July 2017 Turnip News

Master Gardeners Prince William

Editors: Maria Stewart Rebecca Arvin-Colón

Inside this issue: Upcoming Events and MGPW 2 MG President’s Message Meetings - At a Glance Memorial at the Teaching Garden 3 MEMORIAL CEREMONY On Saturday June 3, 2017, a memorial ceremony was Here is the “dirt” about the Manassas 4-5 Park Community Center Teen Garden held at the Master Gardeners Prince William (MGPW) Teaching Monarchs and Milkweed - 6 Garden for Zuli Palacio and Rob Powers. Both were inspirations a book review to all of us: experts on the environment, excellent leaders, and Seagrass and the Chesapeake Bay 7-10 exceptional friends. Read a good book lately? 10 About fifty gathered for the ceremony. Leslie Paulson Highlights from MGPW Education 11 Committee’s Irises planned the ceremony and delivered an eloquent address. As is Master Gardener Outreach to the 12 our custom, bricks with Zuli’s and Rob’s names were added to Community those in our memorial area. Family members spoke movingly. Highlights from MGPW Social 13 Committee’s Event: Lewis Ginter NEW SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM P.S. from June 17th’s Saturday in the 14 Garden The Power’s family asked that donations be sent to MGPW. The family agreed that the donated funds should be Teaching Garden Blog 14 used for 1) a picnic table in the Teaching Garden and 2) scholar- Upcoming Events and MGPW 15 Meetings ships for Nancy’s fall Master Gardener’s Class. Teaching Garden Workdays 15 Because of this donation, MGPW has started a new pro- Reclaiming Urban Wood 16 gram to identify members of greater Prince William County who Get to Know a Critter 17 might be financially strained to meet the Master Gardener class PUZZLER 18 expense. Nancy has created a scholarship application, and start- ed distributing it widely. We have formed a committee to help

Turnip News her review applications to determine the most deserving candidates.

REALIZING OUR VISION STATEMENT We are encouraged about the greater societal and environmental good – an important part of our MGPW vision statement -- that a scholarship program can promote by seeding qualified Master Gardeners in more diverse communities throughout the Prince William area.

-Larry Lehowicz, President, MGPW, [email protected]

Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings - At A Glance

July

TUESDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY 11 13 15

MGPW Board Reclaiming Urban Saturday in the Meeting Wood Garden

August

TUESDAY SATURDAY 8 19

MGPW Board Saturday in the Meeting Garden

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Memorial at the Teaching Garden by Leslie Paulson, Master Gardener

e had occasion to dedicate two more names in our Memorial Bed at the Teaching Garden. On June 3, W 2017 we added bricks for Rob Powers and Zuli Pala- cio. Both families and Master Gardeners joined in celebrating the lives and contributions of Zuli and Rob.

Zuli came to the MG program as an envi- ronmental film producer and used those skills to produce several instructional films on double digging, wildlife fencing, a mon- arch butterfly release at the Teaching Gar- den, and rain barrels.

Rob became our biggest fan and advocate for people join- ing the Master Gardener program. He worked the Horti- cultural Helpdesk, the Dale City Farmer’s Market, helped the Compost team, and served as Treasurer of Master Zuli Palacio Gardeners Prince William, just to name a few of his areas of involvement. His encouragement and smile is missed by all who knew him.

After the sharing of beautiful words, we had the reading of the names, to which Rob and Zuli joined Master Gardeners John Wentz, Donna Dickenson, Mary Hayes, Samnae and Kurt Steinke, Kathy Barosky, Marilyn Spencer, Ed Rishell, and Louise Black. Rob Powers The memorial dedication was a beautiful day, complemented by the music of Michael Francis Haley. We all were blessed for having Rob and Zuli in our lives.

“You can remember them and only that they are gone, Or you can cherish their memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn back, Or you can do what they would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.” -David Harkins

We give thanks for the imprint that they have made upon our photos by Leslie Paulson and Nancy lives.

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Here is the “dirt” about the Manassas Park Community Center Teen Garden by Maria Bosack reprinted with permission from PotomacLocal.com

eens want to be independent, and parents of teens may feel like they are in a con- The grant, awarded through the VCE Prince T stant tug of war for control! Parents of William Master Gardener sponsored by PWCPS teenagers agree that teenage years present sev- and the Environmental Protection Agency, is for eral unique challenges. However, there is one $950.00. In addition, the teen gardeners will re- constant where parents of teenagers agree, and ceive technical assistance from VCE Prince Wil- that constant is when you keep teens busy, they liam Master Gardener Volunteers. seem happier. So how do you get teens to become The Cooperative Extension brings area more involved in activities while they continue residents together through partnerships of local, to stay busy with activities in their daily lives? state, and federal governments. With the help of

Luckily, the Teen Passport program at the Ma- the Extension Leadership Council, local exten- nassas Park Community Center is a place where sion offices design, implement and evaluate the Manassas Park teenagers can come after school, Cooperative Extension's programs. Simply put, weekends, and throughout the summer. The em- the Virginia Cooperative Extension puts phasis is on recreation with creative programs knowledge into the hands of residents using and materials to encourage teen (grades 6-12) credible experts and educators who provide in- participation in many diverse activities includ- formation, education, and tools you can use eve- ing cooking club, drop-in basketball, and group ry day to improve your life. activities. The grant will enable Thomas to purchase all

“The staff at the Manassas Park Community the tools needed for a successful garden includ- Center is very responsive to the needs of teens ing seeds, rakes, shovels, and lumber. This grant and are always on the lookout for fun activities also provides access to a Master Gardener for geared specifically for teens,” explained Tony ongoing guidance about basic gardening issues.

Thomas, Recreation Services Supervisor, “The “We have a staffer, Lisa Pfohl, who loves to gar- teens here love sports, arts and crafts, and sever- den and she will be one of our core liaisons. Eve- al have even asked for our garden club to be ryone who is at the Community Center always brought back.” sees her planting, weeding and pruning the gar-

There has been a teen garden at the Community dens that surround the Community Center so Center for about three years, but circumstances she was a natural choice to work in the garden arose and the after school club was briefly dis- with the teens,” Thomas said. continued. Over the years, several teens asked Thomas cannot wait for the teen garden program about the garden club, and Thomas looked into to begin because he knows the teens will learn ways to help fund the teen garden program and about gardening and nutrition. Thomas pointed found a grant was available through the Virginia out, “At the end of the year, the teens should Cooperative Extension (VCE). have a sustainable garden model. One that can

“With the support of the Department and the Di- be duplicated for years to come.” rector, we applied for the grant, and I am happy Thomas smiled broadly as he added, “We are to say that we got it!” Thomas explained. 4 Turnip News truly delighted to bring back the teen garden, the teen garden at the Community Center will and I know that by everyone working together, be a success!”

Virginia Cooperative Extension staff presenting the grant to the City of Manassas Park. Picture from left to right: Manassas Park Councilmember Hector Cendejas, Master Gardener Charlene Toloso, Parks Staff Lisa Pfohl, Natural Resource Specialist and Master Gardener Coordinator Nancy Berlin, Recreation Services Supervisor Tony Thomas, Manassas Park Councilmember Miriam Machado, Michael Machado

The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA. Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, and 29 special events and programs-many of which are FREE! For more information visit us at www.ManassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703.335.8872.

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Monarchs and Milkweed, Anurag Agrawal - a book review by Marion Ashley, Master Gardener f you have always thought of plants as pas- safer from its predators. For instance, birds, who sive organisms, Anurag Agrawal will change eat the monarch become nauseous and have I your mind. Monarchs and Milkweed is a fas- learned to avoid this brightly colored butter- cinating survival story of two native Americans, fly. the milkweed, and the monarch butterfly. It in- cludes a detailed investigation into the life cycle The book is abundantly illustrated with of the monarch's development from egg, larvae, charts and over eighty pictures. It carries an in- pupa, and chrysalis to adult and covers the milk- dex and a separate section of helpful notes on weed's efforts for survival over millions of years. each chapter.

The amazing cross-country The author is a professor in flights of the monarch are the Department of Ecology and covered including illustra- Evolutionary Biology at Cornell tions of monarchs at their University. Every one of his theo- winter home. ries is detailed with factual back-

Most fascinating is the ground information from many coevolution of the monarch scientific sources and his own re- butterfly and milkweed, the search. monarch caterpillar’s sole He fully documents the wor- food provider. Coevolution is risome decrease in the monarch the reciprocal adaptation population and covers the recog- that occurs as species inter- nized causes, from loss of habitat, act, involving reciproci- pesticide and herbicide damage, ty. Agrawal's description of to climate and weather changes. this process is comprehen- sive, and I found it one of I struggled somewhat with the most intriguing sections this very scientific book, but it is of the book. Everybody wins worth every minute spent in its in what the author describes as their "arms pages. It also provides another scientific voice race," consisting of millions of years evolving for the need to preserve our natural environ- chemical traits. They just keep adjusting to each ment, using restraint with herbicides and pesti- other until they develop a satisfactory relation- cides, protecting all our pollinators, and retain- ship for both. I wish that our political world ing natural areas. The book is inspiring, and the could be as clever as nature. author questions that lack of milkweed is part of the monarch’s plight, but just in case, I am Most exciting is the manner in which both ready to rush to the nursery to buy the milk- the milkweed and the monarch have devised weed plants he describes. In closing, I hope you means of protecting themselves from each oth- will too. er. Milkweed gets its name from its toxic sap, which is a milky substance in its leaves. The Thank you to Master Gardener Teri Madden, monarch has evolved a resistance to bed leader for the Bee, Butterfly, and this toxic sap. The sap, which the monarch car- Hummingbird bed at the Teaching Garden, ries from the milkweed, has made the monarch for the book recommendation.

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Seagrass and the Chesapeake Bay by Abbie and Vincent Panettiere, Master Gardeners

short article in the Washington Post on estuary, in which the fresh water fed by rivers May 9th caught my eye: “Chesapeake (Susquehanna, Potomac, and James, principally) A earns a ‘C’ from scientists as fish, water joins with salt water from the ocean. It is the conditions rebound.” The “C” grade in the title largest estuary in the U.S., and the third largest was bestowed by Maryland environmental scien- in the world. As a body of water, it is surprising- tists who have been tracking efforts to clean the ly young by geologic standards. It is said to have Chesapeake Bay since 1986. I noticed one sen- formed some ten thousand years ago when gla- tence in particular: “The total area of the bay cial ice at the end of the last ice age melted and covered by aquatic grasses, which provide habi- flooded the Susquehanna River valley. tat for blue crabs and rockfish, has increased in most regions but a few tributaries showed de- The Atlantic Ocean supplies half the Bay’s vol- clines, including the Patapsco and Back rivers ume in the form of salty water. Fresh water near Baltimore.” comes from the rivers that drain into the Bay from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (a water- Apparently the increase in the number of blue shed is an area of land that drains into a partic- crabs and rockfish was in large part due to this ular river, lake, bay, or other body of water), improvement in aquatic grass coverage of areas which has an area of about 64,000 square miles of the Bay bottom, which provides a favorable and includes parts of six states. environment for these species. It is quite shallow; the average depth of the Bay In checking the Chesapeake Bay Program, and tributaries altogether, is about twenty-one “...underwater grasses are plants that grow in feet. The Chesapeake Program states that, “A the shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay and person who is six feet tall could wade through its streams, creeks and rivers, and are a critical more than 700,000 acres of the Bay and never part of the Bay ecosystem.” They are divided get his or her hat wet.” roughly into underwater grasses (fresh water) and seagrasses (salt water). Seagrasses are More than sixteen species of underwater grasses found worldwide in diverse climates, such as or seagrasses grow in the Chesapeake Bay. Eel- Alaska, Australia, on coasts of the Atlantic sea- grass may be found in fresh water or seawater board, the west coast of the U.S., and along the varieties. According to Pamela L Reynolds of the coasts of and Asia. In fact, seagrass is Smithsonian National Museum of Natural His- found just about everywhere but Antarctica. tory, seagrasses “... are often confused with sea- weeds, but are actually more closely related to All underwater grasses and seagrasses need the flowering plants that you see on land. clear water and sunlight to thrive. They may be Seagrasses have roots, stems and leaves, and found growing several inches under the surface produce flowers and seeds. They evolved around of the water or, if the water is exceptionally clear 100 million years ago, and today there are ap- and sunlight is plentiful, down to 100 feet below proximately 72 different seagrass species that the surface. The depths to which it will grow de- belong to four major groups.” pend on the clarity of the water, the amount of sunlight available, temperature, and salinity. We’d like to focus only on marine eelgrass, Zos- tera marina, which is of great importance to the The Chesapeake Bay, it turns out, should be a health of the Chesapeake Bay and the creatures splendid place for seagrasses to grow. It is an that live there.

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Eelgrass forms beds on the sandy, silty, or grav- help to prevent erosion near the shoreline by an- elly bottom of the Bay. It is a flowering under- choring sediments. Again, from the Smithson- water plant, a perennial angiosperm, with a ian, “Seagrasses have been used by humans for quarter of an inch wide leaves that can grow to over 10,000 years. They've been used to fertilize be three feet long. Eelgrass roots are rhizomes, fields, insulate houses, weave furniture, thatch which anchor the grass to sandy or muddy bot- roofs, make bandages, and fill mattresses and toms and provide for the spread (along with even car seats. But it's what they do in their na- seeding) of eelgrass beds. Eelgrass beds are al- tive habitat that has the biggest benefits for hu- ways completely submerged. It is a true flower- mans and the ocean. Seagrasses support com- ing plant, not a seaweed or an algae. mercial fisheries and biodiversity, clean the sur- rounding water and help take carbon dioxide out Eelgrass beds pro- of the atmos- vide protection phere.” from predators, a safe breeding area In light of our and haven for current con- crabs, rockfish cern of the in- and other fish crease of car- species, scallops, bon dioxide in and other crea- the atmos- tures when they phere and its are at their effect on cli- youngest and mate change, most vulnerable that last point stages. The chlo- becomes ever roplasts in the more im- grasses use the portant. Man- energy of the sun groves, to convert carbon seagrasses, dioxide and water and salt into sugar and marshes can oxygen, which the capture atmos- inhabitants need pheric carbon to survive. The see Smithsonian Museum of Natural History Seagrass and at five times Smithsonian Mu- Seagrass Beds (http://ocean.si.edu/seagrass-and-seagrass-beds) the rate of seum commented and the Integration and Application Network (ian.umces.edu), tropical for- that “Seagrasses University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science ests. In a man- are known as the ner similar to ‘lungs of the sea’ because one square meter of the way land-based trees take carbon dioxide seagrass can generate ten liters of oxygen every from the air, seagrasses build leaves and roots day through photosynthesis.” by taking carbon from the water. When the plants decay, they can end up on the sea floor Even though most people are unaware of them, buried under the sediment. The Smithsonian they have also been of great benefit, directly, to states that “...in this way, the world's seagrass human life. They filter polluted runoff from meadows can capture 27.4 million tons of carbon farms and other sources; they absorb nutrients, each year. While seagrasses occupy only 0.1 such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which ad- percent of the total ocean floor, they are estimat- versely affect water quality; and their rhizomes ed to be responsible for up to eleven percent of 8 Turnip News the organic carbon buried in the ocean.” grasses.

There are quite a few threats to seagrass beds, And of course, there always seems to be the which must be addressed. Pollutants, excess nu- problem of invasive species, such as the mute trients, sand, silt, and sediment that cloud the swan, which can eat more than eight pounds of water are a serious threat. Seagrasses can re- seagrass in a single day, in the process pulling it move some excess nutrients, which make the up by the roots, thereby depleting the beds as it growth of dense algal blooms possible, but they goes along. The water chestnut is also men- cannot thrive in murky water. When light is pre- tioned as an invasive since it grows only in wa- vented from reaching seagrasses, oxygen is de- ter and floats on the surface, shading the areas pleted, the plant and animal life on the estuary below. However, it is hardy in zone 9b to 11, so floor dies out, and dead zones appear. is not a worry for the Chesapeake.

Too much rain can make the problem of pollu- The Chesapeake Bay Program strives to keep tion worse by pushing nutrients and sediment healthy underwater grasses with these methods: into the Bay and its rivers, clogging them. Hur- 1. improving water clarity, ricanes in the past years are an example of this 2. planting underwater grasses, sort of threat. 3. protecting existing grass beds, and 4. enhancing underwater grass‑related educa- Eelgrass cannot grow in water that is too warm. tion and outreach. In January 2006, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that It is surprising how important the easily ignored 2005 had been the warmest year on record for seagrass is for the health of our Chesapeake over a century. Large eelgrass beds in the lower Bay, and it is good to know that there are people Chesapeake died as a result of high tempera- who are actively protecting it. We’ve only briefly tures, and it will take several years for those touched on some of the information about beds to recover from this sort of loss. seagrasses; much more can be found online through the websites of the Chesapeake Bay If you travel by boat over shallow beds, you can Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric occasionally see scars from ship propellers and Administration (NOAA), and the Smithsonian shellfish dredges that have scoured up the Museum. Eelgrass Information: Chesapeake Biological Laboratory https://goo.gl/VmSrUK June 8, 2017 Washington Post Chesapeake earns a ‘C’ from scientists as fish, wa- https://goo.gl/3PhgKU ter conditions rebound, Josh Hicks Chesapeake Bay Program May 9, 2017 Bay Grasses https://goo.gl/3sFCJW https://goo.gl/zz3oTv University of Maryland, Center for Environmen- Chesapeake Bay Program tal Science, Chesapeake Bay Report Card Shows Bay 101, Facts & Figures Steady Recovery Integration & Application Network https://goo.gl/FUVhBX May 8, 2017 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion, Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fish- https://goo.gl/MgrRHR eries Service, Eelgrass—Habitat of the Month University of Maryland, Center for Environmen- October 22, 2012 tal Science, UMCES Presents at Bay Executive Council Meeting; President Boesch Receives Gov- https://goo.gl/DCLp85 ernor's Citation Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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MIT Sea Grant College Program, Where does eel- grass grow? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eelgrass Wikipedia, Eelgrass https://goo.gl/pEZH6A University of Rhode Island https://goo.gl/M7Ta9H Adapted from The Uncommon Guide to Common Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Life on Narragansett Bay. Save The Bay, 1998. Ocean Portal, Seagrass and Seagrass Beds Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Pamela L Reynolds https://goo.gl/prSNXm https://goo.gl/7bU389 Sonia’s lessons National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Eelgrass Habitat 2005 Warmest Year in Over a Century Sonia Botos Rob Gutro June 8, 2015 January 24, 2006

Read a good book lately? Write a review for the Turnip News and let others know! Questions and Submissions: email Nancy Berlin ([email protected]) or Maria Stewart ([email protected])

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Highlights from MGPW Education Committee’s Irises: Culture and Care in the Integrated Landscape with Ross Eagles, Master Gardner

n June 24, 2017, Ross Eagles, Master Gardener Volunteer, member of the American Iris Society and iris enthusiast, hybridizer, and founder of Diversity Acres in Woodbridge, O VA, shared his knowledge of and experience with irises with an attentive crowd.

Ross Eagles shows his slides explaining iris structure, disease control, and even iris in the winter landscape. photos by Nancy Berlin

Be sure to visit Ross at: https://secure45.webhostinghub.com/~divers46/

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Master Gardener Outreach to the Community - a brief look at just a few of the many ways Master Gardeners are engaging our community Wildlife Habitats at Prince William County Schools  Master Gardeners joined Master Naturalists, and the Virginia Native Plant Society to help teachers and students establish wildlife habitats at area schools. The goal of the project was to teach students how they can help Prince William County’s native wildlife thrive. Schools par- ticipating: Garfield, Forest Park, Woodbridge High Schools, and the Juvenile Detention Center. Read more at Over the Fencepost, June 2017 (http://www.colesdistrict.org/news/).

Master Gardener Volunteers help with school and community gardens  Master Gardeners helping out: Charlene Toloso, Ellen King, Leslie Paulson, Karen O’Leary, Christine Tabbert, Susie Besecker, Angela Downey, Teresa Blecksmith, Don Peschka, Tonja Hafley, Jamie Nick, Harriet and Bob Carter.  School and Community Gardens they are helping:

*The Juvenile Detention Center *Carried to Full Term – Maternity home *Forest Park *The HOUSE Student Leadership Center *Kyle Wilson Elementary School *Coles Elementary School *Woodbridge High School *Lake Ridge Middle School *Manassas Park Community Center *Westgate Elementary School *Georgetown South Community Georgetown South Community Garden

Master Gardener Volunteer Amanda Allen-Caswell teaches container gardening, May 15th  Amanda taught containing gardening best practices for a Virginia Depart- ment of Health nurses in-service.

Master Gardener Volunteer and Master Food Volunteer Norma Jean Nelson teaches classes  Norma Jean taught a whole series of classes in our community on con- tainer gardens, canning, preserving, baking, and vegetable gardening.

photos by Nancy Berlin

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Highlights from MGPW Social Committee’s Event: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and Lunch by Eileen Murphy, Master Gardener and Committee Chair

e had such a fun time on June 16th exploring the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Rich- W mond, Virginia. Twenty Master Gardeners and guests registered for this event. Our Lewis Ginter tour guides Don and Miles did a great job showing us around and making us feel welcome. We also stopped in the but- terfly house where they put on quite a show for us. We had a delicious catered lunch in the private Robins Room which consisted of the choice of turkey, chicken salad, ham and cheese, or vegetarian sandwiches with fruit sal- ad and macaroni/vegetable salad side dishes, brownie, beverage and mint. A number of us managed to keep the local econo- my going by purchasing garden related items from the lovely Lewis Ginter Botanical Gar- Following the winding path den gift shop. Best of all, we managed to get to know one another better and enjoyed a wonderful time viewing the beautiful landscape.

The Tree House in the Children’s Garden

Part of a butterfly sculpture that was made from natural materials

photos by Eileen Murphy

Sculpture in the Medicine Garden

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P.S. from June 17th’s Saturday in the Garden by Maria Stewart, Master Gardener

aster Gardener Volunteer Kathy Westcott’s container gardening demonstration for the June Saturday in the Garden’s Your Small Space Garden was so jam-packed with in- M formation, that she forgot to mention her latest garden gadget find: Ups A Daisy, a planter insert. Kathy explained: just place the insert into your container before planting. The in- sert lets you use less soil which also reduces the weight of your container. For your do-it-yourselfers, you can also fill the bottom of your container with empty water bottles to help reduce soil and weight.

Master Gardeners Kathy Westcott and Shirley Jones at the Teaching Garden discuss container planting techniques

photos by Maria Stewart

For the Latest from the Teaching Garden, Check Out the Teaching Garden Blog! by Master Gardeners Robin Finehout and Tatiana Ballreich

click here: https:// teaching- gardenpwc.wordp ress.com/

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Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings July 11th, Tuesday, MGPW Board of Directors Meeting: 5:30 p.m. at Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, Room 102 D (8033 Ashton Ave., Suite 105 Manassas, VA) As always, all Master Gardeners and Master Gardener Interns are welcome and encouraged to attend!

July 15th, Saturday in the Garden: Garden Heroes, 9:00 a.m. - noon at the Teaching Gar- den (9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow) In the old western movies it was easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Good guys wore white hats; bad guys wore black hats! Unfortunately, insects don't wear hats, so we have to work a little at learning who's who in the garden. Join Master Gardener Volunteer, Amye Foelsch, to get to know the “good guys” and the “bad guys” in the garden! Vegetable of the Month - Cooks’ Garden Volunteers feature one of the seasonal edibles in their garden. Participation is free, but registration is requested to ensure adequate handouts and to make notification of weather cancellations; please call the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or email [email protected]. Click here to register online.

August 19th, Saturday in the Garden: Some Like it Hot! Top Summer Plant Performers, 9:00 a.m. - noon at the Teaching Garden (9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow) When summer heat kicks in, rely on these drought-tolerant plants to hold their own -- and still look beautiful, as well as providing nectar sources for pollinators. Master Gardener Volunteers, Linda Ligon and Susan Bruns share their favorite drought resistant varieties. Vegetable of the Month - Cooks’ Garden Volunteers feature one of the seasonal edibles in their garden. Participation is free, but registration is requested to ensure adequate handouts and to make notification of weather cancellations; please call the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or email [email protected]. Click here to register online.

August 8th, Tuesday, MGPW Board of Directors Meeting: 5:30 p.m. at Virginia Coopera- tive Extension Office, Room 102 D (8033 Ashton Ave., Suite 105 Manassas, VA) As always, all Master Gardeners and Master Gardener Interns are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Teaching Garden Workdays! July September Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon (11th, 18th, 25th) (5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) Every Thursday 6:30 p.m. - dusk Every Thursday 6:30 p.m. - dusk (6th, 13th, 20th, 27th) (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th) Saturday, 8th, 9:00 a.m. - noon Saturday, 2nd, 9:00 a.m. - noon

October August Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st) (1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th) Saturday, 14th, 9:00 a.m. - noon Every Thursday 6:30 p.m. - dusk (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st) November Saturday, 12th, 9:00 a.m. - noon Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon (7th, 14th)

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Get to Know a Critter: Great Black Wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus )

Did you know?

♦ The Great Black Wasp is also called the Katydid Hunter and Steel-blue Cricket Hunter, and is a solitary, hunting wasp.

♦ In mid-to-late summer, Great Black Wasps can be found in fields and meadows throughout the , except in the Pacific North- west.

♦ They dig tunnels in soft soil to build their nest. Males are territorial and will defend their site so vigorously that, some- times, they don’t mate.

♦ The Great Black Wasp is considered a beneficial insect since it specializes in catching members of the long-horned photo by Jason Alexander grasshopper family.

♦ The wasp catches, stings, and paralyzes her prey but doesn’t kill it before feeding it to her young. Great Black Wasp young are carnivorous, but the adults feed on nectar, and are im- portant pollinators.

Source: University of Wisconsin, http://uwm.edu/field-station/great-black-wasp/

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PUZZLER

Do you know what this is? See next month’s Turnip News for the answer!

Last Month’s photo by MG Answer: Jamie Nick Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)

Grape Hyacinth:

“Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is a mid-spring-blooming, perennial bulb in the lily family (Liliaceae) that is native to southeastern Europe. Grape hyacinth’s common name refers to the plant’s clusters of small, bell-shaped, cobalt-blue flowers (with narrow, white rims) that look like clusters of grapes. The scientific name Muscari comes from the Greek word for musk, and refers to the mildly sweet fragrance, variously described as slightly grassy or grapey, that is produced by the plant’s flowers.”

Source: University of Wisconsin Extension, http://hort.uwex.edu/articles/grape-hyacinth/

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