November 2015 Turnip News

Master Gardeners Prince William

Editors: Rebecca Arvin-Colón Maria Stewart

Inside this issue: MG President’s Message Upcoming Events and t’s hard to believe that it is already November. How did this happen MGPW Meetings - At a 2 Glance so quickly? I hope you are finding time to finish all of the garden I tasks you promised yourself you would tackle in 2015. If you have A Diary of My Garden Visitor 3-4 everything at home under control, consider coming out to the Teaching Garden on the remaining workdays. Dog Park Transformation 5-6 The 2015 Master Gardener class graduation will be held on December Creating Pollinator Traffic 7-8 14. This year, we will combine the Master Gardener Social with the graduation ceremony. Please join us on this date to welcome the new Japanese Barberry - Thorny in Many Ways 9-11 class and mingle with fellow Master Gardeners.

Recap: Orchids 12-13 The Executive Committee has completed working on proposed changes to the MGPW, Inc. Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Handbook of Parlia- Holydays and Holidays 14 mentary Procedure. These documents will be posted on the website for you to study. We will vote on accepting these changes at the Recertifica- Upcoming Events and tion meeting on January 26, 2016. Elections for President Elect, MGPW Meetings 15-16 Secretary, Treasurer, and Member At Large will also take place at Recertification. Trees Matter Symposium 16 If you are traveling over the Thanksgiving weekend, safe travels. If you Prince William Guide to are preparing the Thanksgiving Day meal, may the turkey be roasted to 16 Recycling perfection (and ready on time). If you are celebrating with family and friends, may the conversation be free of politics. In other words, Get to Know a Critter 17 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! PUZZLER 18 -Jane Wyman, President Master Gardeners of Prince William, Inc., [email protected]

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Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings - At a Glance November

WEDNESDAY SATURDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY-SUNDAY 4 7 12 20-22 Trees Matter Teaching Garden MGPW Board of Holydays and Symposium Work Day Directors Meeting Holidays December January THURSDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 10 14 26 MGPW Board of Master Gardener Master Gardener Directors Meeting Class Graduation Recertification

February SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY 6 13 20 27 Sustainable Sustainable Basics of Basics of Vegetable Gardening Vegetable Gardening Gardening /Pruning Gardening Class

March

SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY 5 12 19 26 Sustainable Vegetable Basics of SNOW DATE: SNOW DATE: Gardening Gardening Basics of Sustainable Gardening Vegetable Gardening

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A Diary of My Garden Visitor by Jannell Bryant - Photos by Jannell Bryant

September 8th at 2:13 p.m. to be precise, I just happened to glance at the large planter on my front stoop, and to my delight, hanging from the lip of the pot like a lovely holiday bauble, was a beautiful lime green monarch chrysalis. It has been some years since I have found a chrysalis in my yard, so this was indeed a special surprise.

The contractor working at my house was captivated by the chrysalis and took pictures and asked many questions about monarch butterflies. He happily headed home with milkweed seeds and planting instructions in hand.

September 9th – Today the chrysalis was just a slightly darker shade of lime green with the spotted horizontal jewel-like band clearly visible.

September 10th – No visible changes, but it rained lightly earlier today, and the tiny droplets of water on the chrysalis sparkled in the light. I continued to monitor the chrysalis over the next several days with little change in its status.

September 14th – Today the butterfly wings are visible through the chrysalis shell.

September 15th 9:42 a.m. – This morn- ing I noticed that the chrysalis has changed dramatically, and is a very dark greenish-black color with a black top dome above the horizon- tal jewel-like spotted band. The butterfly is very clearly visible inside the chrysalis shell, and it is obvious that the butterfly will emerge some- time later today. This is so exciting!

By early afternoon the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) had emerged. When I returned outside, it was hanging from the chrysa- lis shell drying its wings. As it continued to dry its wings, and then began flexing its wings, it became difficult to get a good picture.

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After a while, it flew down onto the grass. My husband put his hand down next to it and collected it on his hand. It eventually flew up into a nearby tree.

September 16th – The butterfly returned at midday, alighted on the blood flower (Asclepias curassavica) to nectar, and continued flexing its beautiful and perfect wings, measuring almost 5 inches across. The blood flower, along with obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) and mistflower (Ageratum), are the only blooming flowers left in my garden. The butterfly clearly liked the blood flower, continuing to visit it, but also visited the other flowers for another couple of days and then it was gone.

A brief summary of the monarch lifecycle: ♦ 4 – 6 days from being laid to hatching ♦ 2 – 3 weeks as caterpillar ♦ 5 – 15 days chrysalis stage

A monarch butterfly lifespan is from one to three months for the first three genera- tions. Fourth generation monarchs migrate to the mountains of Northern Mexico to winter over and return north the following spring, living up to nine months.

Reference – Stokes Butterfly Book, Donald & Lillian Stokes, Ernest Williams.

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Dog Park Transformation by Traci Lovelace - Photos by Traci Lovelace he Ghent Dog Park, also known as Barkley Gardens, is a .52 acre, fenced, off leash dog park located in the Stockley Gardens T area of Ghent, in Norfolk, VA. It was the first dog park in the United States to be located in a historic district. The park is surround- ed by beautiful, high value homes.

Owned by the City of Norfolk, the Ghent Dog Park is managed by a 501 (c)(3), the Ghent Dog Park Association. The City provides a water source, and grass mowing, but the Association is responsible for all other aspects of managing the park.

The park is open year round from sun up to sun down, with a planned spring and fall closure to allow the grass to recover. The park is also closed for 24 hours following rain. It’s primarily planted with Bermuda grass.

Due to lack of volunteers, the park grounds fell into disrepair in early 2015, and it was closed indefinitely. My family’s dogs have been coming to the park ever since we bought a home in this area, and the closure prompted me to step up and get involved.

Working with Nancy Berlin, Paige Thacker, and especially Thomas Bolles, we developed a master plan for turf care. Over the past 9 months, this plan has allowed for soil testing, the addition of lime and com- post, over seeding Bermuda grass seed in the late spring, and recently, over seeding a perennial rye mixed with white clover for the fall planting.

I cannot stress enough how challenging it is to keep a dog park looking good. The sur- March, 2015 rounding neighbors expect our park to be well maintained, and the dogs provide a constant source of damage to the turf. Owners are required to remove dog waste and keep their dogs from digging holes but something always slips through.

Because we are technically a public park, we cannot require dues from people, but we do ask for donations from patrons in order to fund the costs of upkeep and improvements. We are blessed with generous patrons who have been very supportive of our goals.

We are working with the City of Norfolk to gain permission to in- October 2015, stall an in ground irrigation system so we can put away the hoses compost topdressing and sprinklers. This system will be more efficient than our current

5 Turnip News methods, and will allow us to maintain better control over keeping the grass appropriately watered. We are also working to develop a plan for hardscaping and landscaping to improve the looks and usability of the park.

The success of the grass project is a direct result of the seed that was planted in me by the Master Gardener program in Prince William County, and the efforts of our board and volunteers in carrying out the project plans for turf management.

July 2015 October 2015

Omar enjoying a drink

Traci Lovelace is a Prince William Master Gardener and the President of The Ghent Dog Park Association www.facebook.com/ghentdogpark www.ghentdogpark.org

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Creating Pollinator Traffic by Marion Ashley - Photos by Rachel Crowe "Forty million acres of lawn cover the Lower 48," according to a 2005 NASA estimate from satellite imag- ing. “Turf grasses occupy 1.9 percent of the U.S. surface. Thus, this is the single largest irrigated crop in the United States."

Turf provides little sustenance or habitat for pollinators and wildlife. Seventy-five percent of the world's food plants are de- pendent on pollinators to produce the food we eat. It is estimat- ed that one in three bites of food we eat depends on pollinators. Sedum autumn joy flowers attract If you were fortunate enough to attend the presentation given hummers and butterflies. by Natural Resource Specialist, Nancy Berlin, for the Prince In winter, the seed heads William Wildflower Society, you learned the basics of establish- provide food for birds. ing a natural habitat for pollinators. This does not require many acres. In fact, even a small area dedicated to a meadow is an asset to the environment and can be far more attractive and interesting than a grass rug.

At her home, Nancy practices what she preaches. I first discovered this when held up by a traffic snarl in our small neighborhood, when cars were stalled at a stop sign. What was it about? The first car’s occupants were clearly admiring all of Nancy’s native flowers. One passenger was standing up to look and pointing out various highlights of Nancy's lovely front yard garden. Each driver, in turn, paused to admire, including me. Nancy’s house from the street, capturing only a sample of the wide variety of plants. The important traffic, not the cars, but the abundance of pollinators swarming on the colorful flowers throughout Nancy’s garden, included visitors such as wheelbug (Arilus cris- tatus), common lacewing (Chrysoperla carne), robber fly (Asilidae), mason bees (Osmia), bumble bees, and sweat bees (Halictidae).

If you're wondering why you might want to start a meadow area, consider Nancy's purposes. Her goals were to increase diversity for pollinators, other insects and wildlife, and provide seeds, nesting material, and cover for birds. Of course she eliminated mowing, pesticides, and fertilizers and let spent plants build up the soil naturally. Deep roots of plants and shrubs mason bee on soak up rainwater and prevent runoff and erosion. obedient plant

If you want to try a similar project, Nancy advises starting with a small trial area, as she first did in her back yard. Since Nancy has no Homeowners’ Association, no permission was required.

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Like starting any gardening project, the first step is anal- ysis of the proposed site including evaluating sun expo- sure, soil testing, identifying plants already present, determining slope, accounting for tree roots, drainage, and other considerations. Of course, then comes eliminat- ing turf grass, weeding, raking, but not tilling, since till- ing exposes weed seeds and increases erosion until the desired plants get established.

Nancy started with an overplanting of clover. She reseeds several types of clover each year to cover bare ground. A meadow is not maintenance free. As in any garden, it Native coral honeysuckle just vacated by requires weeding, removing “thug plants” that are too a hummingbird who was aggressive to maintain diversity, eliminating diseased enjoying the nectar. plants and invasives, and making sure plants are not too close together.

Currently, the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, a coalition of more than 100 organizations, is bringing national attention to the plight of pollinators by raising public aware- ness of problems facing pollinators. One lady, Sarah Baker, gained national notoriety for flouting neighborhood mowing ordinances in her effort to establish a self-contained ecosystem for wildlife on her Alexandria, Ohio property.

In an August 5, 2015 Washington Post article, Christopher Ingraham provided a map of the areas in the United States with the greatest predominance of turf grass. The map shows our area is one with a mid-higher percentage of lawns. Besides helping the environment, meadow gardens provide a fascinating attractive feature in your yard as well as continuous learning and enjoyment.

For more information, contact the Virginia Cooperative Extension Horticulture Help Desk, [email protected] and the Virginia Native Plant Society www.vnps.org. The Great Pollinator Partnership, www.nappc.org, provides a whole list of resources. Two books that may prove helpful are Urban and Suburban Meadows, Zimmerman, The American Meadow Garden, Greenlee, and Hometown Habitat, Zimmerman.

Every approach to Nancy’s house, including the driveway edges and sidewalk to the front porch, is a garden tour.

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Japanese Barberry - Thorny in Many Ways by Abbie and Vincent Panettiere hile weeding the garden recently, I Japanese barberry became very popular because came upon two small bushes that had it was hardy and required very little care. It is W crept in behind a glossy abelia some- quite adaptable. Also, it seemed, a great bonus, time in the past few months (a testament to the deer did not like it. Once planted, it grows well diligence with which I weed my gardens). The in most conditions: full sun, partial sun, and full bushes were about twelve inches high and shade. It prefers full sun, but will flower and looked to be quite healthy, but since I knew I make fruit in full shade. It is drought tolerant, hadn’t planted them there, I reached in to pull but also grows in wetlands. The seeds that birds them out and discovered, to my surprise and my and small animals spread about germinate with hands’ pain, that they were quite thorny. an estimated 90% success rate. The plant also spreads through root creepers and tip rooting Investigating them closer, I determined that branches. If you check various plant catalogs, they were small Japanese barberry bushes you can see that there are very pretty varieties (Berberis thunbergii). We have several large still available for sale, though the sale of bushes of the same, which are spotted along the Japanese barberry is banned in Connecticut, driveway, and were there in much smaller form Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Hampshire when we moved in fourteen years ago. I’ve never and imports to the U.S. are forbidden. been very fond of them since they, like other thorny plants, are entirely too successful in The deer who don’t like Japanese barberry, actu- defending themselves against the gardener’s ally aid in its dispersal through forests by efforts to weed around them and keep them in pruning out the native plants that they would bounds. I’m more forgiving of roses, though. eat and allowing the barberry to take over and spread, effectively crowding out most other It seems likely that the berry seed had been plants. Earthworms, which are not native to deposited there in early spring, a gift of some forests in the northeast, found the resulting passing bird, and had totally escaped me when conditions to their liking and began turning the I’d weeded earlier in the year. They had certain- loose layer of leaf litter the trees need and were ly made the best of their circumstances, living in used to, into loose soil, creating conditions for mostly dappled shade behind a large bush. more erosion, less tree regeneration, and fewer wildflowers. The leaf litter of Japanese barberry Curious, doing a little research, I found that also changed the soil chemistry, increasing the Japanese barberry took an odd journey to arrive levels of nitrogen in the soil and making it more in this country. Native to Asia, it was introduced basic. Furthermore, the conditions mentioned to the U.S. in 1875 when seeds were sent to the above, the nitrification of the soil and disappear- Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts ance of leaf litter, added to storm water runoff, from Russia. In 1896, they were planted at the which adversely affects the quality of reservoir New York Botanic Garden. In farming and water. gardening they were used as a substitute for the European barberry (Berberis vulgaris), which It took many years until the realization came had been brought in by early settlers to make that the Japanese barberry is a very invasive hedgerows, dyes, and jams, but which was found shrub. It is still very popular with nurseries, to be a host for wheat stem rust (Puccinia other plant purveyors, and professional land- graminis). scapers since it is hardy, easy to grow, has so few enemies, and is quite handsome used as a

9 Turnip News foundation planting. tors for the disease, found the habitat provided by Japanese barberry to be particularly to their It has, so far, spread itself from Northern liking as well. Quebec to Georgia and as far west as Wyoming. It has been designated invasive in 20 states and It seems a strange connection to make: ticks and the District of Columbia. In our area, the mice drawn to living conditions provided by a Virginia Department of Conservation and Recre- particular bush, but the theory is that Japanese ation and the Virginia Native Plant Society have barberry is able to provide more humidity (some ranked Japanese barberry as a “moderately 80%) at ground level under its thick overhanging invasive species.” Much of Canada and many crown of branches than other bushes. The ticks northeastern states have banned the sale or need this high level of humidity and the white- importation of the plant. footed mice prefer the humid, shaded environ- ment. Scott Williams, adjunct professor at the The native barberry, American barberry University of Connecticut’s Department of (Berberis canadensis), native to Appalachia and Natural Resources and the Environment, said in the American Midwest was also found to be host that regard: to wheat stem rust and has been mostly eradi- cated by the U.S. Government to the point that “When we measure the presence of ticks carry- it is now rarely found. Most American barberry ing the Lyme spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) are now found in the mountains of Virginia. we find 120 infected ticks where Barberry is not There are other native barberries, many native contained, 40 ticks per acre where Barberry is to California, which are still used in landscap- contained, and only 10 infected ticks where ing. there is no Barberry.”

Another negative factor concerning Japanese Research is still being done on the connection barberry is that it is thought to provide a safe between Japanese barberry and Lyme-bearing place for both the ticks that harbor the Lyme ticks and mice, and certainly, if it is confirmed disease spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) and that there is a direct connection, this would be a some of its vectors, white-tailed deer and white- good reason to remove any plants you find. As footed mice. Most of the direct mention of this devil’s advocate, I must say that it does make a referred back to one study currently being con- very handsome bush, though, and I have ducted by two scientists from the University of personal proof to attest that birds do like it. Connecticut and a colleague from the Depart- ment of Forestry and Horticulture at the Barberry Information: Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. http://goo.gl/j07gvF There is forested area around University of Con- Controlling Japanese Barberry Helps Stop Spread necticut’s campus and, in studying the effect of of Tick-Borne Diseases, UConn Today Japanese barberry on the forest there, the two scientists from the University attest that the http://goo.gl/nVCfz9 Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Na- plant crowded out all other plants and, in estab- tional Park Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lishing itself in the forest, provided conditions that the non-native earthworms preferred, thus https://goo.gl/71sJKU making changes to the area detrimental to the Berberis vulgaris, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia existing forest. They also discovered that where Japanese barberry could be found, the Lyme- https://goo.gl/h4azg3 Japanese Barberry, Virginia Cooperative bearing black-legged ticks occurred in large Extension numbers. White-footed mice, which are also vec- 10 Turnip News https://goo.gl/DaLXlO http://goo.gl/dapCVm Berberidaceae, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia More Findings on the Link Between Japanese Bar- berry and Lyme Disease, Debbie Roberts https://goo.gl/fvrpfc Berberis, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://goo.gl/2BfT8l Stem Rust, Black stem rust (Puccinia graminis), http://goo.gl/3SjLCS United States Department of Agriculture, Agricul- Japanese Barberry: A Threat to Public Health, tural Research Service Ecosystem Gardening http://goo.gl/SrrjIu https://goo.gl/IhAv47 Effects of Japanese barberry (Ranunculales: Berber- Berberis Canadensis, Wikipedia, the free idaceae) removal and resulting microclimatic encyclopedia changes on Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) abundances in Connecticut, USA., Williams SC, et http://goo.gl/6z4kiY al. Environ Entomol. 2010. Native Berberis, Barbara Kirbach, Sonoma County Master Gardener http://goo.gl/SisdjG Japanese Barberry Linked to Lyme Disease: What http://goo.gl/OP8rij Gardeners Need to Know, Sally G. Miller, Dave’s Japanese Barberry: An Exotic Invasive Plant Fact Garden Sheet, Bruce Wenning, Ecological Landscape Alliance http://goo.gl/dCHmke Lab tracks Maine’s tick time bomb, Joe Lawlor, Portland Press Herald

Japanese barberry infested forest. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, http://goo.gl/UgYCsI. Photo by Steve Manning, Invasive Plant Control, Bugwood.Org.

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Recap: Orchids Jamie Nick, Education Committee Chairperson, organized a fun and informative lecture!

In case you missed it, here are some highlights from the October 6th lecture…

 Master Gardeners Susan Bruns and Jean Bennett, and Master Gardener in-training Jennifer Graham shared interesting facts about orchids, taught us about orchid care and maintenance, and demonstrated how to repot an orchid.

Susan Bruns, Jennifer Graham, Jean Bennett  Susan explained that orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica. There are three main groups of orchids based on their habitat: epiphyte (on host trees, but are not parasitic), lithophyte (rock crevices), and terrestrial (bogs to sandy soil).

 Missouri Botanical Garden and Kew Gardens list approximately 27,000 verified varieties of orchids.

 Orchids are zygomorphic which means there is only one way to cut them in half to create a mirror image.

 Susan cautioned not to collect wild orchids since removing them from their habitat could have a harmful impact on the ecosystem. For example, Brazil nut trees depend on the local orchid to attract the native bees it needs for pollination. Without the orchid, the Brazil nut tree would suffer.

 Jean discussed the importance of light, temperature, humidity, air circulation, watering and fertilizing.

 Most orchids like a lot of light, but not Oncidium Papilio, direct light. Southern exposure is ideal, but Psychopsis - not directly in a window. Jean shared that butterfly orchid her orchids enjoy an eastern exposure which she enhances by displaying them in front of a mirror to reflect and maximize the available D Roy Tokunaga light.

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 Orchids generally like a temperature range between 60° to 70°. To encourage blooming, move orchids to a part of the house about 15° colder. Once orchids bloom, return them to their usual location.

 Orchids do best in about 50% humidity. If your house is dry, place your orchid on a tray with water and gravel - not directly in water - to increase localized humidity. Be sure to provide ample air circulation to prevent fungal issues.

 Watering depends on the orchid. Terrestrial orchids, for example, like to stay moist, but do not like to sit in water. Use tepid, not cold water. Water at the roots and be sure to keep the crown and other orchid parts dry to prevent rot.

 Orchids are typically acid-loving. Use 30-10-10 fertilizer when they are not blooming and switch to higher phosphorus (35) to encourage blooming. Follow all directions on the fertilizer label.

 Most orchids can be repotted about every two years. Go up about one inch when selecting a new pot. Repot when an orchid is not blooming.

 Orchid roots need air to gather nutrients. Do not cut off roots.

 When ready to repot, remove the orchid from its pot and rinse the potting medium from the roots in a bowl of water. If the roots turn green, they are alive. If the roots stay brown, they are dead, but do not cut off the roots. Instead, gently pull the wet, brown roots and a sheath will give way to a string. The remaining string will enable the repotted orchid to hold itself in place as it grows. As long as the orchid has one green root when wet, it is alive.

 If orchid roots are compacted, pull them apart to increase air circulation. It’s ok if a few of the roots come off.

 Two common types of potting medium are sphagnum moss and wood chips. Soak both thoroughly before repotting.

 Set the potting medium at the bottom of the pot, then the orchid. Firm in more potting medium around the orchid. It’s ok if some of the roots come out of the top.

 If you’re new to orchids, Suggested Reading: try a phalaenopsis!

Growing Orchids Indoors, Jack Kramer The Orchid Whisperer, Bruce Rogers, Photographs by Greg Allikas Orchid Growing Basics, Dr. Gustav Schoser Photos by Jason Alexander and Maria Stewart

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Help support the Monastery and attend this wonderful event! It’s a great way to show your support and say “thank you” to the Benedictine Sisters who let us use their land for our gardens.

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Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings

2015 Teaching Garden Workdays November 7th may be the last Saturday Workday in the Garden for this season. Be on the look out for more information from Leslie Paulson. Work days will continue on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. - noon (except for Tuesday, November 24th), weather permitting. There will be no more Thursday evening workdays for this season. It is always nice to have a head start on spring by weeding until it’s too cold to do so. All help is greatly appreciated!

MGPW, Inc. Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday, November 12th, 5:30 p.m., at Sudley North Government Building (7987 Ashton Avenue, Room 102, Manassas) This will be a Board Meeting only, without a program following. All members are encouraged to attend.

MGPW, Inc. Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday, December 10th, 5:30 p.m., at Sudley North Government Building (7987 Ashton Avenue, Room 102, Manassas) This will be a Board Meeting only, without a program following. All members are encouraged to attend.

Master Gardener Class Graduation: Monday, December 14th, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Historic Manassas Courthouse (9248 Lee Avenue, Manassas) We’d like to make this a social event for Master Gardeners to meet the new class and socialize with other MGs. Let’s all make the new class feel welcome! RSVP to the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or [email protected]. MGs are asked to bring a finger food to share.

Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings 2016

MG Recertification: Tuesday, January 26th, 6:30 p.m. at the Edward Kelly Leadership Center (14715 Bristow Road, Manassas 20112 ) Recertification is required for all Master Gardeners. Please RSVP to the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or email [email protected], so that you can be notified of any changes due to inclement weather.

Sustainable Vegetable Gardening Series: Saturdays, February 6th, 13th, March 5th, SNOW DATE: Saturday, March 26th, 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Chinn Library (13065 Chinn Park Dr., Woodbridge, VA 22192) Growing our own food, using nature as a guide and incorporating sustainable practices is good for our bodies and good for the earth. Taught by the Master Gardener Cook’s Garden Team, these 3 classes cover the essential topics — planning the garden, using organic sustainable techniques to develop healthy productive gardens, and growing good garden soil. These practices are on display at our Teaching Garden and showcased in our Saturday in the Garden programs. There is no charge for these classes, but class is limited to 60, please register by contacting the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or email [email protected].

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Basics of Gardening: Saturdays, February 20th, 27th, March 12th, SNOW DATE: Saturday, March 19th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Powell’s Creek - McCoart Building (1 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA 22192) Through instruction by Master Gardeners and Extension Staff, students will learn some of the science behind gardening, plant culture, and pest and disease solutions. The series will focus on research-based knowledge of plant resistance, problem avoidance and the most effective control strategies. Please call the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or email [email protected] for more information and cost.

Pruning Class, Saturday February 20th at 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Teaching Garden (9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow) Taught by Rachel Habig-Myers, MS, MPS. Learn best practices for timing, and techniques for pruning trees and shrubs. This class includes classroom and hands-on information. Dress for the weather. Space is limited. This class is free, but registration is requested; please call the Horticultural Help Desk at 703-792-7747 or email [email protected].

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Get to Know a Critter: European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula)

Did you know? ♦ European paper wasps are non-natives that were first discovered in Cambridge, MA in the late 1970s and are now seen in many eastern states including Virginia. They have also been discovered recently in California, Colorado and Washington.

♦ Fertilized queens from the previous year begin new colonies in the spring. The queens overwinter in protected areas including under the bark of dead trees, within wall voids in houses, and under siding.

♦ Sometimes the queens will use a previous year’s nest which enables them to establish their colonies earlier than native species.

♦ European paper wasps can detect movement at 12 to 20 feet from their nest. However, they do not typically attack unless people are much closer - within inches of the nest. Photo by Jason Alexander ♦ Some entomologists are concerned that large numbers of European paper wasps will have a negative impact on desirable insects such as butterflies. Control European paper wasps by repairing holes in walls, caulk cracks in soffits and eaves, and screen vents and louvers.

Sources: Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Entomology: http://goo.gl/LVaVBl Iowa State University Department of Entomology, BugGuide: http://goo.gl/fiK5e2

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

Last month’s answer:

Carrots

(Daucus carota subsp. sativus)

Carrots: “The orange varieties of carrots most Europeans and Americans know are actually a more recent development than most other colored varieties that some U.S. growers now produce for fresh market sales at farmer’s markets. Interestingly, carrot varieties with different pigments may have different health benefits.” Michigan State University Extension: http://goo.gl/F8t6Ad

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