For our March 2024 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, we are giving away a tube of Zanfel Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Wash (prize value $50).
Zanfel® Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Wash (http://zanfel.com/) is a safe and effective topical solution for poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. It removes urushiol, the toxin responsible for the reaction, from the skin after bonding, enabling the affected area to immediately begin healing. After using Zanfel®, the itching and pain are the first things to be relieved, usually within 30 seconds. Zanfel has a 10-year shelf life.
To enter to win a tube of Zanfel, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on Sunday, March 31, with “Zanfel” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the March 2024 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine issue and why. Include your full name and address. The winner will be announced after April 1.
Oxalis is the largest genus in the family Oxalidaceae
with over 550 species native to every continent except Antartica. They are
often referred to as Wood Sorrels and as False Shamrocks.
Some Oxalis species can be grow in as annuals or perennials
depending on your climate and zone. Note that in some regions Oxalis are
considered invasive.
Oxalis (Oxalis
triangularis) is commonly grown as a houseplant and gifted on St. Patrick’s
Day because its foliage resembles the lucky shamrock. The Oxalis’ clover-like
foliage can be variegated or solid green or burgundy. In addition to its
attractive leaves, the plants have delicate flowers.
It will often go winter dormant and then recover when placed
in sunlight. Give it an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer about once a month.
It prefers to grow in bright indirect to direct light and
temperatures between 65°F-85°F (18°C-30°C) --never below 60°F (15°C).
Water it about once a week and let it dry out part-way
between waterings. The most common cause of yellow leaves is over-watering
which cause rooting roots.
Oxalis is considered toxic for pets due to its oxalic
acid that can cause kidney damage.
Some oxalis are called "butterfly shamrock,” because
their leaves fold up at night or on cloudy days and reopen when the sun shines.
They may also stretch out their leaves
to reach as much sunlight as possible.
Oxalis: You Can Grow That!
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Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz
Video and Editing by Cassie Peo
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In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Dr. Glynn Percival about mulching myths and facts. The plant profile is on Flowering Almonds and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on a Quirky Egg Hunt by Christy Page of Green Prints.
If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 103: Mulch and Weeding Tips
And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!
Senetti (Pericallis hybrid)
is a cool-season annual with colorful flowers resemble daisies in brilliant
mauve, purple, and blue tones.They are
prolific bloomers. They were bred by Suntory Flowers in Japan by crossing
members of the Compositae and Asteraceae families and are Cineraria relatives.
Senetti can live in temperatures as low as 35 degrees and
they stop flowering once it reaches 80 degrees. They are hardy to USDA zones 9
to 12.
Plant Senetti in full- to part-sun conditions with moist,
but well-draining soils. Feed them with
liquid fertilizer. Do not let them dry out.
They do well in containers and are great paired with other
cool-season annuals such as pansies, snapdragons, alyssum, and African daisies.
After their first blooms are done, cut them back by half and
enjoy a second flush of flowers a few weeks later.
Senetti:You
Can Grow That!
The
video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant
Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.
Audio and text by Kathy Jentz
Video and editing by Cassie Peo
➤ If you
enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our
Youtube channel (thank you!)
➤Remember
to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out
“We come and go, but the land is always here. And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it - for a little while." ~ Willa Cather
(The 17+ Cherry Blossom Viewing Alternatives in the DC Region listing is one of our most popular and imitated annual blog posts -- we've updated it here for 2024.)
Returning this year is the Petal Porch Parade. These are homes decorated to bring the cherry blossom parade feel to your neighborhood. See more about them here and search the map of locations here.
Public Gardens
~ TheNational Arboretumhas a splendid and more varied display and LOTS or parking. Stroll around Fern Valley and the other gardens as well while you are there. Take the Self-Guided Tour: Beyond the Tidal Basin: Introducing Other Great Flowering Cherries to explore the arboretum’s collection of over 2,000 cherry trees representing 600 different cultivars, hybrids, and species of various shapes, sizes, flower colors, and bloom times, including trees that have been created by arboretum scientists. Note: The free self-guided tour covers several miles of arboretum roads, and can be driven, biked, or walked. Pick up a brochure in the Administration Building.
~ The National Gallery of Art on the National Mall in Washington, DC, has an often-overlooked line of cherry trees on the south side of the East Building. They also have cherry blossom artwork on display and programming such as their Flowers After Hours series.
~ Tudor Place is a lovely place to take a stroll on your own through the spectacular Yoshino Cherry Blossoms during the full bloom. Event and entry fees may apply.
~ Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, WDC, has a marvelous orchard of cherries. There is an admission fee that goes to support the gardens and you will want to make advance reservations. Parking is also a bear in that neighborhood -- I recommend you walk or take the bus.
~ Hillwood Estate in NW DC is pleased to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival with short guided tours of Mrs. Post’s Japanese-style garden. Docents will be available to answer questions between the tours. The suggested entry donation to Hillwood is $12 per adult.
~ Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, also has beautiful cherry blossom trees and many other flowering trees like plum, apricot, magnolias, and quince in bloom right now, and you don’t have to fight the crowds to see them. The gardens are also full of flowering bulbs like hyacinths, tulips, and hillsides of daffodils.
~ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA, has over 100 cherry trees surrounding a lovely lake that you can stroll around. Admission to the gardens is a mere $5
~ Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, VA, has a ring of Yoshino cherry trees around their lake and Okame cherry blooms throughout the gardens. There is an entry fee of $10 to visit the gardens.
~ River Farm in Alexandria, VA, is a historic 25-acre site on the banks of the Potomac River. River Farm was once part of George Washington’s original five farms, and currently the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society. The grounds offer spectacular river views, a wildlife garden, and delightful children’s areas.
~ Green Spring Gardens near Annandale, VA, has several flowering cherry trees in its collection. There is also a wonderful witch hazel collection there.
Neighborhoods and Other Less-visited Spots
~ The Bethesda, MD, neighborhood of Kenwood for their stunning display. Park and walk in for an immersion in cherry tree lined streets.
~ Sarah Lawler suggests The Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II is a beautiful spot to see cherry blossoms. It is located near Union Station at the intersection of Louisiana Ave., New Jersey Ave. and D Street, NW, WDC. And across the street is a grove on the U.S. Capitol grounds.
~ Foxhall and Reservoir Rds, NW. Washington, DC. The Foxhall Village neighborhood near Georgetown has cherry blossom-lined streets that are known as the best-kept secret among locals.
~ Brenda Lynn shared she always bikes from Arlington, VA, in order to avoid having to park to take metro. It's a beautiful ride, and one could also bike along the GW parkway in VA to view all the blooms along the Potomac River.
~ Oxon Run Park at 1200 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC, has fairly new cherry tree plants and a lot of space to spread out and fly a kite.
~ Anacostia Park at 900 Anacostia Drive, SE. Washington, DC. Cherry trees bloom along the Anacostia River at the 1,200-acre park that is one of Washington, DC's largest recreation areas.
~ An anonymous post to my blog, tipped me off that there are several blocks of cherry blossom trees creating an arch above the streets of Garrett Park Estates in Kensington, MD. "Take Strathmore Road near Holy Cross Church, turn onto Flanders and then I think it’s Waycross. The trees span several streets, are lovely, and totally free of crowds!"
~ Adam Bailey let me know that “Stanton Park and Lincoln Park on the Hill — and the Capitol Hill neighborhoods in general — have a good display of blossoms, too.”
~ "Scott Circle, at Massachusetts & 16th, also has some great cherry blossoms," reports John Boggan.
~ Katie said, "There's a neighborhood off Query Mill in North Potomac, MD, that has streets lined with cherry trees. Not as fantastic as Kenwood, but if you're in the upper Montgomery County, it may be more accessible. Streets include Moran and Bonnie Dale. It blooms a few days later than Kenwood."
Ever since getting my weeping ‘Higan’ cherry, I feel no need to rush downtown. I keep a daily watch on my baby tree and celebrate loudly when the buds finally burst open. I highly recommend it.
Here is a video we created about growing ornamental cherry trees locally:
In addition, in the very first issue of Washington Gardener Magazine, we did a PlantProfile column on the selection and cultivation of cherry trees for our area.
Got other DC-area Cherry Tree viewing locations? Please share them in the comments below.
>>> Visit our Amazon Store for all your Spring Gardening needs! <<<
In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Resh Gala about planning your vegetable garden. The plant profile is on Oxalis and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on My Failing Peach Tree by Christy Page of Green Prints.
If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 124: Raised Bed Gardening
And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!