Unique Holiday Gifts for Gardeners

by Ray Novitske, Fairfax Master Gardener
It can be difficult selecting a holiday gift for us gardeners. We have almost everything we need or want, and it may be difficult to guess what a gardener may appreciate. This is our annual list of unique gift ideas for the gardeners on your shopping list

Melon Squash Cradles
By elevating cantaloupes, honeydews, small watermelons and squash up off the ground, these ingenious 8-inch diameter (20 cm) cradles allow air to circulate, promoting even ripening, minimizing rot and slug damage. If you’ve been disappointed by misshapen melons and squash resting on the ground as they grow, these cradles are for you! Each long-lasting and reusable cradle supports a fruit weighing up to 8 pounds (3.5 kg) — install as soon as the fruit is large enough to rest on the ground.
Gardener’s Supply Company
$13.99 for set of 8

Solar Illuminated Planter
By day, this 11-inch by 11-inch (30 by 30 cm) container is an elegant, frosted white planter. At dusk, the show begins as it illuminates from within from its solar-powered battery. An easy-to-reach switch on the solar panel lets you choose color-changing or select one color. 18 LEDs glow for 6 to 8 hours on a full charge. The solar panel is mounted on a 10 foot (3 m) cable so you can place it in full sun and display the planter in shade.
Gardener’s Supply Company
$99.99

Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit
Grow your own shiitake mushrooms with their earthy, smoky flavor. The providers salvage recently felled trees and plant organic spores inside. Soak the wood, keep it in a damp, cool, dark place, and in about six weeks you’ll be in shiitake heaven. Re-soak and harvest every six weeks or so for up to three years.
Uncommon Goods
$30.00

Cedar Bark Tape
This 32-foot (10 m) long roll of Cryptomeria cedar bark shingles, is threaded together and used for wrapping and protecting tree trunks. It can disguise the protective tape around tree trunks, ugly posts and pillars that may need camouflaging, providing a natural woody bark appearance.
Niwaki
$34.50

Tall Tomato Cages
Heavy-duty, powder-coated steel Tomato Towers are much taller and stronger than old-fashioned cone-shaped supports, ready to support your biggest tomato plants. The towers support plants on all sides (no tying needed) and keep plants up off the ground for better air circulation, cleaner fruit and fewer diseases. Large openings make harvesting easy, and the towers fold flat for off-season storage. 53″ high (130 cm) installed.
Gardener’s Supply Company
$59.99 for set of 2

Small Scissors with Walnut Handles
Crafted from stainless steel and walnut, these scissors with walnut Handles feature a comfortable, ambidextrous grip and make a durable addition to any gardening toolkit. The large ergonomic handles make them easy to control for those delicate cuttings of flowers and vegetables. Blades are rust-resistant stainless steel.
Rejuvenation
$25.00

Hummingbird Watering Can
Made with recycled metal, this can shimmers with vibrant shades of green and red. The hummingbird’s long beak acts as the spout; simply fill and pour. The small size is perfect for use in watering your indoor plants. You can leave out when not in use to display as a part of your decor.
Uncommon Goods
$48.00

What To Do with the Pumpkins Now

by Kathleen Curthoys, Fairfax Master Gardener
They’ve been celebrities for a few autumn weeks of fame. The ones we lit up for the October festivities — the jack-o’-lanterns — are still grinning at us. What happens now that it’s November? How can we bear to be rid of these beguiling smiling gourds after all the October fun?

We have to do something, and after all, who wants to be that guy stringing Christmas lights while last month’s pumpkins rot in the garden? Or wondering why a vine with suspiciously huge leaves popped up from the lawn in the spring? It happens. So what do we do with all these pumpkins?

When asked by a TV reporter why so many people gathered at an annual Delaware event to dispose of pumpkins in ingenious ways, to include huge catapults hurling them across fields, a participant replied, “Sometimes you just have too much of a certain vegetable.”

For most of us, it shouldn’t take medieval battle machinery and degrees in engineering to solve this. Throwing the pumpkins in the garbage is easy, but piles of them in landfills will decompose and emit the greenhouse gas methane.

Composting is a good solution to get the benefit from the nutritious pumpkins, or other organic matter, in your garden for future years. If you have used decorating materials on the pumpkin, be sure they are nontoxic before composting. Remove the seeds if you haven’t already. Chop up the pumpkins with a shovel to help speed decomposition, and then work the pieces into the compost pile.

You can use the seeds from fresh, healthy pumpkins in your garden next year, though be mindful that because the pumpkin may have been cross-pollinated, the pumpkins (members of the Cucurbitaceae family) you grow from the seeds next year may not look like the pumpkin you have now. Shapes, colors and sizes may be different.

Remove them from the pumpkin and wash with warm soapy water until pulp is removed. If carving the pumpkin for decoration, promptly save, clean and store the seeds, keeping them away from other materials used for decoration. Drain seeds in a strainer, then spread them out on a screen to dry, turning them over after a couple of days. Let them air dry in a cool, dry place for at least three weeks. When they are dry, package them in paper (not plastic) and store them in a cool, dark, dry place.

To grow pumpkins from seed in the spring: You can sow seeds indoors in small 3-inch containers three weeks before planting time around mid-May. When seedlings emerge, pinch out the weaker ones. You can also plant seeds outside in the spring after danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up to more than 55 degrees F (12º C) consistently. Mix compost into the soil before planting seeds outdoors in a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day and preferably 8 to 10 hours of sunlight. Plant seeds about ½-inch deep (10 mm) in the soil.

Carefully consider what pumpkin you use for eating. Carved pumpkins should not be consumed, as bacteria will grow on cut pumpkin, which could present a health danger even within a few hours after carving. In addition, if outdoors, jack-o’-lanterns will be exposed to potential contaminants and outdoor creatures. These larger pumpkins may be stringy and not great for eating, anyway. Good choices for eating are fresh, healthy “pie pumpkin” or “sweet pumpkin” types, which are smaller and sweeter than jack-o’-lantern pumpkins. Pumpkins can be cooked or baked and eaten if no toxic materials have been used on or inside them.

They are a good low-calorie, low-fat source of fiber, beta-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein and iron. They can be used for stews, soups, purees, pies and other dishes. Pumpkin seeds can be toasted or roasted for snacks, as well, or added to many types of recipes. If pumpkins have not been carved and skin is intact, they may be stored indoors and stay edible for weeks or months. It is recommended to store pumpkins in a dry area that stays between 50 and 55 degrees F (10 -12º C).

As with other uses of pumpkins, be sure there are no toxic materials such as paint present before setting pumpkin out for wildlife such as deer or feeding it to livestock or pets. You can chop up pumpkins and set the pieces out in the woods for native wildlife to feast on during the cold months. The pumpkins can also be chopped up or pureed to add to pet food.

You can turn your pumpkin into a feeding station for birds. The National Wildlife Federation has kid-friendly instructions for making “Snack-o’-lanterns”: Using a hollowed-out pumpkin, poke small holes in the front, back and sides. Push dowels through the holes in the pumpkin, then tie pieces of rope, twine or string to the ends of the dowels. Tie the loose ends together above the pumpkin so you can hang it. Fill the pumpkin with birdseed or pumpkin seeds, then hang it outside where the birds can get to it. This would be something fun to do with your kids to teach them more about recycling and reusing organic materials.

Local farms, zoos and shelters may take fresh pumpkins to feed their animals. For example, Pumpkins for Pigs, a Virginia-based 501(c)(3) organization, exists to put your nutritious pumpkins in the hands of farmers to feed their pigs and other animals. The Pumpkins for Pigs website lists more than 500 farms in 40 states that would like to treat their animals to donated pumpkins. An interactive map lists farmers, their contact information, drop-off instructions and what they accept — including other gourds, fruits, vegetables, Christmas trees, hay, etc.

If you have space on your property and feel adventurous, you may want to consider letting the pumpkin decompose in place and see what “volunteers” sprout up next year, allowing a pumpkin patch to get established. This may be especially fun for kids, who can watch the pumpkin plants grow and mature for the next season’s gourds.

Resources
• Horticulture expert shares best ways to preserve pumpkins throughout the season, Sarah Hern,
   Virginia Tech News
• Growing Pumpkins in a Home Garden, University of Maryland Extension
• Saving Gourd and Pumpkin Seeds, Karen Blaedow, Henderson County Center, North Carolina
   Cooperative Extension
• Make a Snack-o’-lantern, National Wildlife Federation Green Hour
• Pumpkins for Pigs
• Dealing with pumpkins after Halloween: Debunking social media advice, Christopher Enroth, Illinois
   Extension

Where Have All the Fireflies Gone?

by Kathleen Curthoys, Fairfax Master Gardener
On June evenings, as twilight deepened to darkness in the wood line behind my house, the fireflies would rise to dance, seemingly thousands in a nighttime revelry, whirling, winking, blinking into the summer night.

But that marvelous scene was years ago. The summer dance has dwindled. The sparkling theater of the wood line no longer appears to have even hundreds of the beetle revelers. Half a continent away, in a midwestern stand of woods with a path my family had dubbed Firefly Lane, the namesake stars of the show seem to have mostly left the stage.

Where have they gone?

Reports of fireflies diminishing and dwindling have become common in recent years. Anecdotal stories have led to scientific surveys that indicate their numbers are declining. The studies show that it’s not our imagination; our favorite childhood “bugs” are beset with threats, and some species are endangered.

A scientific study published in 2022 assessed some firefly populations around the world and found they face several factors working against them. In regions globally, loss of habitat, artificial light at night and use of pesticides were found to be three of the most serious threats to fireflies. Water pollution, soil pollution, climate and tourism also play a role.

In the eastern U.S., the study found the primary threats are, in order: habitat loss, pesticide use, light pollution and water pollution.

Habitat loss and degradation can range from residential and commercial development to agricultural activity and work in home gardens. Female fireflies tend to lay eggs in moist areas and wetlands. Woodland debris and leaf litter can provide moisture and a suitable environment for the larvae, which may be underground for two years before they emerge as adults. Larvae and adults may be present at ground level, where garden activity such as mowing and tilling can be disruptive to them.

Artificial light at night was cited as the second most serious threat globally, after habitat loss. As male fireflies flash their bioluminescent courtship signals, artificial light may interfere with the females receiving the message and replying with their own signals. This in turn can interfere with reproductive behavior and increase risk of extinction.

Photinus pyralis

An experiment in Virginia on the effect of artificial light on fireflies found that light pollution reduced courtship behavior and mating success for the most common firefly species in our area, Photinus pyralis. The effect may vary from one species to another, studies show.

LED bulbs in particular may be a factor. “LED bulbs emit light at all wavelengths, like sunlight, and this type of light may be more disruptive to nocturnal wildlife than the older outdoor light bulbs, such as sodium streetlights, which emit light at fewer spectral wavelengths,” said University of Virginia environmental sciences professor Kyle Haynes in an article on artificial light and fireflies. “The new bulbs are more energy-efficient, but unfortunately may be disruptive to organisms.”

Insecticides used against other dwellers in the lawn and garden may also affect fireflies. Eggs and larvae may be exposed to concentrations of chemicals in water or soil and on lawns. Adults may encounter them while on foliage or soil. Using insecticides such as pyrethroids to control mosquitoes may affect fireflies, especially if used at dusk when fireflies may be active.

Pyractomena dispersa

In a 2022 study focused on the status of fireflies in the U.S. and Canada, of 132 species assessed, 14 percent (18) were found to be threatened with extinction, categorized as either critically endangered (1), endangered (10) or vulnerable (7). Given that data was not available for another 70 species to determine their status, the scientists estimate the potential for nearly a third of species to be under threat of extinction.

Species listed as a conservation concern in Virginia are: Photuris patomaca, Pyractomena dispersa, Pyractomena lucifer and Pyractomena marginalis.

In our area, Photinus pyralis is the most common species. While it was not listed as endangered, it may still be affected by risk factors of habitat loss, light at night and pollution.

Why should we be concerned about fireflies?

These beetles of the family Lampyridae are predators. When they’re out at night, they’re not just looking for love. They want a meal, too. They scan the garden menu for slugs, snails, cutworms and other soil dwellers. When it comes to pest control, they can be the gardener’s friend.

How you can invite them back?

Fireflies prefer wooded areas to lawns. Consider leaving wood and leaf debris in lower-traffic areas such as wood lines. Grass allowed to grow tall can help keep moisture in the soil. This will promote a habitat for female fireflies to lay their eggs.

Check out your lighting at night and see if you can reduce it to avoid interfering with fireflies’ ability to communicate with each other and mate. Some measures to consider: installing shields on porch lights, closing curtains at night, putting lights on timers and limiting landscape lights and LED floodlights.

Instead of using broad-spectrum insecticides that kill a wide range of creatures, use organic means for controlling insects or choose less-toxic insecticides. Limit use of insecticides to specific problems and target areas where they are needed.

Communities may consider limiting bright lights at night in their areas.

Giving fireflies their kind of theater stage will let their summers of dancing in the dark go on and on.

Resources
• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
• Firefly Watch Community Science Project
• International Dark-Sky Association
• Global Perspective on Firefly Extinction Threats, Sara M. Lewis, Tufts University, et al., via BioScience
• Researchers study effects of artificial light on fireflies, Fariss Samarrai, University of Virginia, phys.org
• Night-lights: Light pollution impacts on fireflies and arthropod communities, Ariel Lee Firebaugh,
   University of Virginia
• Firefly Species at Risk, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
• Keep The Fireflies Burning, Ray Novitske, Fairfax Gardening
• Evaluating firefly extinction risk: Initial red list assessments for North America, Candace E. Fallon,
   et.al. National Library of Medicine

Flummoxed by Phlox

by Ray Novitske, Fairfax Master Gardener

Garden Phlox

I planted ‘Miss Lingard’ in the side garden near the path to the backyard. As a white phlox perennial, she grew well for almost a decade and then passed a few years ago after contracting a bad case of powdery mildew. That year, the disease also completely wiped out the woodland phlox in my backyard, but that one is coming back this year!

My sun-loving ‘Miss Lingard’ was a phlox. Those ground cover carpets of pink and lavender that we see around town in spring are phlox. The low height, light shade woodland phlox with its blue flowers is also a member of the family. Let’s separate these phlox types out and eliminate any confusion.

Garden phlox ‘Jeana’

Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), also called fall phlox, summer phlox and tall phlox, grows about 3 to 4 feet tall (1 to 1.2 m). The fragrant flowers are what attracted me to the summer-blooming perennial, especially because they release most of their sweet scent in early evening. They need full sun to part shade, and love fertile, well-drained soils. The clusters of flowers are frequently pink, lavender, white or magenta depending on the cultivar, with the red colors known for attracting hummingbirds. Some recently-introduced cultivars feature variegated colors.

The biggest threat to these phlox is powdery mildew. Minimize the problem by providing good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering. The white-blooming cultivar ‘David’ is known to resist powdery mildew better than others, with newer cultivars now also providing some protection. A few more popular cultivars include ‘Franz Schubert,’ ‘Bright Eyes’ and ‘Lord Clayton.’ I have a new cultivar, ‘Jeana,’ which I have found to be very tough. It blooms in late summer with smaller flowers in the clusters atop 30-inch high (75 cm) stems.

Woodland phlox

I picked up my woodland phlox at a plant sale, after it shouted to me that it was an eastern woodland native. True, Phlox divaricata is a native, but there are also cultivars in the market, and I really don’t know what type my woodland phlox is. As stated, it succumbed to powdery mildew one year and disappeared along with my garden phlox. (It must have been a cool damp spring that year.) I thought I saw a few leaves appear last summer and gave it a lot of attention and care, but I was unsure if I was encouraging the woodland phlox that disappeared or a weed. It began to rise from the dead this spring. A small clump has reappeared along with the slightly fragrant blue flowers to bring some happiness to my light shade garden once again.

This spring blooming perennial prefers shaded or lightly dappled shade and is often found growing around stream banks in the eastern U.S. Woodland phlox spreads slowly from underground runners which produce flowers the following year. The five-petal blue flowers are similar to those of the garden phlox but are not as tightly packed into a solid cluster. They grow shorter, into a 12 to 15 inch (30 to 40 cm) high loose mound that acts like a ground cover the remainder of the year when not blooming. Popular cultivars include ‘Blue Moon,’ ‘Clouds of Perfume’ and ‘Fuller’s White.’

Phlox stolonifera

Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) blooms in mid-spring by forming dense carpets of flowers on plants only 6 to 8 inches high (15 to 20 cm). This phlox is native to the Appalachian mountains and prefers full sun to part shade with moist, slightly acidic soils. As its botanical name implies, it spreads by underground stolons. The hardy native is drought tolerant and is a good candidate for rock gardens and sloping areas, producing covers of flowers in pinks, whites and lavenders.

Moss phlox (Phlox subulata) is sometimes confused with creeping phlox since both are low growing and produce similar colors covering the ground. The moss phlox foliage forms dense moss-like cushions of green after blooming and is very drought-tolerant. The profusion of flowers carpets the plant in spring — flowers like most phlox that contain five petals held above the low growing foliage.

Moss phlox, Phlox subulata

Moss phlox is a native found in sandy areas and prefers moist, humus soils and clear openings in full sun on hot humid days. But, it sometimes dries out without sufficient water and disappears in the heat of summer only to pleasantly return and bloom again next spring. The older portions of a plant may thin out while the perimeter section containing new growth becomes more vigorous. The good news with moss phlox is that it is resistant to powdery mildew, unlike the other phlox species, and is not very appetizing to deer.

If considering a native flowering perennial for your garden, consider an often-overlooked phlox. The newer cultivars, although not true natives, offer some protection against the dreaded powdery mildew that phlox are known for getting. With the different species and new cultivars, you can find a phlox suitable for any type of environment and condition.

References
Phlox paniculata, North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Tall Garden Phlox, University of Minnesota Extension
Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata, Wisconsin Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Phlox stolonifera, Missouri Botanical Garden
About Moss Phlox, University of Maryland Extension
Phlox, Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center