Warm-Up Question: How many of these concepts, publications or

people have *you* heard of? (Bonus: Can You Define It?)

Res Rustica — Columella (70 AD)“Bio-dynamic Gardening” — R. Steiner (1920’s)Organic Gardening — (1940’s)“Bio-intensive Gardening” — J. Jeavons (1970’s)Permaculture One— B. Mollison & D. Holmgren (1974/1978)Square Foot Gardening — M. Bartholemew(1976) Edible Landscaping — R. Creasy (1980’s)

Warm-Up QuestionEuropean (and written) focus on how did these

ancient and modern authorities define

“Horticulture” and what can we learn from

their ideas?

Res Rustica —

Columella (70 AD)

A twelve volume set of writings on Roman agriculture by LuciusJunius Moderatus Columella (4 AD – 70 AD)

From the (Translated) Preface:“one method of increasing one's substance that befits a man who isa gentleman and free-born, and this is found in agriculture. 11 If theprecepts of this science were put in practice in the old-fashionedway, even in imprudent fashion by those without previous instruction(provided, however, that they were owners of the land), the businessof husbandry would sustain smaller loss; for the diligence that goeswith proprietorship would compensate in large measure the lossesoccasioned by lack of knowledge; and men whose interests were atstake would not wish to appear forever ignorant of their own affairs,and for that reason more zealous to learn, they would gain athorough knowledge of husbandry.”

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Columella/home.html

Loeb Classical Library edition, 1941

Pro• Written• Voluminous

Con• Age• Language: Latin• Scale of “Farm”• Style: Conversational• Issues Faced

(Type of Workers, etc.)

Res Rustica

Res RusticaA twelve volume set of writings on Roman agriculture by LuciusJunius Moderatus Columella (4 AD – 70 AD)

From the (Translated) Preface:“one method of increasing one's substance that befits a man who isa gentleman and free-born, and this is found in agriculture. If theprecepts of this science were put in practice in the old-fashionedway, even in imprudent fashion by those without previous instruction(provided, however, that they were owners of the land), the businessof husbandry would sustain smaller loss; for the diligence that goeswith proprietorship would compensate in large measure the lossesoccasioned by lack of knowledge; and men whose interests were atstake would not wish to appear forever ignorant of their own affairs,and for that reason more zealous to learn, they would gain athorough knowledge of husbandry.”

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Columella/home.html

Loeb Classical Library edition, 1941

“Bio-dynamic Gardening”

— R. Steiner (1920’s)

“Bio-dynamic Gardening” — R. Steiner (1920’s)“Biodynamics is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming,gardening, food and nutrition. […] Biodynamic principles and practices arebased on the spiritual insights and practical suggestions of Dr. RudolfSteiner. […]

Biodynamic farmers strive to create a diversified, balanced farm ecosystemthat generates health and fertility as much as possible from within the farmitself. Preparations made from fermented manure, minerals and herbs areused to help restore and harmonize the vital life forces of the farm and toenhance the nutrition, quality and flavor of the food being raised. […] Mostbiodynamic initiatives seek to embody triple bottom line approaches(ecological, social and economic sustainability), taking inspiration fromSteiner’s insights into social and economic life as well as agriculture.Community supported agriculture (CSA), for example, was pioneered bybiodynamic farmers.

Biodynamics is thus not just a holistic agricultural system but also a potentmovement for new thinking and practices in all aspects of life connected tofood and agriculture.”

https://www.biodynamics.com/what-is-biodynamics

Pro• Written• Modern

Con• Philosophy applied

to Farming (holistic, ethical, ecological)

• Scale (Size of Farm: Large)

• Not scientifically proven

“Bio-dynamic Gardening” — R. Steiner (1920’s)“Biodynamics is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming,gardening, food and nutrition. […] Biodynamic principles and practices arebased on the spiritual insights and practical suggestions of Dr. RudolfSteiner. […]

Biodynamic farmers strive to create a diversified, balanced farm ecosystemthat generates health and fertility as much as possible from within the farmitself. Preparations made from fermented manure, minerals and herbs areused to help restore and harmonize the vital life forces of the farm and toenhance the nutrition, quality and flavor of the food being raised. […] Mostbiodynamic initiatives seek to embody triple bottom line approaches(ecological, social and economic sustainability), taking inspiration fromSteiner’s insights into social and economic life as well as agriculture.Community supported agriculture (CSA), for example, was pioneered bybiodynamic farmers.

Biodynamics is thus not just a holistic agricultural system but also a potentmovement for new thinking and practices in all aspects of life connected tofood and agriculture.”

https://www.biodynamics.com/what-is-biodynamics

Organic Gardening —

(1940’s)

“A basic definition of organic gardening is gardening without syntheticfertilizers and pesticides.But organic gardening is much more than simply replacing manmadechemicals with those derived from natural sources. It is a philosophy ofgardening that supports the health of the whole system. In an organicallymanaged yard or vegetable garden the emphasis is on cultivating anecosystem that sustains and nourishes plants, soil microbes andbeneficial insects rather than simply making plants grow.

Creating this ecosystem begins with improving the soil. Adding organicmatter by mixing compost into the soil increases its capacity to retainwater and nutrients and supports beneficial microbes, which are essentialto healthy plant growth. Compost can be made at home from grassclippings, leaves, yard debris, and kitchen scraps, or purchased fromgarden centers and mulch suppliers. […] Another way to add organicmatter to the soil is to grow cover crops and turn them into the soil just asthey begin to flower.” Organic fertilizers and agricultural lime are alsoused to improve the soil.

https://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2012/03/what-is-organic-gardening/

Pro• Gardening

without synthetic chemicals

• Modern

Con• More defined by

what it isn’t• Scalable• Lots of

information / Authorities

Organic Gardening — (1940’s)

Organic Gardening — (1940’s)“A basic definition of organic gardening is gardening without syntheticfertilizers and pesticides. But organic gardening is much more thansimply replacing manmade chemicals with those derived from naturalsources. It is a philosophy of gardening that supports the health of thewhole system. In an organically managed yard or vegetable garden theemphasis is on cultivating an ecosystem that sustains and nourishesplants, soil microbes and beneficial insects rather than simply makingplants grow.

Creating this ecosystem begins with improving the soil. Adding organicmatter by mixing compost into the soil increases its capacity to retainwater and nutrients and supports beneficial microbes, which are essentialto healthy plant growth. Compost can be made at home from grassclippings, leaves, yard debris, and kitchen scraps, or purchased fromgarden centers and mulch suppliers. […] Another way to add organicmatter to the soil is to grow cover crops and turn them into the soil just asthey begin to flower.” Organic fertilizers and agricultural lime are alsoused to improve the soil.

https://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2012/03/what-is-organic-gardening/

“Bio-intensive Gardening”

— J. Jeavons (1970’s)

“Bio-intensive Gardening”How to Grow More Vegetables*, J. Jeavons

“GROW BIOINTENSIVE’s Eight Concepts:

[…] Double-dug beds, with soil loosened to a depth of 24 inches, aerate thesoil, facilitate root growth, and improve water retention. The health andvigor of the soil are maintained through the use of compost. Close plantspacing is used to protect soil microorganisms, reduce water loss, andmaximize yields. Companion planting facilitates the optimal use ofnutrients, light and water, encourages beneficial insects and creates avibrant mini-ecosystem within the garden. A focus on the productionof calories for the farmer and carbon for the soil ensures that both thefarmer and the soil will be adequately fed and that the farm will besustainable. The use of open-pollinated seeds helps to preserve geneticdiversity and enables gardeners to develop their own acclimatizedcultivars. All of the components of this system must be used together foroptimum effect and to avoid depleting the soil.”

http://www.growbiointensive.org/grow_main.html

Double-Dug, Raised Beds Composting

Intensive Planting Companion Planting

Carbon Farming Calorie Farming

Using Open-Pollinated Seeds Whole-System Farming Method

Pro• Modern• Written reference works:

“How to Grow More Vegetables*”, et al.

• Scientifically demonstrated; article in Science published

Con• Scalable {**}• Physical labor demanded

(double digging)• *Whole* system

emphasized

{**} Not as well suited to SFH

“Bio-intensive Gardening”How to Grow More Vegetables*, J. Jeavons

“GROW BIOINTENSIVE’s Eight Concepts:

[…] Double-dug beds, with soil loosened to a depth of 24 inches, aerate thesoil, facilitate root growth, and improve water retention. The health andvigor of the soil are maintained through the use of compost. Close plantspacing is used to protect soil microorganisms, reduce water loss, andmaximize yields. Companion planting facilitates the optimal use ofnutrients, light and water, encourages beneficial insects and creates avibrant mini-ecosystem within the garden. A focus on the productionof calories for the farmer and carbon for the soil ensures that both thefarmer and the soil will be adequately fed and that the farm will besustainable. The use of open-pollinated seeds helps to preserve geneticdiversity and enables gardeners to develop their own acclimatizedcultivars. All of the components of this system must be used together foroptimum effect and to avoid depleting the soil.”

http://www.growbiointensive.org/grow_main.html

Double-Dug, Raised Beds Composting

Intensive Planting Companion Planting

Carbon Farming Calorie Farming

Using Open-Pollinated Seeds Whole-System Farming Method

Permaculture (One)

— B. Mollison &

D. Holmgren

(1974/1978)

“Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; ofprotracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtlessaction; of looking at systems in all their functions rather than asking only oneyield of them & of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions.”

Bill Mollison

---- OR ----

“Permaculture. A copyright word, owned as a common copyright by thePermaculture Institutes & their graduates. Derived from ‘Permanent’ and‘Culture’, as follows:

Permanent: From the Latin permanens, to remain to the end, to persist throughout(per = through, manere = to continue)

Culture: From the Latin cultura - cultivation of land, or the intellect. Now generalizedto mean all those habits, beliefs, or activities than sustain human societies.

Thus, Permaculture is the study of the design of those sustainable or enduringsystems that support human society, both agricultural & intellectual, traditional& scientific, architectural, financial & legal. It is the study of integrated systems,for the purpose of better design & application of such systems.” Bill Mollison

http://www.permaculture.net/about/definitions.html

Pro• Modern• Written reference works:

“Permaculture One”, et al.• Australian idea with

American proponents

Con• System emphasis requires

additional education and/or expert/s

• Scalable {**}• Municipality may impact

design{**} Not as well suited to SFH

Permaculture

Permaculture“Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of

protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtlessaction; of looking at systems in all their functions rather than asking only oneyield of them & of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions.” BillMollison

---- OR ----

“Permaculture. A copyright word, owned as a common copyright by thePermaculture Institutes & their graduates. Derived from ‘Permanent’ and‘Culture’, as follows:

Permanent: From the Latin permanens, to remain to the end, to persist throughout(per = through, manere = to continue)

Culture: From the Latin cultura - cultivation of land, or the intellect. Now generalizedto mean all those habits, beliefs, or activities than sustain human societies.

Thus, Permaculture is the study of the design of those sustainable or enduringsystems that support human society, both agricultural & intellectual, traditional& scientific, architectural, financial & legal. It is the study of integrated systems,for the purpose of better design & application of such systems.” Bill Mollison

http://www.permaculture.net/about/definitions.html

Square Foot Gardening

— M. Bartholemew

(1976)

“4’x4’ raised beds above soil (6” high)Filled with mixPlace grid overlay on bed / Plant seeds

8 cubic feet needed for a 4x4 6" deep box.1/3 Coarse Vermiculite1/3 Peat moss or Coconut Coir1/3 BLENDED Composts(Must have at least 4-5 varieties which may includedairy and poultry manures, bone meal, blood meal, kelpmeal, worm castings, potting soil, forest hummus orfine mulch)

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/learn/view-video-what-is-square-foot-gardening/

Square Foot Gardening

Pro• Modern• Written reference works:

“Square Foot Gardening”, et al.

• Scalable• Doesn’t use current $oil

Con• Mix requires additional

input$• Within the Box!• Intensive: annual, not

perennial

Square Foot Gardening

“4’x4’ raised beds above soil (6” high)Filled with mix

8 cubic feet needed for a 4x4 6" deep box.1/3 Coarse Vermiculite1/3 Peat moss or Coconut Coir1/3 BLENDED Composts(Must have at least 4-5 varieties which may includedairy and poultry manures, bone meal, blood meal, kelpmeal, worm castings, potting soil, forest hummus orfine mulch)

Place grid overlay on bedPlant seeds

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/learn/view-video-what-is-square-foot-gardening/

Edible Landscaping

— R. Creasy (1980’s)

“Edible landscaping is the practical integration of food plantswithin an ornamental or decorative setting.

The same design principles as for ornamental landscapes areused, while substituting edible plants such as lettuces,blueberries, vegetables and fruit trees for some of theotherwise unproductive plant material. Using edibles inlandscape design can enhance a garden by providing a uniqueornamental component with additional health, aesthetic, andeconomic benefits. Edible landscaping is a mixture of beautyand utility. However, edible landscaping doesn’t have to be alledible. In fact, filling the yard with edibles would often producetoo much food for most families, not to mention time and work.Instead, careful planning and the judicious use of fruits, herbs,and vegetables results in a yard that is flavorful, practical,visually pleasing. As a bonus, it’s a great topic forconversation!”

http://www.rosalindcreasy.com/edible-landscaping-basics/

Pro• Modern• Written reference

works: “Edible Landscaping”, et al.

• Scalable• Annual and/or

Perennial

Con• Selection of species

requires either education and/or expert/s

• Municipality may impact design

Edible Landscaping

Edible Landscaping“Edible landscaping is the practical integration of food plantswithin an ornamental or decorative setting.

The same design principles as for ornamental landscapes areused, while substituting edible plants such as lettuces,blueberries, vegetables and fruit trees for some of theotherwise unproductive plant material. Using edibles inlandscape design can enhance a garden by providing a uniqueornamental component with additional health, aesthetic, andeconomic benefits. Edible landscaping is a mixture of beautyand utility. However, edible landscaping doesn’t have to be alledible. In fact, filling the yard with edibles would often producetoo much food for most families, not to mention time and work.Instead, careful planning and the judicious use of fruits, herbs,and vegetables results in a yard that is flavorful, practical,visually pleasing. As a bonus, it’s a great topic forconversation!”

http://www.rosalindcreasy.com/edible-landscaping-basics/

From Evergreen to Edible: 1/8 of an Acre, Eden’ed

Arborvitae / Thuga [Thuja]Box (wood) / [Buxus][Colorado] Blue Spruce; [Picea pungens]Holly – [Ilex]; four popular ones are American (I.

opaca), English (I. aquifolium), Chinese (I. cornuta) and Japanese (I. crenata)

Juniper bushes tall [Hollywood Juniper/Juniperuschinensis 'Torulosa'] and medium Common juniper / Juniperus communis

Pine; [Pinus]Weeds masquerading as lawn; olio of green ground

cover with some clover, zoyzia, fescue and others.

In the Beginning

Front / Street View

Rear / Left Side View

Rear / Porch View

Arborvitae / Thuga (Thuja)

Box(wood) / [Buxus]

[Colorado] Blue Spruce; [Picea pungens]

Holly – [Ilex]

Juniper bushes [Juniperus ]

Pine; [Pinus]

Weeds masquerading as lawn; olio of green ground cover with some clover, zoyzia, fescue and others.

Transformational Themes:

Possible Better by You Highest Value Keeping Harvested Goods Happiest

Modified from listing by Daniel Gasteiger

[DC’s] “RiverSmart Homes incentivizes homeowners to adopt:

Rain Barrels

Shade Tree Planting (edible choices: Paw Paw, Swamp White Oak, …)

Rain Gardens

BayScaping

Pervious Pavers and Impervious Surface Removal”

http://doee.dc.gov/service/riversmart-homes-overview

Leverage Experts/Programs

Paw Paw

Paw Paw

Swamp White Oak Rain Garden between

Presenter

Presentation Notes

[RiverSmart’s contractor’s (John Shorb Landscaping) diagram of Rain Garden (and plants chosen) for installation]

Effective Yield: RiverSmart Program

Improvement RS co$t MSRP

Shade Trees (3 @ $50/ea) $150 $450 *

Rain Barrels (2 @ $45/ea) $90 $600 *

Rain Garden ($75 fee waived)

$1,365

Total $240 $2,415

* Installation cost/s not included

From Expert to Individual

Text and pictures showing

individual efforts in garden

transformation

Failures: Apples, Gardenias

Successes: Small Fruits, Herbs

In Progress: Exotics, Trees, and others….

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Pest: Bagworms [Thyridopteryxephemeraeformis]; pest with a “personalized” petticoat (uses plant for pupal casing)

Failures: Apples, Gardenias

The Bad (Bag!)

Failures: (No harvestable fruit/nuts likely

and/or specimens died)

Apples (Malus domesticus); aka, no fool like a stubborn one; DC area invites multitude of invertebrates/diseases to enjoy your apples before you do. (Empire, Columnar Red/Gold, Fuji)

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)

Successes: Small Fruits, Herbs

Yellow raspberries

Lavender

Flowers

The Good

Successes: (Harvested fruit / nuts / flowers, specimens living)

Interspersed Flowers:

Cumberland (False) Rosemary (Conradinaverticillata)

Lavender (Lavandula; tree box and pollinator pocket)

Carnations (Dianthus) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Daffodils (Narcissus) Tulips (Tulipa)

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis)

Crocus (Crocus sativus)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Bush Cherries (Prunus)*Paw Paw (Asimina triloba);

planted by RiverSmart ProgramStrawberries (Fragaria × ananassa)* Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor);

RS ProgramYellow raspberries (Rubus Idaeobatus);

cultivars: Double Gold, Kiwi GoldCatmint (Nepeta racemosa Walker's Low)Pollinator pocket

(Milkweed, coreopsis, Lily trees, re-blooming German Iris)

Successes: (Harvested fruit / nuts / flowers, specimens living)

In Progress: Exotics, Trees, and others….

The Ugly

In Progress: (No harvestable fruit / nuts yet, specimens living)

Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) Cranberries (Viburnum trilobum) Ligonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) Figs (Ficus carica) Alley of P (Plums, Pears,

Pecans, Paw Paw)

In Progress: (No harvestable fruit / nuts or flowers, specimens living)

Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) Jostaberries (Ribes × nidigrolaria) Chestnuts (Castanea) Goji/Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides

hispanica) Crocus (Crocus sativus)4,500 crocus flowers ≈ 1 oz of saffron spice

Learning more about Horticulture: challenges,

concepts, and cultivars

Over seeding lawn

Mason bees (Osmia)

The Never Ending « Story »

Text, pictures & commentary: R. Winkelbauer; rwinkelbauer@hotmail.com

VA Master Gardener, commenter & editor: J. Speers

Weeder, proofreader & wonder worker: S. Abraham

The views and opinions expressed in this PPT are strictly those of the author. The contents have neither been reviewed nor approved by UDC, CAUSES or the DC Master Gardener Program.

Credits and Questions?

Encore / Lagniappe

Right Plant, Right PlaceAnne Double Gold

Released by the cooperative breeding program of MD, NJ, VA and WI, Anne raspberry has special characteristics. Anne is a large-fruited fall bearer that ripens at the same time as Heritage. Fruit holds a pale yellow color and is highly productive. Anne's excellent size, appearance, and very sweet flavor make it an excellent choice for a yellow fall bearer.

Double Gold is a recent release by Dr. Courtney Weber from Cornell University. The deep blush, golden champagne color berries are medium in size and have a conic shape. They are considered as having an excellent, sweet flavor. The plant grows vigorously, suckers freely, and shows tolerance to diseases.

Berry Color: Yellow Berry Size: Large Best in Zones: 4 - 7 Firmness: Firm Flavor: Excellent Freezing Quality: Good Winter Hardy: Excellent

Berry Color: Golden Berry Size: Large Best in Zones: 5 - 7 Firmness: Firm Flavor: Excellent Freezing Quality: Good Winter Hardy: Excellent

Descriptions: Nourse Farms catalog, 2017

Integrated Pest Management

Instead of “Spray & Pray”

1. Identify pests, their hosts and beneficial organisms before taking action

2. Establish monitoring guidelines for each pest species

3. Establish an action threshold for the pest4. Evaluate and implement control tactics5. Monitor, evaluate and document the results

Hemeris diffinis on Lonicera sempervirans(coral honeysuckle)

This guide will help you choose native plants for your landscape. Download the guide for free from the site: http://www.plantnovanatives.org/

Order a print copy for $8.50 (including shipping) attinyurl.com/novanatives

Guide to Native Plants for Northern Virginia

Hemeris diffinis: “snowberry clearwing” “hummingbird moth" or "flying lobster”

"These day-flying moths are widespread in North America [...] the adult hummingbird moths feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, but their larvae [use] honeysuckle, dogbane, or some members of the rose family such as hawthorn, cherries, and plums. The adults [..] are most active, in the summer when the bee balms are in bloom. If you have phlox (Phlox), beebalm (Monarda), honeysuckle (Lonicera) or verbena (Verbena) you are also likely to see these wonderful insects visiting these flowers.“https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hummingbird_moth.shtml