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 (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 Revolutionby
Kathy Jentz.
“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."
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!
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!
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).
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 (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
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In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Leslie F. Halleck, author of Home Greenhouse Revival*. The plant profile is on Cigar Flower (Cuphea ignea) 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 "Growing Points" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.
BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
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!
