Turnip News

Master Gardeners Prince William

March 2017

Editors: Rebecca Arvin-Colón Maria Stewart

Notice on Emeritus Master Gardener Volunteers

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Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings - At a Glance

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Teaching Garden Workdays Starting! 4

MGPW Social Committee - Caring for Orchids

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Greener Gardens: One Step at a Time with Barbara W. Ellis

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Possum Point Power Station Coal Ash Issue

7-10

2017 Sustainable Vegetable Gardening Series

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Orchids: A Moment 12

Master Gardener Photo Directory 13

VCE- Prince William Drinking Water Clinic

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Get to Know a Critter 17

PUZZLER 18

Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings

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Lab Girl - A Book Review 11

Compost Awareness Day 15

MGPW Education Committee - Irises 16

Inside this issue: MG President’s Message FEEDBACK. One of the suggestions made on the 2016 Feed-back questionnaire was that MGPW should have more social activities. Nancy Berlin and a fine group of volunteers took on the challenge, established a Social Committee and coordinated several successful social activities last year. They continue their outstanding work into this year. Below is a note from Eileen Murphy, our Social Committee Chair, that describes some of the background and the way ahead. Thanks ladies!

-Larry Lehowicz, President, MGPW, president@mgpw.org

MGPW Social Committee The Master Gardeners Prince William Social Committee was formed as a result of a voiced need by Master Gardeners dur-ing the Recertification Meeting in March 2016 for more social activities during the year.

Master Gardeners Wendy MacDonald, Tina Chappell, and Eileen Murphy answered Nancy Berlin’s volunteer call and the Social Committee was formed. A list of proposed events and additional ideas sparked enthusiasm among them

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to schedule two events in 2016. An on-line survey of member preferences during the summer provided additional suggestions that were added to the list.

On August 27, a Hypertufa Workshop featuring Nancy Berlin and Jeanne Couch was held at the Teaching Garden at Linton Hall, and on October 21 registered members and friends toured the Virginia Arboretum at Blandy Farm in Boyce, Virginia with Director of Public Programs, Steve Carroll. Both events were filled to capacity and were well received by our Master Gardeners. More social events were requested.

The Social Committee met again on December 16, 2016 to plan the slate of activities for 2017. While the June and September activities are still in the planning stages, you may want to mark your calendars for:

March 23, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Orchid Workshop featuring Master Gardeners Jean Bennett, Susan Bruns, and Jennifer Graham at Room 202 A/B of the Development Services Building, 5 County Complex Court, Woodbridge, VA 22192.

June 9, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens and Lunch in Richmond, VA.

Sept. 22 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fall Equinox Pot Luck Garden Party at the Teaching Garden, (Rain Date: Sept. 29) Linton Hall Road, Bristow, VA.

If you have a suggestion or idea for a future social event, please contact a member of the Social Committee or Nancy Berlin.

-Eileen M. Murphy, MGPW, Chair, Social Committee

Notice on Emeritus Master Gardener Volunteers from Master Gardeners Prince William

The policy for “Emeritus” status from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners’ Coordinator manual is as follows:

“A dedicated VCE-MG who ‘retires’ due to health or other reasons after 1,000 hours of service (determined by the coordinator) is considered Emeritus status. Emeritus status is an honor and has limited use. The title is specifically for individuals who can no longer complete the require-

ments for remaining active Master Gardener Volunteers, but would like to have continued affilia-tion with VCE. While each case is unique, in general, Emeritus Volunteers are still able to attend meetings, volunteer, and are kept on the mailing list for newsletters and email notifications. They

will receive special recognition at the annual Recertification meeting. Emeritus Volunteers contribute wisdom and continuity, and are highly valued volunteers.”

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Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings - At A Glance

March SATURDAY 11

SNOW DATE: Basics of

Gardening TUESDAY 7

Recertification

TUESDAY 14 Teaching MGPW Board Meeting

SATURDAY 18 Sustainable Vegetable Gardening

SATURDAY 25 Sustainable Vegetable Gardening

MONDAY 27 Drinking Water Clinic Kick-off

THURSDAY 23 Caring for

Orchids

April TUESDAY 4

Clinic Training SATURDAY 29

Compost Awareness Day

SATURDAY 1 Gardening in the

Valley Symposium

June SATURDAY 3

SAVE THE DATE: Irises: Culture and Care in the

Integrated Landscape

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Teaching Garden Workdays Starting Tuesday, March 14!

Here’s the full schedule for the season:

March Every Tuesday starting the 14th, 9:00 a.m. - noon (14th, 21st, 28th)

Saturday March 25th 8:00 a.m. - noon

April Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon

(4th, 11th, 18th, 25th) Every Thursday 6:00 p.m. - dusk

(6th, 13th, 20th, 27th) Saturday, 15th and 29th, 8:00 a.m. - noon

May

Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th)

Every Thursday 6:00 p.m. - dusk (4th, 11th, 18th, 25th)

Saturday, 6th and 27th, 8:00 a.m. - noon

June Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon

(6th, 13th, 20th, 27th) Every Thursday 6:00 p.m. - dusk

(1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th) Saturday, 10th, 8:00 a.m. - noon

July Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon

(11th, 18th, 25th) Every Thursday 6:00 p.m. - dusk

(6th, 13th, 20th, 27th) Saturday, 8th, 8:00 a.m. - noon

August

Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon (1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th)

Every Thursday 6:00 p.m. - dusk (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st)

Saturday, 12th, 8:00 a.m. - noon

September Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon

(5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) Every Thursday 6:00 p.m. - dusk

(7th, 14th, 21st, 28th) Saturday, 2nd, 8:00 a.m. - noon

October

Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st)

Saturday, 14th, 8:00 a.m. - noon

November Every Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - noon

(7th, 14th)

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MGPW Social Committee Presents a Master Gardener Social Event and Class!

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Greener Gardens: One Step at a Time with Barbara W. Ellis

by Maria Stewart, photos by Maria Stewart

O n February 12th, Barbara W. Ellis, author of Chesapeake Gardening & Landscaping The Essential Green Guide presented Greener Gardens: One Step at a Time to a full crowd at the Manassas Park Community Center. The event was sponsored by the Prince William

Wildflower Society with support from Prince William Conservation Alliance, and Prince William Master Gardeners. In case you missed it, here are just a few highlights...

Ms. Ellis promotes six principles any gardener can implement in order to create a greener garden. 1.) Reduce Lawn

2.) Build Plant Diversity 3.) Include Native Plants 4.) Manage Water 5.) Welcome Wildlife 6.) Garden Wisely

Ms. Ellis encouraged us to take at least one small step - even a small step can make a difference for a better environment!

Barbara W. Ellis signing copies of her book, Chesapeake Gardening & Landscaping

The Essential Green Guide

Follow Ms. Ellis’s blog: https://

easternshoregarden-er.com/

photos of Ms. Ellis’s lecture slides showing lawn reduction

1st step to Reduce Lawn: How much lawn do you need? Eliminate lawns on slopes and awkward places.

You don’t need a huge yard to Build Plant Diversity which

helps wildlife and creates a more resilient landscape.

Incorporate Native Plants since insects are particular

about what they eat, and in-sects are critical to birds’

survival. Visit Mt. Cuba for inspiration. (see Feb. 2017 Turnip News for Mt. Cuba article at MGPW.org under

News)

Be sure to Manage Water to keep water in the landscape

for plants, and reduce pollutant and debris runoff.

Welcome Wildlife by providing food, water, cover, and sites for

roosting and nesting.

Garden Wisely by planting for the space you

have, not the space you wish you had.

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Possum Point Power Station Coal Ash Issue by Larry Lehowicz

Part I - Overview

P URPOSE. At 7:00 p.m. on February 16, 2017 a public hearing was held at Poto-mac High School about the “Dominion

Possum Point Power Station, 19000 Possum Point Road, Dumfries, VA Draft Solid Waste Permit No. 617.” The purpose of this note is to inform you of some issues and comments voiced at the hearing.

I spent two hours at the meeting site as an in-terested resident. Since one of our County Board of Supervisors stated that this was the most important environmental issue Prince Wil-liam County has faced in over a decade, I thought you might appreciate a summary of the session.

BACKGROUND. The Dominion Power Possum Point Power Station was coal fired during the period 1948-2003 and subsequently converted to natural gas. However, large amounts of coal ash remain stored on site in an area known as Coal Ash Pond D. The big issue is how to contain or otherwise dispose of these 4.3 million cubic yards of coal ash. One citizen said that to visualize the volume of the current deposit think of two football fields filled to a height of 350 feet; in reality the ash is spread over 60-70 acres on the ground.

MORE BACKGROUND. If you would like more background, consider starting with the fol-lowing:

-Virginia Department of Environ-mental Quality (DEQ) and Dominion Power support for the draft permit:

https://goo.gl/oZUIBZ; or use keyword search: DEQ Possum Point CCR

-Prince William Conservation Alli-ance (PWCA) and Potomac River Keeper opposition to the draft permit:

https://goo.gl/OWYA7v; https://goo.gl/f1vJbw; https://goo.gl/UFhEJU

LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES. This meeting was an excellent example of democracy in ac-tion. DEQ stated that written responses would be provided to each person who spoke at the February 16 meeting. No doubt these responses will provide additional insights into the issues which in this meeting was primarily focused on citizen input. It is in our interest to understand the arguments for and against the permit’s ap-proval. Once you have come to your own conclu-sion consider taking action by contacting DEQ, your state delegate and state senator.

If you want to do your own reconnaissance go to U.S. Route 1 in Dumfries, turn East onto Pos-sum Point Road then turn left on Cockpit Road. After about one-half mile on this public road the Coal Ash Pond D impoundment area is visible on the left – it is BIG.

SUMMARY OF THE MEETING. A summary of comments I heard from elected officials, rep-resentatives of various concerned organizations, and individual citizens is in Part II of this note.

Part II – Summary of the February 16, 2017 Public Meeting on the Possum Point

Coal Ash Permit

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DEQ. Prior to the meeting being called to order, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) briefers set up tables/briefing materials and provided opportunities for the public to ask questions. Topics included Virginia’s efforts to manage coal ash, monitor water quality and con-trol the discharge of treated water into Quantico Creek and the Potomac River. Representatives from DEQ officiated at the hearing. DEQ had a stenographer in attendance whose task was to record all comments. DEQ stated that written responses would be provided to each person who spoke.

DOMINION POWER. A representative from Dominion stated that in the past there were five coal ash ponds at Possum Point whose contents have been consolidated into one impoundment area: Coal Ash Pond D. The company plans to permanently close Pond D on site as de-scribed in the Solid Waste Permit No. 617 which the briefer said meets Federal and State re-quirements. Water has been removed from the deposit following a “treat-test-release” proce-dure.

- Dominion has proposed a “cap-in-place” solution to close the site. That is, first, cover the coal ash deposit with an imper-meable synthetic membrane and second, cover the membrane with soil and vegetation. This should keep rain water from getting into the dry coal ash and preclude toxic elements from leach-ing into the ground and surface water. Dominion has offered to pay for public water lines to be connected to homes in the area whose wells have been contaminated.

-- Water in vicinity of Pond D is being monitored for toxic elements by a network of wells and a surface water testing plant.

The representative stated that based on annual engineering reports the company will take ac-tion over the life of the pond to protect ground water. The company states the cap-in-place solution is preferable to the alternative of trucking millions of tons of coal ash to another site.

ELECTED OFFICIAL COMMENTS. While I was at the meeting comments were provided by four elected officials: three members of the PW County Board of Supervisors and the Mayor of Quantico.

--Supervisor Frank Principi (Woodbridge) provided DEQ with the fol-lowing five requests concerning the pro-posed cap-in-place: 1) Release to the public all test results from the monitoring wells; 2) Re-lease to the public all test results from the sur-face water testing plant; 3) Conduct an analysis of alternatives to cap-in-place (for example, re-use the coal ash to produce cement blocks or oth-er beneficial products) – state the long term im-pacts and costs of each alternative; 4) List all steps which will be taken to preclude a cata-strophic damage from the deposit; 5) Expand in-surance to cover long term clean up and reim-bursement. He finished by reminding all not to allow Possum Point to become a coal ash environmental disaster as has happened in Buffalo Creek, WV and other places.

--Mr. Principi’s recommendations against approval of the solid waste permit were strongly reinforced by County Super-visors Maureen Caddigan (Potomac) and Ruth Anderson (Occoquan) as well as Quantico Mayor Kevin Brown. (According to a subse-quent news account that I read, Chairman Co-rey Stewart arrived at the meeting later and

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supported his fellow supervisors’ opposition to the permit.)

CITIZEN COMMENTS. Out of my estimate of about 200 who attended the meeting approxi-mately 15 provided statements from the podium while I was there. Of all who spoke, I heard two who supported the Dominion cap-in-place position. Both were homeowners living on Pos-sum Point Road who feared that an alterna-tive of trucking millions of tons of coal ash on the small and winding Possum Point Road was too dangerous to the local residents. All other citizen comments were opposed to cap-in-place. A summary of citizen comments follows:

-LOCAL CONCERNS. Toxic elements from the Possum Point coal ash got into the ground water and wells near the deposit. One speaker stated that due to drinking well water his family’s hair fell out and they experi-enced other serious health problems including cancer. About 27 million gallons of untreated waste water from Pond D were released without authority near a family well and into Quantico Creek. Property values near the site have dropped due to ground water con-tamination, toxic dust spread over the property, and fear of health hazards.

--There are 30 years of docu-mented ground water contamination from these coal ash ponds. The owner of the power plant drilled the ground water monitoring wells only after intense pres-sure from local governments and organi-zations but has yet to provide the past year’s data from well and surface water monitoring.

--There is no synthetic under-layment between the coal ash and the ground surface. Approximately one foot of clay serves as the sole barrier. One citizen voiced concern that minor earthquakes (of which Virginia has sever-al each year), great pressure from the weight of the coal ash, and water infiltra-tion will eventually lead to the compro-mise of the clay and allow hazardous ele-ments to enter the soil.

--There are alternatives to the dangers of trucking the coal ash else-where via local roads; specifically, there are railroad tracks/sidings as well as Potomac River barge landing facili-ties adjacent to the power plant both of which could be used to transport large amounts of coal ash to a safer location.

--This coal ash can be reused in cement production. The cement indus-try in Virginia currently imports coal ash from other states for this purpose.

--The real cleanup will be left to future generations since engineers estimate that the cap-in-place has a life of 30-50 years.

-NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE CONCERNS. EPA has made cap-in-place requirements more stringent since 2015. North Carolina and other states have found that cap-in-place coal ash impoundments such as proposed for Possum Point are inade-quate and are now against their State laws.

--Duke Energy Company was found criminally liable for releasing untreated waste water from a coal ash

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deposit into the environment. The owner of Possum Point Power Plant should be held to the same standard.

--The Southern Environmental Law Center and the Bi-State Fisher-ies Commission both oppose approval of the draft permit until more data is provided. The Bi-State Commission (consisting of fisheries representatives

from Virginia and Maryland) is especially concerned about the Possum Point coal ash deposit’s long term effect on local and regional fisheries including the endan-gered Atlantic Sturgeon.

--The Government of Virginia is responsible for the health of its citi-zens even though it prides itself on being business friendly.

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T his memoir, by acclaimed scientist Hope Jahren, is not only a very personal story of Jahren's life but a many-dimensional

book. It is an adventure story of her scientific efforts (and mishaps), from the Midwestern United States, to the North Pole and Hawaii (where she currently resides). It is a suspenseful tale of her many experiences, including career, friendship, romance, and pregnancy.

Throughout her career, the struggle to ob-tain funding for her lab research, and the prob-lems of being a female scientist is an ongoing concern. Early on you meet her constant lab partner and best friend Bill. During times of low funding, Bill's salary is so poor he becomes ba-sically homeless. Still, he remains her hard-working, devoted assis-tant. You constantly puzzle at where this relationship is going, and if there is romance in her life. This very human story carries suspense throughout the book, punctuated with the fascinating research sections, and I will try to give no hints to the outcome of all the situations.

I do find much of her per-sonal story extremely introspec-tive, but perhaps this is due to the bi-polar disorder she admits to, though she does not dwell on it. Eventually, she does indicate this problem is finally under control.

The real excitement of the book are those sections devoted to the scientific study of plants and trees. As she puts it, "A new mind-set be-came imperative: perhaps I could learn to see the world as plants do, put myself in their place, and puzzle out how they work." Indeed, she def-initely changed my attitude and feelings for the plant world. I now see plants and trees practical-ly as thinking organisms. Her book portrays evi-dence that plants make their own preparations for growth, reproduction, survival, waging their

own wars, communicating with each other, and interacting as members of their communities. You will learn how trees fight insect attacks and send signals through the air to warn other trees to prepare. She also does not hesitate to show re-search that warns about problems due to human influence on the environment. For example, she describes one experiment with growing sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes were grown under con-ditions in a greenhouse containing levels of car-bon emissions as predicted for the next several hundred years, if nothing is done to lessen car-bon emissions. These potatoes grew bigger as

carbon dioxide levels increased. However, the bad news is that the vegetable, grown under these condi-tions, were much less nutritious, much lower in protein, no matter how much fertilizer was given to them. The seriousness of this prob-lem is that sweet potatoes are a food which the poorest and hungri-est nations depend on for signifi-cant dietary protein.

If there is one regret about this book it is that it does not con-tain an index. You can read through the personal biography but the fascinating plant knowledge is scattered amidst her personal af-fairs. You will want to return to the

information she uncovers in her research. I ran out of stickers trying to mark the sections I wanted to reread. It is for these sections I urge you to read this book--you can always skip the personal parts if you desire.

Finally, Master Gardeners should thank Hope Jahren, an award-winning scientist, for her resourceful book, and also for her recommendation for readers to go to Ex-tension Units nationwide for answers to gardening questions, and for encouragement.

Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren - A Book Review by Marion Ashley

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Orchids: A Moment by Maria Stewart, photos by Maria Stewart

P lanning a trip to downtown D.C.? Stop by the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden for the exhibit Orchids: A Moment running until May 14th on the first level of the museum. Each visit promises a dif-

ferent experience based on what’s in bloom at the time. Here’s a peek at what my friends and I saw February 11th. For more information visit https://goo.gl/ynViTa

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March 7th, Tuesday, Recertification: 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Edward Kelly Leadership Cen-ter (14715 Bristow Road Manassas, VA 20112) All Master Gardeners should plan to attend. Recertification is a method of reviewing accomplishments and unveiling plans, goals, and opportunities for the coming year, as well as reconnecting with Master Gardener friends. We have a memorandum of understanding with Prince William County Public Works with specific deliverables and are constantly tweaking our work plans to accommodate shrinking budgets and growing priorities. We also try to incorporate some aspect of risk management in the session, as our schedule allows. Recertification serves as a social, education, and motivational event in our annual calendar. Recertification counts towards continuing education hours. RSVP to Extension Horticulture Help Desk 703-792-7747 or master_gardener@pwcgov.org.

March 14th, Tuesday, MGPW Board of Directors Meeting: 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, Room 102 D (8033 Ashton Ave., Suite 105 Manassas, VA) As always, all Master Gardeners and Master Gardener Interns are welcome and encouraged to attend!

April 1st, Saturday, Gardening in the Valley Symposium, 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at the Thompson Conference Center at Lord Fairfax Community College, Middletown, VA Registration for the Northern Shenandoah County Master Gardener Symposium must be submitted no later than March 15th. For more information and registration via pay pal visit www.nsvmga.org

April 4th, Tuesday, Clinic Training: 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Development Services Building room 202 A&B (next to McCoart Government Center; 5 Complex Court, Prince William) Planning to work at a clinic this year? Plan to attend our clinic training – we will provide procedural information, seasonal updates to help you stay current, and a review of materials available at clinics. Please register at Extension Horticulture Help Desk 703-792-7747 or master_gardener@pwcgov.org.

For Seminars at Merrifield Garden Center: https://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com/events/

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Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings

Master Gardener Photo Directory

Ever Wonder, Who Was that Mystery Master Gardener? I Just Can’t Recall the Name…?

You’re not the only one!

We will be updating our Master Gardener Photo Directory, located under the members only, password protected section of www.MGPW.org.

If you’d like to participate, we will be taking photos at Recertification on March 7th, or send a clear photo of your beautiful face, preferably one that will also show clearly as a

small, thumbnail size to: Maria Stewart, mdunbarstewart@yahoo.com.

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MGPW Education Committee Announces a Fun and Informative Event!

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Get to Know a Critter: Large Milkweed Bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus)

Did you know?

♦ The large milkweed bug has a long proboscis, and feeds as a piercing insect on the seeds, leaves, and stems of milkweed (Asclepias). They can be found on milkweed plants from mid to late summer.

♦ Milkweed bugs are true bugs (Hemiptera), and their bodies contain toxins derived from the milkweed sap they ingest.

♦ They are more of a nuisance than harmful to milk-weed plants.

♦ Since they are only present for a short time, living with the insects may be the most prudent approach to dealing with them.

♦ To eliminate overwintering, remove leaf litter and spent stalks in the fall.

Source: Missouri Botanical Garden, https://goo.gl/Frpc8b

photos by Jason Alexander

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PUZZLER Do you know what this is?

See next month’s

Turnip News for the

answer!

Last Month’s Answer:

Hellebore (Helleborus)

Hellebore:

“Hellebores, also known as Lenten rose and Christmas rose, are one of the early spring bloom-ing garden plants to enjoy. Hellebores are low growing evergreen herbaceous perennials that bloom winter through spring.” / “Hellebores thrive in moist shady areas with well drained loamy soils and a neutral pH, but can handle dry shade after they are well established. Morn-ing sunlight will encourage the plant to produce more flowers than plants grown in deeper shade. This hardy plant will thrive in USDA zones 4-9.” Source: University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, https://goo.gl/XVX7AE