Spring Download: Important Information YOU Need to Know!!

Oh my, So Much to share! Here we go:

#1: In a brief conversation with the Reston Farmers Market Market Master (That is a mouthful, isn't it?!) John Lovaas this week, he told me we will have two new vendors: one certified organic farmer with produce and fruit, The Farm at Sunnyside, and a FRESH seafood vendor, Arnest Seafood! Isn't that exciting?!

Ranked as the #1 Farmers Market in all of Fairfax County, we are proud of the quality of our vendors! The market opens on May 4 at 8:00. I will be there at the Master Gardener Table at 9:00-12:00, so please stop by and say hello!!

#2: Not sure if you plant impatiens in your shady gardens but last year we had an explosion of a nearly incurable disease. The plants arrived with and spread Downy Mildew, which came from greenhouse production. In fact, the first case of diagnosed Downy Mildew in Fairfax County came into the Reston Farmers Market to the Master Gardener Table last year.

The bad news for 2013: you are going to find it VERY difficult to locate Impatiens walleriana this year!!! The result: growers are not going to be growing them and the garden centers will not be selling them. The long term effect: you won't be able to find them for 2-5 YEARS!!  The reason: the Downy Mildew spores travel through watering your plants and on the wind. This disease is very plant-specific and will not affect other plants; however, it lives on in the soil for an unknown number of years.

Let the grieving begin.

#3: Garlic Mustard Contest through Reston Association. Today, walking my pooch on the Cross County Trail, I saw some Garlic Mustard. I decided to pull it up because I know it is an invasive plant and because RA is having a contest to see how much they can actually remove from our public spaces BEFORE it goes to seed this year! The soil is pliable and the seedlings pulled up easily.

If you are not sure what it looks out, please take a look at the photos I have attached. The plant has a tap root, which means its roots are not fibrous and difficult to remove from the soil.

I hope you take the opportunity to look for these plants on your walks to see if you can locate any of this weed. Expose your children to the joys of springtime by showing them how to have a positive effect on their own environment! I bet you and they kids will enjoy it!!

On May 4, bring your collection of Garlic Mustard plants to the Walker Nature Center to be weighed by RA staff.

#4: 1st Annual Reston Plant Swap: I am still in the process of coordinating a location for a Plant Swap! I believe it will be the last weekend of April, Sat or Sun depending on the availability of a parking lot to have the event.

SO, if you have some plants that need to be divided, thinned, removed from your garden, please start thinking about participating in this event! This will allow someone else to fill a void in their garden and you will have the opportunity to open space to try something new also!

Will update this community event as soon as I can get it confirmed! I hope to see some of YOU there whenever it is set for!

#5: Go out and plant your Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Carrots, Radish, Kale, Cabbage and Potatoes!! More veggie advice soon.

Thanks for reading!!

Molly