Hello Friends, Neighbors, Fellow Gardeners,

Happy Earth Month!  Here are some garden tips, educational opportunities, and events for April. Events include Montgomery Parks Speaker Series, Nature Matters Lecture Series: African Penguin Conservation, MCT Garden Club’s Brookside Garden Guided Group Tour, Earth Day Festival, and more! Join us for our 50th Anniversary Mill Creek Town Garden Club Celebration on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 @ 7:30pm with special guest speaker Kathy Jentz, who will provide garden tips on native plants in Montgomery County, MD gardens!

Planning:

• Take an inventory of pots and containers; clean or replenish potted soil.
• Set aside a few hours each weekend for attending garden shows and tours.
• Mark beds outside where new plants are to go.
• Build a raised bed for vegetables. Add lots of manure and compost.
• Read a good gardening book or magazine.
• Select and order fruit plants
• Decide on new tree/shrub locations.
• If you want a street tree, pick one under 20-30 feet if you have overhead power lines.
• Plan landscape design projects.
• When planning your wildlife-friendly backyard don’t forget to include native trees and shrubs that produce fall and winter persistent fruits.
• Have a question about gardening? Check the University of Maryland Extension’s New Maryland Grows blog for garden tips.
• Support our local farmers! Visit a local farmers’ market near you. Download Montgomery County’s Office of Agriculture 2018 Farmers Market Flyer to find a farmer’s market near you.

Flowers and Groundcovers:

• Hardy spring bulbs begin to emerge (crocus, snowdrops, daffodils, tulips).
• Plant pansies.
• Transplant seedlings into individual 3″-4″ pots when crowded.
• Pinch out growing tips of leggy seedlings.
• Transplant spring flowering bulbs after flowering.
• Begin hardening off hardier transplants. Sow seeds outdoors of hardier annuals.
• After spring bulbs bloom, let leaves turn yellow and die before trimming.
• Pests to watch for: voles
• Diseases to watch for:  Botrytis on peonies, Volutella blight on pachysandra.
• See UMD’s HGIC’s April Flower tips for more details.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Plant a tree for Arbor Day, Friday, April 27th.
• Prune flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, lilacs, and azaleas when they finish blooming.
• Do not fertilize newly planted or transplanted plants the first year.
• Soil test established trees that have not been performing well.
• Keep mowers and trimmers away from trunks!
• Prune winter damage on evergreens when new growth begins.
• Prune damaged branches.
• Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs before new growth.
• Remove Ivy, Pachysandra, and other vine-like groundcover from under shrubs.
• Remove dead and dying trees.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly or as needed.
• Pests to watch for:  Gypsy moths late in month, scale, sawfly, spidermites, leafminers, and caterpillars.
• Diseases to watch for:  Anthracnose, Exobasidium gall on azaleas, Phytophthora, top dieback and root rot on azaleas.
• See HGIC’s April Trees and Shrubs Tips for more details.

• Mow high to reduce weeds and stress: Fescue and Bluegrass: 3″ – 3 ½”
• Test soil if you haven’t already (every 3 years minimum).
• Start lawn seeding.
• Dethatch if necessary and plug aerate BEFORE applying weed control.
• Control wild onions in warm season turf with broadleaf weed control.
• Apply pre-emergent crabgrass and broadleaf weed control when forsythia finishes blooming.
• The annual soil science calendars from the Natural Resources Conservation Service are both educational and beautifully done. The one for 2018 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
• Build a compost bin.
• Get your lawn mower serviced.
• Diseases to watch for: brown patch, and red thread
• Pests to watch for: Grubs
• See HGIC’s April Lawn Tips for more details.

Indoors/Houseplants:

• Repot larger plants that are going outside for the summer.
• Repot and fertilize houseplants when new growth begins.
• Maintain moisture in pots wintering indoors, but do not over water!
• Keep all houseplants out of drafts and away from heat vents.
• Clean the leaves of your indoor houseplants to prevent dust and film to build-up.
• Remove old leaves, damaged stems.
• Fertilize houseplants now that they are actively growing again.
• Pests to watch for:  aphids, mealybug, spider mites, scale, and  whitefly
• See HGIC’s April Houseplants Tips for more tips.
  

Indoor/Outdoor Insect and Wildlife Tips:

• Ticks are very active now.
• Clean and refill bird feeders.
• Put up birdhouses.
• Wash and refill the bird bath or set out a shallow bowl of water in icy weather.
• Vacuum up any ladybugs that come in the house.
• Check for vole problems and set up traps.
• Switch your deer deterrent spray.
• See HGIC’s April Insect Tips for more details.
• Watch for: carpenter ants, flies, stink bugs, termites, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, deer, moles, snakes, squirrels, and voles.
• For more information on wildlife management and attracting wildlife see HGIC’s April Wildlife tips.

Source: University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) and the Washington Gardener.

See below for upcoming local events in April.

Hello Friends, Neighbors, Fellow Gardeners,

Happy New Year!  Hope you enjoyed the holidays! Here are some garden tips, educational opportunities, and events for January. Events include Winter Birding, Master Naturalist Spring 2018 Training (Applications due January 15th), Winter Crystals, Weed Warrior Workday at Lake Frank, Introduction to eBird, Brookside Gardens Winter Tour, January Mill Creek Towne Garden Club Meeting Topic: Gardening for Wildlife, 13th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange, Green Matter Symposium (Early Bird special ends January 12!), and more!

Planning:

• Need help with your New Year’s resolutions?  Check this article with 12 New Year’s Resolutions for Gardeners for some ideas. | Horticulture Magazine
• Evaluate gardening year and make notes of desired changes.
• Start reading those plant catalogs! If you want a street tree, pick one under 20-30 feet if you have overhead power lines.
• Decide where your plants are going in your garden.
• Order/buy those seeds!
• Collect supplies for starting seeds.
• Sharpen and replace tools as needed.
• Paint a few terra cotta pots in spring-like colors.
• When planning your wildlife-friendly backyard don’t forget to include native trees and shrubs that produce fall and winter persistent fruits.
• Start collecting plant seeds for trading.
• Collect large plastic soda bottles to use as cloches. (A cloche is a clear, bell-shaped cover used to protect tender plants from frost.)
• Have a question about gardening? Check the University of Maryland Extension’s New Maryland Grows blog for garden tips.
• Support our local farmers! Visit a local farmers’ market near you. Download Montgomery County’s Office of Agriculture Farmer’s Market Flyer to find a farmer’s market near you.

Flowers and Groundcovers:

• Plant the bulbs you forgot to plant last fall!
• Do not step on frozen soil in flower beds or lawns.
• Start seeds for Petunia and Dwarf Snapdragons in the third/fourth week in January. Check daily for moisture.
• Prune summer bloomers such as Hydrangeas, Rose of Sharon, Crape Myrtles, and Butterfly Bushes.
• Use leftover holiday greens and cut-up tree branches to mulch beds and create windbreaks.
• Pot up any leftover bulbs that did not make it into the ground by now and force them for indoor blooms.
• Hand-pull visible weeds. Look for fast-growing vines such as honeysuckle, autumn clematis, bittersweet, wild grape, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy.
• Check on stored summer bulbs and seeds. Discard any that have rotted.
• Clean out your greenhouse and wash those windows.
• Start hardy pansies and perennials.
• In the dark of winter you may be wondering about grow lights. Here is a concise guide to grow lights — their types and how they differ from normal room lighting.
• Pests to watch for: voles

• Diseases to watch for:  Damping off of seedlings.
• See UMD’s HGIC’s January Flower tips for more details.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Prune damaged branches.
• Remove bagworm bags.
• Gently brush snow from evergreen shrubs.
• Remove dead and dying trees.
• Check that newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials have not been heaved out of the ground due to freezing and thawing cycles.
• Cut a few branches of flowering shrubs to force into bloom inside.
• Take hardwood cuttings from willow and dogwood to propagate them.
• Root prune trees and shrubs to be transplanted next year.
• Set out your live-potted evergreens  from holiday decorating in a protected outdoor space to harden then off in advance of planting them.
• If we do get more snow in the DC area, gently dislodge snow from trees and shrubs with a broom to prevent damage to the branches.
• Plant frost-tolerant trees.
• Water slowly and deeply if weather is very dry.
• Prune out Fireblight damage Malus and Pyrus when very cold.
• Mulch or compost healthy leaves.
• Prune and thin shrubs that have already flowered.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly or as needed.
• Pests to watch for:  Deer.
• Diseases to watch for: Fireblight, Phomospsis and Kabatina of Juniper, Diplodia tip blight of 2 & 3 needled pines.
• See HGIC’s January Trees and Shrubs Tips for more details.

• Shovel walks and drive before applying ice melt or you will damage your lawn.
• Use de-icer sparingly or a nonchemical substitute such as sand, grit, fireplace ashes, or non-clumping kitty litter.
• Do not step on frozen soil in lawns.
• The annual soil science calendars from the Natural Resources Conservation Service are both educational and beautifully done. The one for 2018 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
• Build a compost bin.
• Have soil tested (every 3 years minimum).
• Get your lawn mower serviced.
• Diseases to watch for: brown patch, and red thread
• Pests to watch for: Grubs
• See HGIC’s January Lawn Tips for more details.

Indoors/Houseplants:

• Buy a few new houseplants.
• Fertilize your winter-blooming houseplants, such as violets.
• Change water in cuttings started last fall and add 2–3 pieces of fish tank charcoal.
• Pinch back leggy plants.
• Maintain moisture in pots wintering indoors, but do not over water!
• Cut off the flower stalk on your amaryllis once flowers fade. Leave foliage to grow.
• Keep poinsettias in a well-lit area—but out of direct sun and away from drafts.
• Keep all houseplants out of drafts and away from heat vents.
• Clean the leaves of your indoor houseplants to prevent dust and film to build-up.
• Set up a humidifier for indoor plants or at least place them in pebble trays.
• Reduce fertilizing of indoor plants (except cyclamen).
• Rotate houseplants to promote even growth.
• Remove old leaves, damaged stems.
• Fertilize houseplants now that they are actively growing again.
• Repot root-bound houseplants and start fertilizing them.
• Pests to watch for:  aphids, spider mites, scale, and  whitefly
• See HGIC’s December Houseplants Tips for more tips.
  

Indoor/Outdoor Insect and Wildlife Tips:

• Clean and refill bird feeders.
• Wash and refill the bird bath or set out a shallow bowl of water in icy weather.
• Vacuum up any ladybugs that come in the house.
• Don’t put your birdbath away. Birds need fresh water for drinking and bathing throughout the fall season. Clean frequently and keep filled with fresh water.
• Check for vole problems and set up traps.
• Switch your deer deterrent spray.
• See HGIC’s January Insect Tips for more details.
• Watch for: carpenter ants, flies, stink bugs, termites, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, deer, moles, snakes, squirrels, and voles.
• For more information on wildlife management and attracting wildlife see HGIC’s January Wildlife tips.

Source: University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) and the Washington Gardener.

See below for upcoming local events in January.

Sat. January 27th, 2018
9:00am to 10:30am

This winter, to help us create wildlife-friendly habitats, our January program will be on “Gardening for Wildlife”, presented by Susan Bell, Master Gardener. We hope you can join us.  Below are the meeting details.

Date:  Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Time:  7:30 p.m.
Location:  Mill Creek Towne Elementary School Teacher’s Lounge
17700 Park Mill Dr.
Derwood, MD 20855
Speaker:  Susan Bell
Topic: Gardening for Wildlife
Hostess:  Heather Whirley

NOTE: If Montgomery County Schools are closed due to inclement weather, the Garden Club meeting will be cancelled.

Susan Bell

In 2002, Susan Bell followed a life-long passion for gardening to become a licensed landscape contractor. She has helped hundreds of homeowners envision, create and install the gardens they always wanted. Additionally she helps by providing hand pruning and seasonal maintenance services to keep gardens healthy and in tip-top shape. As a Master Gardener speaker, Susan develops design and garden maintenance presentations to pass on knowledge gained through years of hands on experience.

13th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange

Saturday, January 27, 2018

12:30pm–4:00pm 

Brookside Gardens
1800 Glenallan Ave.
Wheaton, MD 20902

Washington Gardener magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 13th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in-person and face-to-face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.

Join us for:

• Seed Swapping
• Door Prizes
• Planting Tips
• Expert Speakers
• Goody Bags
• Make-it Take-It Seed Crafting Table

The registration fee is $20.00 per person ($15.00 for Friends of Brookside Gardens, Friends of Green Spring Gardens – FROGS, and Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers.)

Registration is now open at:
WGSeedExchange-BrooksideG.brownpapertickets.com

Tip-Tapping Maple Trees

Sat. January 27th, 2018

2:00pm to 3:00pm

1400 Glenallan Ave.
Wheaton, Maryland 20902

February

Green Matter Symposium

Friday, February 23, 2018
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Silver Spring Civic Building
1 Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Early Bird Fee: $85 p/person until January 12, 2018

Standard Fee:   $99 p/person after January 13, 2018

Register at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org (Course #40522) or call 301-962-1451.

*Registration includes light breakfast, coffee/tea, and box lunch

For more information and to register online, please visit here. 

2018 Spring Conference

February 24, 2018
(Snow date is March 3, 2018)

University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office
Agricultural History Farm Park
18410 Muncaster Rd,
Derwood, MD 20855

Save the date for the Annual Spring Gardening Conference! The Montgomery County Master Gardener Spring Gardening Conference is scheduled for February 24, 2018. (Snow date is March 3, 2018).  The daylong event offers multiple presentations, morning snacks, a delicious bag lunch, door prizes, networking with other gardeners, answers to your gardening questions, handouts, and reference materials. Participants can attend three of nine concurrent presentations, and a Lunch & Learn session, all taught by Master Gardeners.