Saturday, March 06, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 49: Flower Garden Ideas

This episode we talk with Jan Johnsen, author of "Floratopia: 110 Flower Garden Ideas for Your Yard, Patio, or Balcony," on growing flowers. The plant profile is on the Wintersweet shrub and we share the first spring blooms and news on upcoming gardening events.


BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support. 

The episode is posted at: 

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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Order Jan's book at:

https://amzn.to/3qpYIhU
(Note: Amazon affikiate link.)
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Wednesday, March 03, 2021

Wintersweet Plant Profile

 Fragrant Wintersweet or simply Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) is a pleasantly scented shrub that blooms in mid-winter through February. Its delicate flowers emerge along the stems before the foliage unfurls. The blooms are translucent and waxy. Ice and snow don’t faze them.

   Wintersweet does best in full to part-sun. It prefers moist, but well-draining soils. It is drought-tolerant once established.

   The shrub does not need fertilizing, although it appreciates a bit of shredded leaf mulch around its root zone in the late fall.

    It puts out multi-stemmed growth in a rough vase shape from 6–12 feet tall and wide. It can get a bit leggy, so a hard pruning to rejuvenate it and remove the old stems is recommended after the bloom cycle is complete.

   Wintersweet is originally from China, It does support pollinators, and birds will feast on its non-showy fruits. The shrub can take a few years until you see the first blossoms. To propagate it, take a softwood cutting or collect the seeds from those fruits. It may also self-seed. Note that the seedlings are often the straight species, which blooms earlier in the cold season.

   Wintersweet - You can grow that!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Khloe Quill
Audio by Kathy Jentz

➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!)

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~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

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~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

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Saturday, February 27, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 48: Chinese Kitchen Garden


This episode we talk with Wendy Kiang-Spray, author of "The Chinese Kitchen Garden," on growing Asian vegetables. The plant profile is on Snowdrops and we share the first spring blooms and news on upcoming gardening events.* 


BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support. 

*I am giving a free talk on Cool Season Edibles hosted by Homestead Gardens THIS coming Wednesday 3/3 at 7pm. Register at - https://homesteadgardens.com/upcoming-events/.

The episode is posted at: 

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Plant Profile: Snowdrops (Galanthus sp.)

Snowdrops (Galanthus sp.) look delicate, but these tiny flowers are quite tough. The milk-white color of these small blooms is lovely set against a green backdrop of groundcovers or small shrubs.

They are one of the earliest plants to flower in the Mid-Atlantic  US. Their common name is a nod to the fact that they can come up through snow and ice and are not fazed by either.

Galanthus nivalis is the most common snowdrop and widely available in garden centers and plant catalogs. There are other varieties that you can collect and some can be quite pricey. Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus ‘Flore Pleno’  is a lovely double form and Galanthus ‘Atkinsii’ is known for the green heart-shaped mark at the top of the inner petals. 

Snowdrops are in the amaryllis family and grow from tiny bulbs. They are native to southern Europe and Asia Minor. They are hardy from USDA Zone 3 to 7.  Like many early-blooming bulbs, they can be grown in deciduous shade spots, but not under evergreen shade. They prefer soil that is well-draining.

Plant the bulbs in autumn about 2 inches below the soil level. They look best in masses and drifts. If you have an especially rare or interesting selection, then plant that in a spot where you can easily view it and keep an eye on it.

If you have them planted in your lawn or among other perennials, let the snowdrop foliage die off naturally and do not cut it back prematurely. The energy for next year’s flowers is collected in that foliage. They do not generally need fertilizing, but you can give them a fertilizer designed for use on tomatoes to encourage more rapid growth, if you like.

Snowdrops increase slowly in clumps and it is worthwhile to dig and divide them after their bloom cycle and the foliage is starting to die back. This can be done every 3-5 years or so. Plant them right away as the snowdrop is one bulb that hates to be left to dry out.

Snowdrops - You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Khloe Quill
Audio by Kathy Jentz

➤ 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 on Spotify, Apple, etc.

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Saturday, February 20, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 47: Pollinator Victory Gardens

This episode we talk with Kim Eierman founder of EcoBeneficial about adding a Pollinator Victory Garden to your home landscape. We share how to support the garden media before it is gone. The plant profile is on Wintersweet and news on recent and upcoming gardening events. 


BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support. 

The episode is posted at: 

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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Thursday, February 18, 2021

Win a Pair of Digz Gardening Gloves in the February 2021 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest

For our February 2021 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away five pairs of Digz Gardening Gloves (retail value of $5 and up each). 

   Gardening can be tough on your hands. Luckily, Digz Gardening Gloves are here for anyone with a passion for plants. This incredible line of gardening gear makes sure your digits stay safe while you get to work in the soil (or even making your next crafting masterpiece). The gloves are available in a variety of colors and hand-drawn patterns, and also have touchscreen-compatible fingertips in case you need to snap a pic in the flower beds. Adjustable wrist strap creates a more secure fit and prevents dirt and debris from getting inside the gloves. Washable and durable.

   To enter to win a pair of Digz Gardening Gloves, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on Sunday, February 28, with “Digz Gardening Gloves” in the subject line. In the body of the email, tell us what your favorite article was in the February 2021 issue and why. Include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced by March 2. 

UPDATE:

We had a BIG response to this contest. The 5 winners are:

·         Ed Yemola, Drums, PA

·         Claudia Hosky, Washington DC 

·         Christine Little, Stevensville, MD 

·         Johanna Kearns, Washington DC 

·         Anamaria Anderson, Arlington, VA

Congratulations and enjoy!
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Monday, February 15, 2021

February 2021 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine –Winning Garden Photos, Wintersweet, Comfrey, Low-light Houseplants, and much more

The February 2021 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is out.

Inside this issue:
·         21 Award-winning Garden Photos
·         Comfrey – A True Super Plant!
·         New Hardy Begonia Series Introduced
·         UN Extends Year of Plant Health
·         6 Houseplants that Thrive in Low Light
·         A Virtual Seed Swap Day
·         What to Do in the Garden this Month
·         Wintersweet Plant Profile
·         Smithsonian’s Botanical Illustrator
·         Big Changes for University of Maryland’s Big “M”
and much more…

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the March 2021 issue are due by March 5.

>>  Subscribe to Washington Gardener Magazine today to have the monthly publication sent to your inbox as a PDF several days before it is available online. You can use the PayPal (credit card) online order form here: http://www.washingtongardener.com/index_files/subscribe.htm


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Monday Motivation

 

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
- Audrey Hepburn
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Saturday, February 13, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 46: Garden Clubs in the 21st Century

This episode we talk with Cherie Lejeune, President of National Capital Area Garden Clubs (NCAGC), about the current state of and future of garden clubs. The plant profile is on Daffodils (Narcissus sp.) and I share some recent and upcoming gardening events. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

~  Thursday, February 18, 4pm
"Flowers and Plants Introductions for the New Growing Season"
Interested in how new plants evolve and make it to the garden centers each spring? Follow the path: e.g., hybridization, environmental suitability, and test gardens. Then be introduced to the “Stars for Spring 2021!” Speaker: Kathy Jentz, Editor, Washington Gardener Magazine.
Fee: $10. Register at: https://ncagardenclubs.org/event/district-iv-fundraiser/
Hosted by the National Capital Area Garden Clubs District IV. The presentation will be via Zoom and available on demand for 10 days afterwards.


BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/support. 

The episode is posted at: 
https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-46-Garden-Clubs-in-the-21st-Century-eq9thg

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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Saturday, February 06, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 45: Seed Starting Tips

This episode we talk with Barbara Melera of Harvesting-History.com about the seed industry "seed shortage" and seed starting tips. The plant profile is on Hen-and-Chicks (Sempervivium sp.) and I share some upcoming gardening events. Summer Creek Farm is this episode's sponsor.

Also mentioned in this episode:

~  Thursday, February 18, 4pm
"Flowers and Plants Introductions for the New Growing Season"
Interested in how new plants evolve and make it to the garden centers each spring? Follow the path: e.g., hybridization, environmental suitability, and test gardens. Then be introduced to the “Stars for Spring 2021!” Speaker: Kathy Jentz, Editor, Washington Gardener Magazine. Fee: $10. Register at: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=L4L7AZ6RG55QQ
Hosted by the National Capital Area Garden Clubs District IV. The presentation will be via Zoom and available on demand for 10 days afterwards.

~ Friday, February 19, 9:30am
GreenScapes Symposium
Leveraging native plants to restore the environment. Keynote by Doug Tallamy.
Register at activemontgomery.org.

~  Saturday, February 20, 9:30am
17th Annual EcoSavvy Symposium – Virtual Program  
Join in from the comfort of your own home or office. In this year’s symposium, “Integrating Storm Water Management in Landscape Design.” Fee: $26. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes (code ITG.QARB).

~  Thursday, February 25, 6:30pm
Garden Book Club Meeting
Discuss “A Gentle Plea for Chaos” with Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club via Zoom. Order your copy now at our Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2WOdS4m, then RSVP and see the event details at: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/12/discuss-gentle-plea-for-chaos-with.html.


BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/support. 

The episode is posted at: 
https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-45-Seed-Starting-Tips-eq0odr

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!


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