Native Grace

In early to mid April in Maryland, growing along the edge of forests, you may notice a leafless tree 

with tiny spots of magenta color along its branches and trunk. These are the flowers of eastern redbud
or Cercis canadensis, which bloom before its heart-shape leaves emerge.

Eastern redbud, which has an oriental cousin, Chinese redbud, is a graceful, smallish, native tree of the
forest understory, where it can grow 15 to 20 ft as it competes with larger trees. In the garden setting,
however, with adequate moisture and nutrients, it will tend to remain shorter, perhaps 10-12 ft in 15
years. Its bark is smooth and pale grey and the branches ascend slightly, giving the canopy a rounded
outline.

Redbud is adaptable to many soil types from acid or alkaline, but will decline in permanently wet soils,
and being a tree of the forest understory, it will tolerate, and grow well in, light shade.

There are several cultivars of redbud available – 'Forest Pansy' has reddish purple leaves which glow
the color of tawny port if the tree is placed where the morning or evening sun can back light them.
Another, 'Ruby Falls', has branches with a weeping habit giving it a sculptural look, and when grown as
a single specimen it would make a wonderful highlight to the front entrance of a home. One of the
newest cultivars is The Rising Sun™ with newly opened leaves in a range of colors from apricot to
golden yellow, becoming bright lime green through the summer months, and then turning the color of
Galliano liqueur in the fall. The best color for this cultivar is obtained if the tree is situated in full sun.

Redbud is a fine choice as a tree for the shrub border, where it could be paired with smaller viburnums
such Viburnum obovatum 'Mrs. Schiller's Delight', Virginia sweetspire, Itea virginia, 'Little Henry' or
“Henry's Garnet', or Clethra alnifolia, 'Ruby Spice' or 'Hummingbird'.

Thanks to our own Teresa Dutton for the article

Ready, Set, Grow!

After a particularly long winter, a spring rain today promises warmer temperatures just in time for our spring gardens. Winter has allowed our gardens to rest. Straw spread out over planting rows are ready for tilling. The use of organic matter is important to the garden. It supplies natural food to support microbial life, creates air spaces for healthy roots, and provides space for water.

Straw in Billy Foard's Garden

Get a soil test done now; our garden shop can process one in a few minutes for pH for no cost to the home gardener. If lime should be added, do so right away. Add fertilizer as needed, till, then get ready to plant.

John James tests soil for pH levels

 Valley View Farms has grown vegetable transplants for gardeners for over 30 years.

Seedlings growing in our farm greenhouses

 This year's cole crops and other cool weather plants are already at the store. Asparagus, horseradish and rhubarb roots are available as well.

Tomatoes and peppers, and other warm weather vegetable transplants will soon follow. By mid-April, we'll have most of  our vegetable transplants available for area gardens.

Hanging baskets and container gardens grown at our farm greenhouses

Of course, our farm greenhouses grow beautiful flowers, including the area's best selection of hanging baskets. Our head grower, John Miller, starts growing in late January to have healthy flower and vegetable plants available from March to the end of the year.

John Miller, our head grower

We're ready! Are you? Ready, set, grow!

Stinkbugs

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs are still here! After a super cold winter, many snowfalls and other weather events, the BMSBs have survived!

 I know because they are in my ceiling light fixtures and various other venues in and around my home and office. That telling cilantro odor clings to the air. Luckily, they're slow moving so I can pick them up and dispose of them in any number of ways. But how did they make it through this winter?

'Stinky' hanging around my computer at work

According to Dr. Stanton Gill, an University of Maryland entomologist, stink bugs have a knack for finding nice, warm spots in which to hide. Deep in loose tree bark, in the attic or hiding in a warm pile of leaves, they have managed to stay alive. As it has gotten colder in some of those spaces, they have moved into mine. Yuk!
Mike Raupp, also an entomologist with the University of Maryland, offers some advice in the following video.

The trap that Mike shows is a Rescue Stink Bug Trap. I used one last year in my vegetable garden to keep tomatoes stink bug free. The amount of the critters that crawled up the green fins to the trap was astonishing. The pheromones attract the little critters into the trap. Good for me that it is reusable; once I've emptied the trap, it is ready to go for more.

Rescue Stink Bug Trap

Once just a problem in the Mid-Atlantic region, stinkbugs have slowly spread out to much of the United States. There are insecticides available that will kill the little devils.With some vigilance in closing gaps in the home, pesticides can be used very sparingly.

Good luck putting up with these nuisance pests. Unfortunately, they may be here to stay.

February Gardening Tips

As I am writing this, it's snowing...again. The groundhog indicated that we would have 6 more weeks of winter.  Phil, I hope you're wrong.

Here are some things we can be doing inside and out to prepare for spring's arrival.


Inside

As days start to lengthen, continue to provide humidity for houseplants by using a humidifier or place plants on a large saucer atop moist pebbles. Continue to water plants when the soil surface is dry. Empty saucers of standing water. Monitor and treat for insects by removing affected laves or by spraying with insecticidal soap and horticultural oil.

Luckily, our greenhouse provides all of the humidity that help our plants thrive.

Buy seeds now to get the best selection available. Cole crops and other early spring crops like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and perennial herbs can be started now for planting outside in early April. Wait until next month to start tomatoes, peppers and other warm crops that will not be transplanted until mid-May.

Some like 'em hot!

As Amaryllis finish blooming, cut off the large flower stalk and allow the leaves to grow out. Place the plant outside after all danger of frost has passed.

Take a class on gardening. Look at the seminars offered at Valley View Farms. Check back for more classes in April and June.

Terry Freed from Peninsula Nurseries teaches us about growing fruit trees.

Outside

Be careful not to get ice melt on lawns or planting beds.

Do not walk or drive on frozen lawns as grass blades and crowns may be destroyed.

Watch for voles, especially around trees and shrubs planted last year. Stomp snow around plants to keep voles from easily tunneling through to feed on plant material.

Deer are feeding now too. Use deer repellents or fencing to avoid damage to trees and shrubs.

This has worked very well around my garden

Feed the birds. Suet and black oil sunflower seeds are favored by many winter birds.

Prune trees and shrubs that have been damaged by winter storms. Do not use pruning paint as trees properly pruned heal fine.

Apply dormant oil to fruit trees as daytime temperatures rise above 40 degrees F. Summit Horticultural Oil will suppress overwintering insects and disease on trees.

As the extremely cold temperatures of this winter fade away, many other gardening tasks should be performed. We can address other gardening tasks as we get mild weather.

In the meantime, keep warm and dry and enjoy the season.

Winter Bird Feeding

Feeding the birds is a rewarding hobby that many people started as children.Such was not the case in my own life, but, being a gardener, providing a habitat for birds and other wildlife soon became one of the goals set in my own gardening world.

Nuthatches enjoy suet cakes

Fruit bearing plants like holly, winter berry, and beauty berry, have been added to the landscape to provide late summer and fall food for the birds. Evergreen trees and shrubs have offered shelter. The yard is kept a little bit wild to leave sheltered areas for the birds and other animals. Perennials like black-eyed Susans, daisies, and ornamental grasses are not cut back until early March to allow birds to enjoy the seed heads from the plants.

Cardinals perch around the feeder during a winter snowstorm

 But, come winter as the plants are covered in snow, and the berries already foraged by the birds, supplemental feeding becomes a necessity.
Birds have a fast metabolism and look for high calorie and high fat seed and suet to help keep them fed and warm. Black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, safflower, and thistle are wonderful seeds often incorporated into mixes for cardinals, finches, juncos, nuthatches, tufted titmice, woodpeckers, and many other winter backyard birds. For people who have a squirrel problem, baffles, Squirrel Busters feeders and possibly the addition of  liquid hot pepper to the seed will thwart the little guys.

Squirrels can be as captivating as winter birds to watch as they eat food provided for them

Keep feeders clean to avoid spreading disease to the birds. Feeder Fresh is an additive that prevents mold and caking, keeping the food and the feeder clean, dry and fresh. Other house, feeder and birdbath cleaners are also available in our Wild Bird House at Valley View.

Enjoy the backyard feeders. And, take some fun photos, as Marian has done, in your own backyard.

Host a Wreath Making Party

Photo courtesy of Chesapeake Home and Living magazine

Pat Sherman started it. She ordered some soft touch wreath forms that turned out to be very easy to use. She showed some folks at Cylburn Arboretum how to make a wreath and then agreed to do the same thing here on December 7 at 3:00. Chesapeake Home and Living magazine also did an article and video featuring Pat's work.

Pat Sherman, Greens Designer

So, it was only natural that my sisters, a couple of good friends and I make wreaths. We got the forms from Valley View Farms. I picked up some winter berry and Fraser fir at the store as well. Then I went to my yard for cypress, cedar, cryptomeria, weeping Norway spruce and hemlock. Jan brought junipers with beautiful blue berries and Mary asked her neighbor if she could prune some holly from a tree. We were set.
Here are the fun photos we took afterwards. We had a blast.
Come on in on Saturday; then host your own wreath making party.

Mary

Susie

Janet

Jan

Julie

Back row-Mary, Carrie, Janet
Front row-Susie and Jan

Thanksgiving Plants

Thanksgiving decorations usually count on mums and pumpkins to be the center of attention. Gourds, Indian corn, and corn fodder make their way into the celebration , but here are some other plants that are seasonally available in November.

Thanksgiving cactus, aka known as Christmas cactus, usually bloom by mid-November, These plants are truly easy to care for as they thrive on benign neglect, often lasting for decades in the home.

Cyclamen bloom in non-traditional colors for Thanksgiving, but are terrific for adding color, especially in a cool, bright, window. With the first day of Chanukah falling on Thanksgiving this year, a white cyclamen may be the perfect gift for the holiday host.

White hydrangeas are another nontraditional choice, offering a neutral color that will transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas according to the pot in which it is displayed.

Brace yourselves! Poinsettias for Thanksgiving? They really do come in an awesome orange color. This one has been 'dressed up' for the occasion with bits of glitter.

And, Ravens fans have not been forgotten. These painted purple poinsettias may be the perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving and cheer for the home team as they face off against the Steelers on Thursday night.

Jerusalem cherries have been a hit with our greenhouse staff this year. The small, pepper-like fruits start out green then turn to yellow/orange.

Gift baskets are always fun to make up with a collection of foliage and flowering plants. Add a gourd here and there for a table centerpiece. And, as Christmas approaches, Fall color can be replaced with bright Christmas hues.

Enjoy Thanksgiving with your families. We will be closed so that we may celebrate with ours. And, know that we are thankful for your continued support of our garden center. Thank you.