gardens

Adkins Arboretum’s Spring Membership Drive Now Through May 30

May 12, 2020 by Adkins Arboretum

There’s never been a better time to become a member of Adkins Arboretum! Amid closures and stay-at-home orders, the Arboretum is committed to keeping its paths open for the many dog walkers, bikers, runners and nature enthusiasts who seek solace in fresh air, open space and the health benefits of spending time outside. Grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk.

These health benefits are numerous. Studies show that time in nature reduces stress, improves mood, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, accelerates recovery from illness and boosts the immune system. Forests play a particularly important role in healthy immune systems—when we breathe in fresh air, we breathe in the same chemicals that plants release as protection against insects. These chemicals, in turn, help us fight disease.

Photo credit: Kellen McCluskey.

By joining the Arboretum, members support their health and the health of the greater community. In addition, members enjoy free admission throughout the year, as well as discounts on native plants, programs, events and gift store purchases. Although many 2020 programs and events have been canceled due to COVID-19, the Arboretum is re-envisioning its offerings to include creative, self-directed activities for visitors to enjoy on their own. These will be highlighted in a forthcoming calendar and on the Arboretum’s website.

Even as the Arboretum looks to the future with optimism, closures and cancellations are presenting financial challenges. This means that member support is more important than ever. To learn more about membership and all that the Arboretum has to offer, visit adkinsarboretum.org. New members will receive a $10 discount if they join by the end of May.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Spy Gardening: Planning Your Landscaping Like A Pro (Part 1) by Meredith Watters

May 8, 2020 by Spy Staff

Staying home, strolling our yards during the ‘shelter-in-place’ for COVID-19 can reveal our garden’s potentials. Look around. Here, at my home, I see the demise of Leyland cypresses dying from the combination 2018 record wetness and the 2019 drought. The nuisance weeds are already getting out of control and it’s time to address the dangerous front door steps or add that long-talked about patio. The list goes on….

Leyland cypress

Now may be the time to get started on long-term landscape improvements which, by the way, increases your real estate value by 5% to 15% – an immediate return on your investment. To help you start organizing, I have outlined tasks and considerations that I use in my business when working on a client’s landscape design and installation project.

Start with writing a list of long-term dreams about your landscape. When writing this vision, don’t get hung up on the costs because your plan could be implemented over many years. Prioritize your list from most important to least.

Ideally, phasing should begin with hardscape (sidewalks, patios, driveways), which is the most expensive portion of your dreams. Next phase is identifying existing and possible addition of plants, large trees and shrubs. Now think about lighting and irrigation. If you choose to do this, I recommend working with a professional. Next is mulching (no more than 2 ½” deep) plant beds and individual trees. The final stage is to establish the lawn.

To begin to implement your dreams for your home and garden:: you will need to create a landscape plan. If you were given a land plat at settlement, take it to be enlarged at the local print shop. Ask the shop to use a 1” = 8’ or 1” = 10’ scale, or, if your property is over three acres, consider a 1” = 20’ scale. Don’t have a plat? Use graph paper to record measurements of your house, existing features such as property boundaries, utilities, and restrictions, trees patios, walks, etc. Take that drawing to the print shop and ask them to enlarge it to the recommended scales.

On your newly printed plat, identify problem areas such as unattractive views, privacy issues, poor drainage, blistering summer sun, set-back restrictions, underground and overhead utilities. Identify good qualities such as existing mature shrubs and trees, beautiful views, any existing landscape features, etc. Identify areas that you want any hardscape such as patios, walkways, pavilions, swimming pool, firepits, outdoor kitchens, or even a vegetable or butterfly garden.

Now, let’s talk about plants!

Make a list of your favorites and research their attributes such as ultimate growth height and width, seasonal color, etc. To keep things less complicated, choose perhaps just 3 varieties of the following trees: shade (oak), understory (dogwood), and evergreen (pine/holly). Choose perhaps 5 varieties of deciduous and evergreen tall (viburnum) and short (azalea) shrubs.

Make a short list of your favorite perennial flowers, annual flowers, ground covers, and ornamental grasses (again, take notes on the color, time of year of blooming, etc.).

Once you have this plant list, ask a few questions.

Do I have native plants to support the butterflies, birds, and bees?
Am I retaining my rainwater on my own property so as not to impact my neighbors?
Are plants providing a variety of textures (flat, shiny leaves or spikey, fine needles)?
Are the plants suited for my wet/dry/sunny/shady conditions?
Are the plants deer or rabbit resistant? (just type that question into Google)

You are ready to put it all together – plants and hardscapes!

This is where your base drawing will be useful. Use tracing paper over it to play with your dream ideas and configurations of plants, patios, walkways, garden features, etc. Print photos of your house and use the tracing paper over it to sketch ideas as well.

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Next time in Part 2 of Planning Your Landscape Like A Pro, we’ll get to the really fun parts of your project and put it all together incorporating color, textures, and other design principles. Leave a comment below if you have any questions or email me directly at meredithwatters@gmail.com.

Meredith Watters, Watterscape Designs, received her Masters in Landscape Architecture in 1985. In her consulting and design of residential landscapes, she maintains a strong focus on ecologically sensitive and creative outdoor solutions.

Spy Gardening: Let’s Talk Dirt by Meredith Watters

March 22, 2020 by Spy Agent 9 -- 00 Section

Well, actually, dirt (nutrients), water, and sunlight, which are the three main ingredients to a happy plant.

With many of us working or on self-quarantine at home, this is a perfect opportunity to spend some time outdoors and help to ensure that with just a little effort, you will have a beautiful garden.

Nutrients

Start by knowing your soil’s nutrient levels. We usually take a sample of a garden’s soil to the Maryland Agricultural Extension Office on Mary’s Court in Easton ($10/soil sample). However, since their offices are closed, they recommend sending it directly to the Agro Lab—(302) 566-6094. The results will be emailed to you approximately ten days later. Once you have it, call the MD Extension Agent (410-822-1244), and they will suggest ways to amend the soil.

Here is an informative 3-minute video from the Univ. of Illinois on how to take a sample.

One thing you know already, or you’ll discover if you test your soil is that the Eastern Shore area is generally subjected to poorly drained clay soil. Fortunately, there are simple ways to improve it.

* Compost your yard waste and kitchen scraps. A compost bin is easy to start and provides natural soil conditioners that improve soil structure.

* Don’t rake/remove your lawn’s autumn leaves. By mowing them into small pieces, they will easily disintegrate over the course of the winter.

* Use commercially available compost material, such as

Leafgro is a very light organic source of humus (composted leaves and grass clippings) produced by the Maryland Environmental Service. I use it extensively in my landscape business when planting trees, adding new plants to gardens, starting a new lawn, or new flower or shrub beds.

For planting: Dig the plant’s hole twice the size and only as deep as the root ball or flower pot. Mix equal parts of Leafgro with the existing soil. Place 2” of this mix in the bottom of the hole, place the plant, so it is 2” above ground. Add the mix around the plant, lightly tamp, and water thoroughly.

For new lawns: Spread at least 2” evenly and mix or rototill to a depth of 4-6,” rake smooth, add seed or sod.

For new flower or shrub beds: Use about eight bags per 100 square feet of the garden. Mix to a depth of 4-6.”

In Talbot County, eight garden stores sell Leafgro in either bags or bulk: Bridges Land Management (bags and bulk) (410) 820-4784, Bryan & Sons 410 819-3001, Dobson Lawn & Garden, Inc. (bulk only) (410) 745-6935, Garden Treasures (bags) (410) 822-1604, George’s Green Thumb (bulk) (410) 822-9255, Robin’s Nest (bags) (410) 822-8700, The Village Shoppe (bags) (410) 745-9300, and Yard Works Plus (bulk) (410) 820-6414.

Water

One inch of rainwater a week is ideal, but you can’t rely on the weather. I give my clients two items to ensure the health of their plants and vegetables and recommend that you use these as well:

* A simple rain gauge, (around $10.00) to ensure your plants are getting 1” of rainwater weekly

* A soil moisture probe, (around $10.00) inserted 6” into the plant’s roots to see if they are dry or wet

Water the soil around the base of the plant, not the plant leaves, in the early morning, If the soil is particularly dry, re-water immediately. But be careful not to overwater if you have clay soil since it retains moisture and drains poorly. Use your moisture probe to check to measure. For my house, I have very sandy soil, so the water washes right through. Chances are the nutrients will also wash right through, so I add additional fertilizer during the growing season.

Sunlight

How much sunlight is enough? Vegetables need 6-8 hours of full, direct, hot sun. Take note of your garden’s sun exposure. Is it in full sun? Partial shade (brief, direct morning or afternoon sun) or dappled sun from mature trees? or Full shade? Read the new plant’s label to determine which plants will go where.

‘Right plant, right place’ is the mantra of an educated homeowner and landscape designer. Next month I hope to help you with this concept for your house foundation plantings. Leave a comment below if you have any questions about your soil, plants, watering, etc. or email me directly at meredithwatters@gmail.com.

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Delightful Daffodils

March 21, 2020 by University of Maryland Extension

The signs of spring are everywhere from the sounds of spring peepers in the woods to the red hues of maple buds to the yellow blooms of daffodils. The tidbits of spring trickle in like the mist of early morning fog slowly then all at once. As if waking up from a long winter’s nap, you see buds on trees swell or the tiny green stems of bulbs that gently peak through the mulch. The next day, you hear the sounds of spring peepers. Then, all at once, the baby pink blooms of cherry trees are floating like confetti in a ticker-tape parade while crocus shine like amethyst and daffodils glitter like drops of gold in flowerbeds and all of a sudden, spring is here.

Photo credit: Rachel Rhodes

As the daffodils I planted last fall leisurely woke from their long winter’s nap, I began to think about how beautiful they would be in a few weeks with their golden yellow cups and their egg yolk petals, my mind wandered to their name “Daffodil.” When I became a mother, names and the meanings behind them captivated me. As a parent, when you name your child you, research everything, the meaning behind a name, where it originated from, the many spellings, and so forth. When the time came to hold my sons for the first time, I was completely and utterly prepared with names that would suit them. The names that would help define them and would help guide them as they traversed through our uncertain world. Did I put too much weight on a name? Maybe.

As Juliet said to Romeo, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” There is a great name debate between Daffodils, Narcissus, and Jonquil. Daffodil refers to the common name for the spring-flowering bulbs in the genus Narcissus. Jonquil is the common name for Narcissus jonquilla within the Narcissus genus. To avoid any ambiguity, you can never go wrong by calling these flowers by their genus name Narcissus.

Photo credit: Rachel Rhodes

According to the American Daffodil Society, there are between “40 to 200 different daffodil species, subspecies or varieties of species and over 32,000 registered cultivars (named hybrids) divided among the thirteen divisions of the official classification system.” Daffodils range from the tried and true yellow trumpet to ones with double flowers and clustered flowers, to small cups, and ones with open cups. Flower colors come in an array of white to yellow to orange. There are even some with splashes of pink.

Daffodils are hardy spring-flowering perennial blubs that should return year after year.During blooming, they require generous amounts of water. After blooming, always deadhead the spent flowers. Even though daffodil foliage can get unruly, allow the leaves to remain for at least six weeks. You will see people braid or tie the leaves together with rubber bands. This timely endeavor results in the leaves manufacturing smaller amounts of food for the bulb, which in turn results in smaller blooms the following year. After the allotted six weeks have passed, you may remove the leaves.

Narcissus ‘Dutch Master’ are one of the most popular cultivars. (Photo credit: Rachel Rhodes)

For Maryland’s hardiness zone, plant daffodils in the fall (from late September to late November). The soil needs to be cool but the ground should still be workable and not frozen. Picking out bulbs is just like picking out the perfect apple. You want a bulb that is firm without blemishes. Bulbs should never be soft, damaged or moldy.

Daffodils are an easy dependable flower that is ideal for the beginning gardener. Don’t forget to pick some up in the fall for your garden!

For further information, please visit https://extension.umd.edu/queen-annes-county/master-gardener-home-gardening or see us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/QueenAnnesCountyMasterGardeners For more information contact: Rachel J. Rhodes, Master Gardener Coordinator at (410) 758-0166 or by email at rjrhodes@umd.edu.

University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all people and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

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What Is Good to Know about Orchid Care

March 14, 2020 by University of Maryland Extension

Creating an environment that mimics an orchid’s native habitat will ensure plentiful blooms. To thrive, each orchid needs the right spot. Check your orchid’s individual profile. (Photo Credit: Rachel Rhodes)

My love affair with orchids began in college. It was the winter of 2007 while in Belize for a winter semester class “Tropical Agriculture, Conservation, and Ecosystems.” Sitting along the tranquil headwaters of the Bladen River, our guide detailed the dynamic relationship of the ecosystem that surrounded us. In the heart of the rainforest, the delicate balance of our environment beats like a drum. As our guide described the four layers of the rainforest from the emergent layer, to the canopy layer, to the understory, and the forest floor, birds chirped and vivid blue morpho butterflies fluttered around. Our guide pointed above us to the most beautiful mesmerizing orchid I had ever seen; the black orchid. The black orchid gently dangled off the leaning tree beside us, its greenish-yellow petals and sepals had the most beautiful purple blotches near the base. While the “lip” was shaped like the valve of a clamshell, it was deep purple to black and radiated with purple veins. I had never encountered such a fascinating flower. After the class ended, I dove headfirst into all things orchids absorbing as much as I could. The orchid family boasts some of the most extraordinary and diverse flowers in the plant kingdom, with around 30,000 species and 120,000 hybrids. Generally, orchids are divided into two groups; epiphytic and terrestrial. Epiphytic orchids are usually the orchid we most frequently see (Phalaenopis and Cattleya). Epiphytic orchids use their tough roots to anchor themselves to trees. They receive nutrients from rainwater and leaf debris and they absorb moisture from the air. Terrestrial orchids grow with their roots in the ground. They are most commonly found in grasslands or boggy areas. Understanding the type of orchid you have, their growing conditions, light requirements and flowering season is integral in ensuring your success.

Glazed pottery and ceramic orchid pots are the next best thing when growing orchids. These decorative pots come in varying hues, shapes, and sizes. It is hard to resist buying a multitude. Decorative pots are fun but make sure to keep orchids in their plastic containers and place it in the decorative pot. If you take it out of it’s plastic container too much air will get to the roots and the orchid will dry out faster. (Photo Credit: Rachel Rhodes)

After much trial and error, I have learned a few things. With orchids, consistency is key. A majority of our orchids such as phalaenopsis only bloom once a year in late winter through early spring (January to March). Getting them to rebloom is the ultimate prize as a gardener. The best way to encourage flowering is make sure that you have the proper lightening, ample water, and the right amount of food.

First, getting the light right is one of the most important factors. Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum like morning light from an east-facing window. This provides an orchid with a few hours of direct sunlight without hurting the plant. The sun can be very damaging to the leaves of an orchid, so the right placement is key. If you do not have an east-facing window, you can make other spots work by following these principals. North facing windows simply do not provide enough light to sustain the healthy growth of an orchid. If this is your only option, you will need a grow light to give your orchid the boost of light it needs. If your orchid is in a west-facing window put up a sheer curtain to protect it from the heat of the summer sun. Furthermore, if using a south facing window a sheer curtain is advisable year round. Unlike Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum, Cattleya like bright light from a south or west facing window. Just as getting the right lighting is crucial so is watering. When watering your orchids always water in the morning this guarantees that the moisture has time to evaporate. If you water at night, it allows water to settle in the nooks of the bark, which promotes fungal growth. Avoid watering or misting the leaves. Misting tricks the guard cells on the leaves to think that the humidity is higher than it actually is. This can cause your orchid to dry out faster. Additionally it can lead to crown rot if water settles in the nooks of the leaves. Orchids love humidity, to increase humidity you can use a humidifier set at 40-50% or use a humidity tray.

All plants require nutrients to grow and thrive. Epiphytic orchids like Phalaenopsis live in trees, where they receive nutrients from rainwater and leaf debris. Pot grown orchids depend on feedings to produce healthy leaves and beautiful blooms. With proper feedings, a well-fertilized orchid will keep their leaves longer and will produce more flowers. When feeding, it’s best to use orchid specific fertilizers. Orchids also thrive from “weakly weekly” feedings when blooming by diluting fertilizer to ¼ strength rather than a full dose once a month.

Mealybugs are a common orchid pest, especially on moth orchids (Phalaenopsis). They are little white fluffy insects that are closely related to scale insects. They love new growth and flowers. Unlike scales, mealybugs wander in search of feeding places. They damage the overall vigor of the plant, weakening it and causing the loss of leaves, buds and flowers. (Photo Credit: Rachel Rhodes)

Water your orchid once a week. Make sure that you take it out of its decorative pot, leaving it in its plastic container. Run water over the roots for a few minutes avoiding the leaves. Allow the plant to air out for a while before putting it back into its decorative container. (Photo Credit: Rachel Rhodes)

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Spy Gardening: Winter’s False Start (to Springtime) by Meredith Watters

February 17, 2020 by Spy Agent 9 -- 00 Section

With record-breaking warmth, signs of Spring are everywhere from buds on shade trees to flowering quince and camellias. Since Talbot County’s average final frost date is the end of April, here are some ways to guard against the inevitable return of the extreme cold of February/March.

- Protect delicate plants by wrapping them in burlap or landscape fabric
- Spray anti-desiccant on the shiny broad-leafed evergreens to prevent foliage from drying out
- Apply an extra 3-4” of mulch to insulate roots from extreme swings of outdoor temperatures. However, avoid applying mulch directly against plant trunks
- Select plants hardy for Talbot County (Plant Zone 7)
- Be aware of microclimates

In my yard, I have two such areas that have varying climatic conditions: An exposed north-facing garden bed blasted by cold winter wind and an alcove nook with no wind and only morning sun. These two microclimates can vary by ten ambient degrees. Selecting the correct plants for both scenarios is essential.

While the soil is damp and not frozen, there are a couple of things you can do to help prepare for a successful garden. First, dig out those pesky weeds. There is no reason to wait since they will only get bigger and more difficult to remove. Second, prune, prune, prune. Yes, you can do some pruning at this time of year!

Here are some pruning do’s and don’ts:

- Don’t remove more than 1/3 of the tree or shrub’s branches in any one year
- Use only sharp tools to make clean cuts
- Remove dead branches
- Cut 1” above a lateral bud or branch
- Prune evergreens in late winter, just before spring growth
- Prune flowering shrubs just after they finish flowering
- Don’t use hedge clippers; use pruning shears or loppers to ‘selectively’ prune branches
- Remove a branch that is rubbing against another branch
- Selectively remove branches that are growing inward
- Remove branches that will open up the central part of the plant allowing sunlight onto potential new growth in to reduce the overall size of the plant
- Remove new water sprouts as they will become an inappropriate new branch
- Trim shrubs so that the bottom half is wider than the top half. The upper branches should not block sunlight for the lower branches

Refer to the following plant lists for the monthly recommended pruning schedule:
Pruning shrubs
Pruning deciduous trees
Pruning evergreen trees

You can also watch the proper way to prune shrubs here.

Meredith Watters, Watterscape Designs, received her Masters in Landscape Architecture in 1985. In her consulting and design of residential landscapes, she maintains a strong focus on ecologically sensitive and creative outdoor solutions.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

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