September Calendar of Triangle Gardening Programs

   Swedish and German gardens are focus of the Sept. 18 program at the JC Raulston Arboretum. 
Above: Hovdala Manor Park and Orangery, Sweden. Photograph © Hovdala Slott.

NC Botanical Gardens
100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC.

http://reg.abcsignup.com/view/view_month.aspx?as=5&wp=184&aid=NCBG

Bartram’s Travels: A Book Review Discussion Sept. 4, 7-9 p.m.  An enduring classic that influenced Darwin, Thoreau, Leopold, and others, “Bartram’s Travels” tells how the Philadelphia botanist William Bartram explored the Southeast. Peruse the book on your own and then join us in imagining a landscape now gone. Fee: $15 ($10 NCBG Members). Exhibit and Symposium Opening Remarks and Reception: Contemporary Botanical Artists Explore the Bartram's Legacy Book discussion of Bartram' Travels, Sept. 4 at NCBG.  Sept. 7, 2:30-4:30 p.m. John and William Bartram modeled a way of living centered on exploration and curiosity. Woodin explains how the exhibit illuminates their natural history contributions. Reception and exhibit viewing. Free; advance registration required. Bartram as a Quaker Botanist Sept. 18, 7-8 p.m. Reeves Auditorium While in graduate school, Peter White came upon a pamphlet entitled The Quaker Botanists and learned that from the early 1600s, Quakers, including William Penn, were proponents of natural science, wildflower gardens, and conservation. White will describe John and William Bartram’s significance while also introducing other Quaker botanists including Humphries, Fothergill, Collinson, and Wistar and further speculate on why the early Quakers made good scientists. Fee: $15 ($10 NCBG Members). Sculpture in the Garden exhibition Sept. 21 - Dec. 7 Now in its 26th year, NCBG’s signature event features up to 45 large-scale sculptures created by North Carolina-based artists integrated into the Garden’s outdoor environment featuring an assortment of materials including steel, concrete, wood, marble and more. Prizes are awarded for Best in Show, Honorable Mention and People’s Choice. Come enjoy the interplay between art and nature across five acres of the Garden during its fall display. Free and open to the public. No registration required. Native Edible & Medicinal Trees of the NC Piedmont Sept. 23 - Oct.14. Tuesdays 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14 from 1- 4 p.m. Learn traditional medicinal uses and food gifts of our native trees and how to bring them into your everyday life. We’ll explore the garden, woodland trails, Coker Arboretum, and Mason Farm Biological Reserve. Tree identification, safe and sustainable harvesting, preparation, and uses will be covered in a fun, reverent, and accessible way. All levels welcome Fee: $125 ($115 NCBG Members).  The Venus flytrap is found in the bogs of the Carolinas. The World Famous Venus Flytrap Sept. 27,  2-3 p.m. The world famous Venus flytrap is found only in North and South Carolina, discovered in 1759 by North Carolina Governor Arthur Dobbs and named in 1770 by English botanist John Ellis. John and William Bartram saw Venus flytrap in the wild and William published what is thought to be the first drawing in 1767. Dr. Mellichamp will share his knowledge about the flytrap’s unique bog habitat and cultivation, adding details about other bog plants along the way. Dr. Mellichamp is Professor of Botany at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and director of the botanical gardens there. His recent books are Bizarre Botanicals and Native Plants of the Southeast. Book signing follows the presentation. Fee: $15 ($10 NCBG Members). Annual Jenny Elder Fitch Lecture, 'The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession' with Andrea Wulf, New York Times Bestselling Author Sept. 28, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wulf will tell the tale of a group of 18th century naturalists who made England into a nation of gardeners initiated by Pennsylvania farmer John Bartram’s introduction of American trees and shrubs to the English landscape. Wulf explores the botanical passions, obsessions, friendships, and squabbles that knitted the lives of six men set against the backdrop of the emerging British Empire and America's magnificent forests. Born in India and now residing in Great Britain, Wulf is author of The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession (2010 American Horticultural Society Book Award-winner) and Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation, a New York Times best seller. Free; advance registration required From Plant to Illustration: Botanical Illustration at the North Carolina Botanical Garden Sept. 30, 12-1 p.m. Bring your lunch and join us for a free lecture! The NCBG Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate Program teaches how to accurately depict plants in the artistic tradition of botanical illustration. Core Curriculum instructor Patricia Savage takes us from appreciation and observation through the work an artist does to produce a botanical illustration. Free; advanced registration required.

 JC Raulston Arboretum

Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum
4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC.

http://jcra.ncsu.edu.

Plantsmen's Tour:  "Vines"
Sept. 2, 9–10:30 a.m. & 6–7:30 p.m.

Mark Weathington, Assistant Director and Curator of Collections. 

Free for members, $5.00 for nonmembers.

Friends of the Arboretum Lecture:  "The Land of Tall Blondes and Weiner Schnitzel—A Horticultural Exploration to the Gardens of Germany and Sweden"
Sept. 18, 7:30-9 p.m.

Tony Avent, Plant Delights Nursery at Juniper Level Botanic Garden.
Free for Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum members, NC State University students (with ID), and Department of Horticultural Science faculty and staff, all others $5.00.
 
North American Rock Garden Society (Piedmont Chapter) Lecture:  "Lesser-known Native Plants of the Southeast"
Sept. 27, 10 a.m.
Larry Mellichamp, UNC-Charlotte.



Autumn Festival in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum, Sept. 28 at Duke Gardens. A traditional Japanese Tea Gathering in the Durham-Toyama Sister Cities Japanese Pavilion. Photo by Jon Gardiner, Duke Photography.
 

Sarah P. Duke Gardens
420 Anderson St., Durham, NC.
http://gardens.duke.edu/events.  Please call 919-668-1707 to register.

Extension Gardener Series: Turf
Sept. 4, 6:30-8 p.m.
Charles Murphy, Master Gardener volunteer.
Grass is one of the most difficult plants to grow in our area, and many of us struggle to achieve a beautiful lawn. Extension Master Gardener Charles Murphy will discuss optimal lawn care for our Piedmont climate and soil. He will introduce you to the best maintenance methods and untangle the confusing range of lawn care products. This class is part of the Extension Gardener Series with Durham County Master Gardeners, sponsored in partnership with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service: Durham County Center. Free drop-in event. No parking fees after 5 p.m.

Plants of Distinction: Gorgeous Grasses

Sept. 9, 2:30-4 p.m.

Michael Owens, curator of Duke Gardens’ Historic Gardens.

Learn about spectacular plants that offer both beauty and functionality. Sign up separately for each session to learn a new group of beautiful and useful plants, or take all four sections. Fee $7; Gardens members $5. All four Plants of Distinction classes: $24; Gardens members $16.

Seeds of the Future

Sept. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Something as simple as saving seeds from heirloom plants helps to protect our future. Each seed is a reservoir of genetic diversity, giving our food and ornamental plants broad adaptations to a variety of conditions. Sara will work with you to discuss the process of seed harvesting, methods to save seeds and how to grow them for the next season. Each participant will harvest some heirloom seeds to take home. Fee: $15; Gardens members $12.

 

Durham Garden Forum: Bulbs in the Landscape

Sept. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.

Fall is the time to plan and plant for next spring’s bulb displays. Lee Ivey, a horticulture instructor at N.C. State University, will introduce us to new bulb selections and give a few suggestions for planting combinations.
Forum members free with annual membership; $10 per meeting for non-members payable to the Durham Garden Forum. For membership information, please email durhamgardenforum@gmail.com. No pre-registration necessary. Parking is free.

Extension Gardener Series: Rain Gardens

Sept. 25, 6:30-8 p.m.

A rain garden allows water to percolate down into the ground slowly, recharging your ground water and minimizing the amount of soil and fertilizer that would otherwise be lost through runoff. Explore the beauty and functionality of rain gardens with Georganne Sebastian and Darcey Martin, Extension Master Gardener volunteers. They will discuss the where, why, how and wow of water conservation through residential rain gardens.
Sponsored in partnership with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service: Durham County Center.
Free drop-in event. Free parking after 5 p.m. Registration requested at 919-668-1707 or gardenseducation@duke.edu.

Autumn Festival in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum

Sept. 28, 12-3 p.m.

Join us in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum for activities and demonstrations of arts, crafts and cultural celebrations from Asia. Learn to write haiku poetry, fold origami figures, and enjoy Japanese storytelling, martial arts displays, artists demonstrating traditional art techniques, and cultural performances from the region.
Timed tickets will be issued at the Durham-Toyama Sister Cities Teahouse for limited, small groups to experience a brief tea sampling; plan to go there first to pick up your ticket. Sponsored in partnership with Duke University Asian/Pacific Studies Institute.
Free drop-in activities for all ages; adult chaperone required. Activities include:
• Haiku
• Origami
• Martial arts demonstrations
• Kamishibai storytelling
• Tea gatherings at the Durham Toyama Sister Cities Tea Pavilion
• Traditional drumming demonstrations
Location: The W.L. Culberson Asiatic Arboretum; please follow signs to each activity.
Free drop-in event. Parking fees apply.

Rescue Your Fescue and Other Cool Season Grasses, Sept. - Feb.

Cool season turf may require fertilizing around three American holidays: 
Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day.

Cool season grasses like tall fescue, fine fescue and Kentucky bluegrass require fertilizing, aerating, reseeding, weed control and other maintenance beginning in September.

Here is a simple calendar by the NCSU Turffiles website. http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/Maintenance_Calendars.aspx#004377

September through November

Mowing: Mow to 2 1/2 to 3 inches in height.

Fertilization: Fertilize once in September and once in November. Have your soil tested. Ask your county Cooperative Extension agent about a free soil test. Then apply the nutrient your lawn needs. If you don't test, apply a complete nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) turf-grade fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio (that is, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8). Fertilize with 1 pound of actual nitrogen (N) per 1,000 square feet in mid-September and again in November (about the time the grass is green but not actively growing). You need to apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, so how much fertilizer do you need to buy? Divide 100 by the FIRST number of the fertilizer bag. (The first number always represents nitrogen content.) For example, if you've got a 10-10-10 fertilizer, divide 100 by 10 and you get 10. That means you need to buy 10 pounds of fertilizer for every 1,000 square feet of lawn.

Aerification: Core lawns subject to heavy traffic or on clay soils to minimize compaction and improve rooting. Break up plugs.

Insect Control: Check for white grubs in September and October; fall is the ideal time to control white grubs. (See White Grubs in Turf, ENT/ORT-67, AG-366.)

Weed Control: Apply broadleaf herbicides to control broadleaf weeds like chickweed, henbit, and other weeds as necessary. Caution: Some herbicides may affect newly seeded turf. Follow label directions.

Watering: This turfgrass blend needs 1 to 1 1/4 inches of water every week, ideally all at once. A dark bluish-gray color and wilted, folded, or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water. Water until the soil is wet to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Use a screwdriver or similar implement to check. Sandy soils require more frequent watering (about inch of water every third day). Because clay soils accept water slowly, irrigate just until runoff occurs, wait until the water has been absorbed, and begin watering again. Continue until the desired depth or amount is applied. Proper irrigation may prevent or reduce problems later in the summer. Watering between 2 and 8 a.m. decreases the incidence of certain diseases.

December through February

Mowing: Mow to 3 inches and remove leaves and other debris.

Fertilization: Fertilize with 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in February.

Aeration: Delay aeration until fall.

Weed Control: Apply broadleaf herbicides as necessary for control of chickweed, henbit, or other weeds.

Watering: This turfgrass blend needs 1 to 1 1/4 inches of water every week, ideally all at once. A dark bluish-gray color and wilted, folded, or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water. Water until the soil is wet to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Use a screwdriver or similar implement to check. Sandy soils require more frequent watering (about 1/2 inch of water every third day). Because clay soils accept water slowly, irrigate just until runoff occurs, wait until the water has been absorbed, and begin watering again. Continue until the desired depth or amount is applied. Proper irrigation may prevent or reduce problems later in the summer. Watering between 2 and 8 a.m. decreases the incidence of certain diseases. 

Book Review: Ortho's Home Gardener's Problem Solver

Hands down THE BEST pictorial reference guide for all of your gardening problems! Organized by plant type and with a section for common bugs. Simply flip to the page(s) of your affected plant and scan the list of possible problems, each description containing close-up photography and problem analysis and possible solutions.

Publisher: Ortho Books (March 1, 2001)
ISBN-10: 0897214706
ISBN-13: 978-0897214704
Paperback: 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly...

 

For years, gardeners and nursery folks have turned to The Ortho Problem Solver for advice in diagnosing and combating plant ailments. Now a new smaller yet comprehensive version of that ponderous reference tool is available for the home gardener. This book, with its multiple detailed charts and illustrations, shows gardeners how to diagnose problems and cope with or eliminate them, then recommends what long-term changes gardeners can make in how they care for a particular plant to prevent a recurrence. Not surprisingly, among the most commonly recommended solutions are chemical ones, specifically the use of Ortho products, whereas organic and nontoxic treatment methods are conspicuously absent.

 

This well-organized, clearly presented tome includes every conceivable problem affecting all types of indoor and outdoor specific to diverse geographic regions plants, with similar symptoms grouped together for ease of use. Of particular interest, enabling gardeners to plant wisely, are the various appendixes, including those that list which plants are most susceptible to specific diseases and which are most resistant to such problems. (Mar. 1) Forecast: Devoted gardeners who have relied on Ortho books in the past will find this new one extremely useful. Organic gardeners, however, will probably pass this one over, for it promotes only chemically based pest control.

Garden Spotlight: Powis Castle, Wales

Add Powis Castle to your next UK travel itinerary for its gorgeous Italianate gardens of Welsh native plants. The castle, originally built circa 1200, began life as a medieval fortress. Remodelled and embellished over more than 400 years, it reflects the changing needs and ambitions of the Herbert family - each generation adding to the magnificent collection of paintings, sculpture, furniture and tapestries.
See more on Powis Castle at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle/ and http://www.victoriamag.com/historic-powis-castle-gardens/. Photo by the National Trust.

Powis Castle, Wales. Photo by Andrew Butler.