDT
Orders will be taken online for homegrown seedlings of vegetables, transplants of perennial flowers and hanging baskets.
Horticulture How-To | Pollinator-friendly Container Garden
Create your own beautiful container of flowering plants that attract butterflies, birds, bees, and other pollinators.
Friday 21 May 2021 1:30pm – 2:30pm Online Event via Zoom
Create your own beautiful container of flowering plants that attract butterflies, birds, bees, and other pollinators.
At least seventy-five percent of the world’s flowering plants (including many fruits and vegetables) depend on pollinators. Populations of these friendly animals are declining, but even small gardens of pollinator-friendly plants provide crucial habitat.
Supplies are not included but a materials list, suited to sunny locations in the mid-Atlantic climate, will be shared in advance should participants wish to follow along at home.
OPTIONAL MATERIALS FEE
For an additional fee of $40, participants will receive all necessary materials, including a container, soil and plants, including perennials such as bee balm, salvia, and catmint, annuals such as gomphrena, lantana, and lobularia, and verbena, which is a strong reseeding plant.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Jessica Bonilla (she/her) became Hillwood’s director of Horticulture in 2020, after more than a decade as the head gardener. She leads her staff in maintaining all aspects of garden upkeep. With over 20 years of experience, she started her career in commercial landscaping and in 2000 became head gardener at a private estate in Rochester, NY, where she also ran her own landscaping business. She currently leads a variety of educational programs at Hillwood and teaches the botany class for the DC Master Gardener program. She has a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Contracting from Penn State and is a member of the Boxwood Society.
Brookside Gardens’ Rose Garden Tour
THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021 AT 10 AM EDT – 11 AM EDT
Brookside Gardens, Montgomery Parks
Brookside Gardens is known for its summer rose garden that provides a radiant profusion of color and fragrance. Explore over 100 different types of roses with resident rosarian Roger Haynes, as he leads this popular tour.Thinking about adding roses to your own garden? Roger will offer advice on the best types that grow well in a variety of garden settings, including proper planting and care.
A Common Sense Approach to Pest Control: Integrated Pest Management
| July 20, 2021 | 7-8:30pm | Live Virtual Event | Free Is there something bugging you in your garden, but you don’t want to use chemicals to address it? Join UME Horticulture Educator Ginny Rosenkranz to learn about how you can use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control insects and diseases in your garden without pesticides and herbicides! |
