TALBOT COUNTY • 28577 MARY’S COURT, SUITE 1 • EASTON, MD 21601 • (410) 822-1244 • FAX (410) 822-5627
IN THE GARDEN
Talbot County Master Gardener Newsletter
Volume VIII, Issue I
Winter 2013
From the Desk of Mikaela Boley
In this Issue:
2– PWEC Update
3 —Winter Recipes
4—Seed Catalogs
Though the winter months seem long and cold, I like to think of the winter months as a motivation period. Christmas and the holidays are over, you can take a deep breath, and think to
yourself “...now what?” The beautifully colored pages of seed catalogs make the mouth water,
and you think about all the things you had wanted to do last year, but just didn’t have the time.
Rekindle the love for gardening dampened by winter doldrums, and think about the changes
that come along with a new year. Whatever your goals or resolutions for 2013 may be, I hope
that you find purpose— an innate drive convincing you to accomplish your goals. Whether it be
to lose a couple pounds, learn something new, or maybe grow something you’ve never tried
before, I wish you luck in your endeavors.
5– 6 Washington Cherry I know 2012 was a big change– Heather Buritsch had stepped down, and a new coordinator
has come into the fray. I have appreciated your patience, and I hope this year we are able to
Festival
continue to build the program. Projects are accumulating, and the community is eager to learn.
I hope to count on everyone to help me talk about what Master Gardeners know best!
7–- Books to Look For
8—9 Year of the Root
10— MG Events and
Announcements
11— Announcements
(cont’d)
Whatever your goals or resolutions for 2013 may be, I hope
that you find purpose— an innate drive convincing you to
accomplish your goals.
Thank you all– I have felt an incredible support coming into
the office, and it continues with the dawning of 2013. Master
Gardeners don’t receive enough credit for all that you do,
and I would like to applaud everyone on the work they’ve
done.
Cheers!
Mikaela Boley
Skunk Cabbage:
Photo courtesy of National Park Service
Educating People to Help Themselves
Local Governments • U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating
The University of Maryland is equal opportunity. The University’s policies, programs, and activities are in conformance with pertinent Federal and State laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or disability. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990; or related legal requirements
should be directed to the Director of Human Resources Management, Office of the Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Symons Hall, College Park, MD 20742.
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Master Gardeners to Expand Alliance with Phillips Wharf
Environmental Center
In 2012, Talbot County Master Gardeners teamed with Phillips Wharf Environmental Center
PWEC) to design and implement a demonstration buffer garden based on best practices in native landscapes to reduce pollution from water run off and encourage healthy habitats on the
land and in the Bay.
The Keep Maryland Beautiful Program and the Chesapeake
Bay Trust provided funding support.
In 2013, PWEC intends to expand its scope through the development of Tilghman’s Island Discovery Park. The DISCOVERY PARK will demonstrate how watermen, scientists, educators, and a dedicated community can work together to help restore the Bay to productivity – and assist
the next generation of watermen to make their living on the
water.
On Knapp’s Narrows just a few hundred yards from Phillips Wharf stands one of the last oyster shucking houses in
Talbot County. This 2¼-acre property beside the iconic
Tilghman Bridge over Knapp’s Narrows is what visitors
first see. This will be the Discovery Park site.
The property has substantial potential to illustrate many
conservation landscape techniques including rain barrels
and gardens, bio retention swales, soil amendments, use of
native plants, tree planting, and wetland restoration.
Because of this potential PWEC plans to expand its scope to include a Conservation Landscape
Program using Discovery Park as the launching pad.
This new program will promote the establishment of native demonstration gardens and landscapes, along with associated educational programs to enable property owners to improve water
quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
For more information and to learn about opportunities to join the program, please contact Master Gardeners
George Yurek, Carol Sargeant, or Phyllis Thibodeau.
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Use warm food
to keep out the winter chill!
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup:
2 medium sweet potatoes (diced)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2– 15 oz. cans of black beans
1– 15 oz. can of diced or pureed tomatoes
2 cups chicken/vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
In Dutch oven or large pot, sauté sweet
potatoes and onion in oil 5-6 minutes.
Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, and
garlic powder, and cook 1 minute longer.
Stir in broth, beans, and tomatoes, and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and
simmer for 30-35 minutes or until sweet
potatoes are tender. Add salt and pepper
as needed.
Can be served with cheese or other desired accompaniment.
Carrot-Parsnip Soup with
Parsnip Chips:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
3 cups coarsely chopped parsnip
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot
2—14 oz. cans fat-free chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup, 1/8 inch-thick parsnip slices
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven (or large
cooking pot) over medium heat. Add onion, and
cook until tender. Add chopped parsnip, water,
carrot, and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat,
simmer 50 min or until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat.
Place half of carrot mixture in blender– process
until smooth. Repeat until all mixture has been
blended– stir in salt and pepper.
Heat remaining 5 teaspoons oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add parsnip slices; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle parsnip chips
and chives over soup.
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January: Season of the Seed
Come the middle of January, cabin fever sets in,
and the only way to abate the chill is to leaf through
seed catalogs. The best thing you can do for yourself
is to give in, and look at page after page of colorful
fruits and vegetables.
In fact, why don’t you try something new this year?
Why not order seeds for a new cultivar of cucumbers
that taste faintly of lime? Or the chives with a bizarre,
alien-looking flower?
Indulge yourself.
Storing Vegetables:
Best Storage Conditions and Storage Time
For Winter Vegetables
Crop
Temperature (Degrees F)
Length of Time in Storage
Beets
32-40
4-5 Months
Parsnips
32-40
1-2 Months
Potatoes
32-40
4-6 Months
Radishes
32-40
2-3 Months
Rutabagas
32-40
2-4 Months
Squash (winter)
50-60
4-6 Months
Turnips
32-40
4-6 Months
(See pages 8-9 for more root vegetable growing details)
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History of Washington D.C.’s Flowering Cherry Trees
This year marks the 101st anniversary of the original planting of the famous cherry trees which
have become the cornerstone of Washington D.C.’s largest festival. The dates for the 2013
Cherry Tree Festival are March 20 to April 14.
The original trees were a gift to the people of the United States from the people of Japan
where flowering cherry trees are considered to be exalted plants. Actually the first shipment
arrived in 1910, but they were so badly infested with insects and nematodes that President
Taft ordered them to be destroyed. This act could have been a diplomatic disaster, but the
Japanese government graciously accepted our explanation and apologies. In 1912, a second
shipment of 12 varieties of 3020 healthy trees arrived from Japan. In a small, low-key ceremony, Mrs. Taft and the wife of the Japanese Ambassador presided over the planting of two
Yoshino trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin about 125 feet south of what is now Independence Avenue SW. The site is marked by a bronze memorial plaque. The rest of the gift,
mostly Yoshino trees, were planted around the Tidal Basin and
in East Potomac Park (Hanes Point), with a few at the White
House. In 1935, an annual festival was started to celebrate the
arrival of Spring and the blooming of the cherry trees. The festival was discontinued after the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 but
was resumed in 1947. It has grown to major proportions with an
estimated 1.5 million visitors last year generating $150 million in
local business. In addition to the parade, it features a wide variety of cultural, physical, and entertainment events, including kite
flying, art exhibits, guided tours, a Japanese street festival, fireworks, and, of course, viewing the blooming trees, preferably on
foot.
The National Park Service is responsible for maintaining and
protecting the trees. Overall they are in good shape, with the
biggest problems coming from the soil compaction that occurs
with heavy foot traffic. However, in the late ‘90’s, a small group
of beavers took up residence in the Tidal Basin and began to
build a dam to establish a permanent colony. The Park Service tried to discourage them with
barricades around the trees under attack, but after four trees were destroyed and five others
severely damaged, the Park Service had had enough. The beavers were trapped and quietly
transported to an unknown location far away. So far, around 100 trees from the original gift
have survived, although severely gnarled and showing their advanced age. Sixty years is the
approximate life expectancy for cherry trees in their situation. Over the years horticulturists at
the National Arboretum have propagated trees from cuttings from the original group in order
to preserve genetic lineage in replacement plantings. Approximately 500 have been planted
around the Tidal Basin, and some have been sent to Japan to replace declining trees in their
original stock. Also, 50 Usuzumi cherry trees at the Tidal Basin were obtained from propagations from a 1400+ year old tree in Japan which had been declared a “national treasure”. The
remainder of replacement trees have been acquired from U.S. sources.
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(continued from pg. 5)
There are now 3750 cherry trees, primarily Yoshino and Kwanzan, on public grounds
maintained by the Park Service. Ten other types are interspersed among these plantings; these are Akebono, Takesimensis, Usuzumi, Weeping Japanese cherry, Sargent, Autumn flowering cherry, Fugenzo , Afterglow , Shirofugen and Okame. On
March 1, Park Service horticulturists will begin monitoring bud development to determine the blooming period and peak bloom date. The blooming period can start as
early as March 15 or as late as April 18, depending on temperatures, and can last 14
days. Peak bloom, which is the day 70% of the Yoshino blossoms are open, occurs
several days after the blooming period starts, and the average date has been April 4.
However, frost or high temperatures combined with wind or rain can alter the cycle.
So put a trip to D.C. on your calendar to see these famous trees in full bloom. It will
be well worth the time and effort, even though the traffic and crowds will be horrendous and parking is scarce!
Written by Joan Dickson
Washington D.C.
March 20th– April 14th, 2013
To find out more about bloom schedule, tree information, or to check out
the web cam, visit http://www.nps.gov/cherry/index.htm
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Books to Look For:
The Drunken Botanist:
By: Amy Stewart
Brought to you by the woman who wrote Wicked Plants and
Wicked Bugs, Stewart is back with a new book being released in March 2013.
The Drunken Botanist explores common plants that have
produced the world’s most famous spirits. Take a look at the
fascinating science and chemistry of plants, flowers, trees,
and fruits.
Interested in the Drunken Botanist? Check out Amy’s website and blog about the subject for great ideas, advice, and
information:
http://drunkenbotanist.com
The American Meadow Garden:
Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn
By: John Greenlee
Taking a new look at the traditional lawn and learning about the alternatives to make your yard into a
micro-ecosystem. This turns the lawn into a livable
space with different colors, textures, species, and a
better management system for a typical home.
Covers the practicalities of site preparation, plant
selection, and maintenance. Explains the differences between climates and how ornamental grasses perform in them.
Submit your own favorite books or book reviews: email Mikaela Boley at mboley@umd.edu
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FEATURED CROPS: 2013, The Year of Root Crops
Beet:
A hardy biennial that comes in a variety of shapes and colors. Pre-plant fertilizer is recommended (beets are heavy feeders). Direct sowing is preferable, and seeds germinate at 4585 degrees. Seeds can be directly sown as soon as 4/16.
*Recommended cultivars: Bull’s Blood, Chiogga, Cylindra, Detrior Dark Red, Early Wonder,
Red Ace, Red Ball, Ruby Queen
Carrot:
Best planted in spring and fall, directly sown into soil at least 45 degrees F or warmer.
Requires good drainage (best in raised beds), and plentiful moisture. Seeds sown directly,
around 4/23.
*Recommended cultivars: Atomic Red, all Chantenay types, all Danvers types, Imperator, Lindoro, Little Finger, Purple Haze, Thumbelina
Onion:
Different cultivars have different requirements for hours of daylight needed– long day
varieties need 15-16 hours, whereas short day needs about 12 hours. Plant as early as possible in spring in either sets, transplants, or direct seed.
*Recommended cultivars: Ailsa Craig, Candy, Ebeneezer, Golden Globe, Italian Red bottle,
Walla Walla, White Lisbon, Yellow
Parsnip:
An underrated root crop, parsnips are a hardy cool-season crop best harvested after a
hard frost. They need a long growing season, and do not transplant well, so must be directly
sown as soon as able (can be started around 4/16).
*Recommended cultivars: All-American, Hollow Crown, Harris Model
*For additional recommended cultivars:
www.growit.umd.edu
Fact Sheet HG 70
For Maryland planting dates and schedules:
www.growit.umd.edu
Fact Sheets GE 008 and HG 16
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(continued from page 8)
Potatoes:
Potatoes like well-drained soil, cool spring weather, and moisture throughout the season. Best reproduced vegetatively by planting seed pieces with “eyes” or seed potatoes (small,
whole potatoes) in the spring as early as 4/9.
*Recommended cultivars: Blue, Butte, Caribe, Gold Rush, Katahdin, Kennebec, Red Bison,
Red Norland, Red Pontiac, Rose Gold, Yellow Finn, Yukon Gold
Radish:
Quick and easy to grow, seed can be sown as soon as soil can be worked. Can be
started around 4/9 and used to mark rows of slower germinating crops.
*Recommended cultivars: Champion, Cherry Belle, Cherry Bomb, Easter Egg, French Breakfast, Red Top, Salad Rose, Scarlet Globe, White Icicle
Sweet Potato:
A tender annual that requires hot temperatures to produce well, plant the sprouts after
soil has warmed to at least 65 degrees F. Planting in ridges will allow the soil to warm faster in
the springtime.
*Recommended cultivars: Centennial, Georgia Jet, Jewel, Porto Rico, Vardaman
FEB.-MARCH VEGETABLE GARDEN:
FebruaryIf starting seeds indoors, set up florescent growing lights and obtain materials; pots, trays, soil less
mix
Early in the month, start early crop seeds like leeks, onions, shallots, and artichokes indoors. Peppers
are slow growing and could also be started.
Late month– if starting indoors, beets, turnips, Chinese cabbage, kale, and other early crops.
Late month– if using cold frames, add compost and good soil. Then sow spinach, lettuce or a mesclun mix for early greens.
MarchTest your soil (if it was not done in the fall)! Consult extension office for price and soil sample bags
Put up trellises and teepees for peas, pole beans, and climbers.
As soon as soil can be worked, plant potatoes, peas, onion sets, leeks, and cool weather crops (beets,
Chinese cabbage, kale, mustard, and turnips)
Start seeds of eggplant, pepper (if not started in February), broccoli, and cabbage indoors
Check out our blog- share gardening knowledge, recipes, and experiences with other gardeners.
www.groweat.blogspot.com
www.growit.umd.edu
Fact Sheet GE 003, Monthly Tips for Food Gardening
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Upcoming Events
and Dates 2013
Master Gardener Advanced Training:
MASTER COMPOSTER
Dates and Times: Wednesdays, March 13
and March 20, 9:30-3pm
Location: UME Frederick Co., Frederick
Fee: $45, Registration Deadline: March 6,
2013
Learn all about composting from dedicated
Master Gardener Composters. This advanced course, designed to teach the
teacher, will not only enable you to improve your own composting techniques,
it will empower you to share your
knowledge with novices and experts
alike. You will be given instruction in both
the science and the art of creating compost
and be given the opportunity to hone your
own personal teaching skills.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Master Gardener Annual Training Day
May 22nd, 2013
University of Maryland– College Park
Join us for a day full of professional speakers,
workshops, learning, and comraderie with fellow Master Gardeners from all over the state!
Stay tuned for more details.
Master Gardener Advanced Training:
LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR WATER MANAGEMENT
Montgomery Co.- UME office in Derwood and DEP office in RockvilleWed. 4/17, 4/24 and 5/1; 9:30-3:30 plus optional field trips and exercises
Queen Anne’s Co.– Wye Rec in QueenstownWed. 5/8, 5/15, and 5/29; 9:30-3:30 plus optional field trips and exercises
St. Mary’s County– Soil Conservation office in LeonardtownWed. 6/5, 6/12, and 6/19; 9:30-3:30 plus optional field trips and exercises
Goal of the course: To increase the knowledge and capacity of Master Gardeners so that they can effectively conduct water management outreach in their communities and provide assistance to other organizations and individuals who may wish to undertake a water management project, but not have the horticultural knowledge or critical understanding required for a successful project.
These classes have been revised for each county’s particular circumstances and have been developed
by the state MG office, Sea Grant Extension, and our main presenter, Jack Leonard, RLA, Principal, JGL
Design Associates and is being supported by grant funding from the University of Maryland Extension.
Please contact Mikaela Boley, Master Gardener Coordinator with any question or to volunteer to help
with a program at mboley@umd.edu or 410-822-1244.
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JANUARY AND FEBRUARY MASTER
GARDENER MEETINGS
January 23rd– Meeting at 9:30 am, Easton Public
Library
Speaker– Heather Buritsch
February 20th– Meeting at 9:30 am, St. Michael’s
Public Library
Speaker– To Be Announced
Tilghman Island Elementary School:
Dates: March 13—May 15, 2013
Time: 4-5 pm, after school program
Subject Matter: Beginner Vegetable Gardening
Take the opportunity to teach 5th graders about growing their
own food– what vegetables to plant, how to plant them, how
to take care of them, and best of all… harvesting! Help children learn the mechanics and rewards of growing your own
food.
Contact Mikaela Boley (mboley@umd.edu) to sign up
Institute for Adult Learning: Chesapeake College:
WANT TO HELP
WITH THE NEWSLETTER??
Dates and Time: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00pm; 4/23
-5/21
Location: Chesapeake College, Queen Anne’s
Co.
Do you have an interesting story to share?
Use your valuable Master Gardener education to
share with others– take your passion and teach
other interested adults in why horticulture is so
wonderful! Subject matter is flexible and lectures
can be taught in teams of 2 or 3. Both you and a
friend can talk about the benefits of gardening or
share your knowledge in a subject of choice.
Do you enjoy poetry, or sharing your
favorite seasonal recipe?
Speakers needed for 4 different sessions– contact
Mikaela Boley for more details or to sign up.
Submit materials to: mboley@umd.edu
Are you working on a gardening project at
home or in the community?
These are all materials that can be included in the next newsletter– earn volunteer
hours broadcasting your experiences and
knowledge. Pictures, articles, or interest
pieces are encouraged and welcome!
It is the policy of the University of Maryland and University of Maryland Extension, that no person shall
be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, gender, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status or disability.
If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener, call our University of Maryland
Extension Office at 410-822-1244
You can also visit the Maryland Master Gardeners website at: mastergardener.umd.edu and
the Talbot County Extension website at: www.Talbot.umd.edu
Current Resident Or:
University of Maryland Extension
28577 Mary’s Court, Suite 1
Easton, MD 21601
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Easton,
Maryland
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