GardenDC Podcast Episode 304: Natural Burial and Human Composting

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Michael Judd of Morris Orchard Natural Burials. The plant profile is on American Strawberry Bush and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "Pumpkin Ideas" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!

See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 136: Home Composting

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-136-home.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 269: The Future is Nuts

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-269-future-is.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 95: Willows

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-95-willows.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 25: Paw Paws

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-25-michael.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 187: Mad About Mulches

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-187-mad-a

Show Notes will be posted after 10/31/2026.

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PrWcMFVN0TfUyx2Vqtu4p?si=UUSFK8mJTJ-EOrUF4BDJOw

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc
• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
  
• Bullhorn https://www.bullhorn.fm/gardendc
• Chartable: https://link.chtbl.com/GardenDC
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/5587897
• GoodPods: https://goodpods.app.link/u3gtlpybILb
• Headliner: https://play.headliner.app/podcast/37086
• Himalaya: https://www.himalaya.com/courses/gardendc-1747568
• Ivy: https://ivy.fm/podcast/gardendc-940013
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• Podfollow: https://podfollow.com/GardenDC
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
  
• Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• Vurbl: https://vurbl.com/station/gardendc/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Fenton Friday: I've Been Framed!

I visited the plot today and found a trail of partially eaten peppers from my neighbor's plot #17 into mine. I think they are the 'Shishito' variety and whatever creature did this must have been really desparate. I'm guessing rats, but could be squirrels or mice as well. I am not suspecting rabbits this time as they left the nearby salad greens alone. I think the visiting hawk took care of the bunnies (for now). Next time I see my plot neighbor, I'll let them know.

This past week has been back-and-forth weather-wise. One day hot and windy, the next cold and drizzly. The seesaw pattern continues into next week. Originally, a frost had been predicted for mid-week, but that has been take off for now and maybe we won't have a real frost for a few more weeks.

I picked lots more Dahlias and some Cucamelons and Blackberries.

From the newly planted seeds, the 'French Breakfast' Radish are up and going strong. We will need to thin them soon as they are way too close together. (See pic at right.) The Carrots, Violas, and Pansy seedlings are not up yet, but that is to be expected. We'll give them another week.

The Cilantro, Lettuces, Fall Peas and Field Pea Cover Crops are all growing strongly. I threw a cover cloth over the Lettuce rows to protect them on a few days wear temps hit the high 80s. 

We will pull the Basil and plant Garlic soon. Then, as the rest of plot gets hit by frost, I have a bale of chopped-up straw to cover any bare soil for the winter. 

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog). 

Creeping Raspberry Plant Profile

 

Creeping Raspberry Plant Profile

 Creeping Raspberry (Rubus hayata-koidzumi was R. calycinoides and R. rolfei)  is a low-growing raspberry relative that is a member of the rose family. The attractive leaves are held on cane-like stems that form a dense mat on the ground. It does well on slopes as an erosion control.

 Creeping Raspberry is also known as Formosan Carpet Raspberry, Crinkle-leaf Creeper, Taiwanese Creeping Rubus, and Creeping Bramble

It has white flowers in early summer that turn into edible fruits that are golden in color--similar in shape to blackberries or other raspberries.

 For best fruiting, plant it in full sun. However, the leaves can be scorched in intense afternoon sun, so place it where it can get a bit of shade late in the day in hotter climates.

 The leaves turn a rust color in fall and, in most regions, stay on over the winter. In some colder climates, it is semi-evergreen, but root-hardy.

 One plant can spread 4-6 feet in diameter. If it goes beyond its bounds, prune it back at any time. Trim out any dead or broken cane stems whenever you notice them.

 There are some “soft” thorns along the canes and they are not usually a problem. Avoid stepping on it though, due to these thorns and the stiff canes/stems that can break when trod upon.

 If you are in a cold climate, give it extra mulch in late fall for winter protection. Fertilizer is not necessary, but a top dressing of organic compost in early spring can be beneficial and encourage fruit production as well. There is no need to rake up any fallen leaves in autumn as they also add to the plant’s nutrients.

 Take cuttings in the early summer to propagate it or harvest seeds from ripened fruits. Plant the seeds soon after harvesting.

 It is not generally troubled by pests. Birds may eat the fruits, but deer generally leave this tough plant alone.

Overwatering may cause root rot in wet or heavy soil and good drainage is a must. It is drought-tolerant once established.

 Sterilize your tools between pruning it and other rose family relatives so that you do not transmit diseases amongst them. A good garden hygiene practice is to swipe the pruner blades with an alcohol swab after each cut. Be careful to not cut yourself and wear leather gloves whenever pruning.

Creeping Raspberry: You Can Grow That!

This profile was excerpted from the book Groundcover Revolution by Kathy Jentz.

You can order it at our Amazon affiliate link here: https://amzn.to/3fIdLo6

If you'd rather not order from Amazon, you can order it also at https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9780760378151

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Jackson Wantman

➤ 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

➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE

~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com

~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/

~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC

 

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Creeping Jenny Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/02/creeping-jenny-plant-profile.html

~ Lyre Leaf Sage Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/04/lyreleaf-sage-plant-profile.html

~ Sarcococca Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/03/sarcococca-plant-profile.html

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Monday Thoughts: “We can describe the flower as being full of everything. There is nothing that is not present in the flower. We see sunshine, we see rain, we see clouds, we see earth, and we see time and space in the flower." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

 “We can describe the flower as being full of everything. There is nothing that is not present in the flower. We see sunshine, we see rain, we see clouds, we see earth, and we see time and space in the flower." 

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

GardenDC Podcast Episode 303: Modern Cottage Gardening

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Pamela Hubbard, author of The Contemporary Cottage Garden*. The plant profile is on Ghost Pipes and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "One Big Night" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!

See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 154: Townhouse Gardening

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-154-townhouse.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 66: Small-Space Gardening

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-66-small-space.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 113: Gardening with Children

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-113-gardening.html

Show Notes will be posted after 10/21/2026.

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ghh2BDYxVZxjnJPL7qSmB?si=5eBdb11cTRSVRRyY2ryVEA

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc
• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
  
• Bullhorn https://www.bullhorn.fm/gardendc
• Chartable: https://link.chtbl.com/GardenDC
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/5587897
• GoodPods: https://goodpods.app.link/u3gtlpybILb
• Headliner: https://play.headliner.app/podcast/37086
• Himalaya: https://www.himalaya.com/courses/gardendc-1747568
• Ivy: https://ivy.fm/podcast/gardendc-940013
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• Podfollow: https://podfollow.com/GardenDC
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
  
• Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• Vurbl: https://vurbl.com/station/gardendc/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

*You can order Pamela's book at https://amzn.to/4jMqxjJ

This link is to our Amazon affiliate account and we may earn a few pennies from these sales, but it wil not impact your purchase price.

Fenton Friday: October Blue Skies

After a rainy weekend, this week's weather was one of those glorious fall stretches of mild temperatures and pure blue skies. Here is a picture I took of the tall Jerusalem Artichokes (aka Sunchokes) in bloom in our Pollinator Garden strip.

I picked lots of Dahlias and gave away several small bouquets of them.

I harvested the last of the spring-sown 'Short 'n Sweet' Carrots too -- one of which was rather comically large! (See pic at right.)

The Fall Peas are all up and doing well -- and so is the Field Pea cover crop we sowed in last week. The Lettuces and Cilantro are all coming along well also, but we are still waiting on the Parsley to show up (that is to be expected as it takes a long time for them to germinate and appear).

I'm leaving the Okra up for another week or two, as I want to collect the last pods for seed saving.

We pulled the Tomato vines and planted in their place fours rows of seeds: 'French Breakfast' Radish, 'Cosmic Purple' Carrots, ' King Henry' Violas, and 'Swiss Giant' Pansy. I don't have high hopes for the latter two, but we'll see what happens.

The Basil is still doing well, so I have yet to pull it out. In a few weeks, we'll get the Garlic planted in its place.

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog). 

Win a Vegetable Garden Deck in our October 2026 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest

For our October 2026 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, we are giving away a Vegetable Garden Deck by Adams Media (Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3VAxw5u, value $19). 

   Packed with essential information to help you grow your favorite vegetables and herbs, this deck is a great refresh for anyone looking to start their summer garden. Each of the 50 cards provides easy-to-understand insights about planting times, watering requirements, and harvesting guidelines, plus gorgeous photos—all contained in a convenient box made to withstand the great outdoors! Both expert and beginner gardeners are sure to find something useful while leafing through these cards.

   To enter to win the grow bags, send an email by 5:00pm on October 31 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Vegetable Garden Deck” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in our October 2026 issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about November 1. Replies might be published. 

Pitcher Plant Profile

Pitcher Plant Profile

Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia spp.) is a carnivorous perennial plant that looks like a tall tube with a hood over the top. The flowers emerge in spring on a slender stem and last for two to three weeks.

There are about eight species of pitcher plants and they can hybridize easily to create hundreds of complex hybrids, backcrosses, and cultivars.

They come in a variety of colors and patterns ranging from white with spots to streaky yellows to deep veiny maroons.

Pitcher plants are native to the United States from southern Alabama, through Florida and Georgia, to the coastal plains of southern Virginia and the Carolinas. They are hardy to USDA Zones 5 to 9.

They can grow to 3–4 feet tall and have a clumping habit.

They prefer to grow in full sun. They are a true bog plant, so require moist soil that never dries out entirely, but that is also well-draining. The ideal soil mix is a blend of sphagnum peat moss and sand or perlite at a 2-to-1 ratio.

Do not use any fertilizer and avoid chlorinated water as well.

After their winter dormancy when the pitchers die back, you can repot and divide the large rhizomes to create more plants from each growth point.

Pitcher Plant: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Jackson Wantman

 

➤ 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

➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE

~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com

~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/

~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC

 

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Devil’s Trumpet Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/08/devils-trumpet-datura-spp-plant-profile.html

~ Jewels of Opar Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/10/jewels-of-opar-plant-profile.html

~ Monkey Balls Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/11/plant-profile-monkey-balls-gomphocarpus.html

PIN THIS FOR LATER!