Monday, May 12, 2025
Monday Thoughts: “Oh, soon with heaping measures The spring will bring her treasures To gladden every breast; The sky with warmth a-beaming, The earth with love a-teeming — In life itself new zest!” ~ John Burroughs
Saturday, May 10, 2025
GardenDC Podcast Episode 240: Top Urban Trees
In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Robert Shaut, Director of Tree Operations at Casey Trees, about the best choices for Urban Trees. The plant profile is on Basil 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 the Great Tomato Adventure by Christy Page of GreenPrints.
If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 181: Invasive Plants with Casey Trees
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-204-natural.html
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 204: Natural Tree Care
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-204-natural.html
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 87: Winter Tree Care
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-87-winter-tree.html
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 187: Mad About Mulches
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Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz
Friday, May 09, 2025
Fenton Friday: Growing My First Salad
Guest Post by Skylar Drew
This semester at Washington Gardener, I finally got down in the dirt and learned the basics of edible gardening. After so many years of watching the adults in my childhood neighborhood constantly planting and weeding, my turn had come!
In early March, I planted 'White Globe' Turnips, 'New Zealand' Spinach, and 'Frosty' Peas in the community plot and anxiously awaited their sprouts. Unfortunately, my spinach never made an appearance, but seeing the tiny green leaves peeking out from the turnip and pea rowss filled me with awe. We eventually planted Carrots, Radish, Lettuce, Onions, Arugula, and Cilantro in the following weeks to make for a more plentiful harvest. The turnips grew ferociously, and a few (returning) potato plants even sprouted in the same bed! (We harvested a few mid-sized turnips on my final visit to the plot. The peas are still growing and may be ready to harvest in a month.)
I was shocked to find how simple it can be to grow your own food, especially since I was often only in the garden once a week. Still, I have plenty to learn. The vegetables really took off during April and on the first of this month, we were able to harvest some of the Lettuce and Arugula! Bringing it home to make a small salad was one of the highlights of my semester, and I was so proud to have helped raise something from seed into sustenance.
Even on the days where I felt I was dragging, I was always excited to see how much each plant had grown from the last time I had been there to weed or water.
As spring closes in on summer, I’m looking forward to beginning my own garden back at home with the knowledge Washington Gardener editor Kathy Jentz has given me. I’m especially excited to one day start a small pollinator garden. I’ve always known gardening to be extremely important, but it’s one thing to know and another to do. I’m so grateful that I was able to have this experience of growing something myself, and I see myself in a long line of people to spread the word: plants are life!
What are you growing in your edible garden this week?
About the author: Skylar Drew is an intern this spring semester with Washington Gardener. She is a senior journalism major at the UMD College Park. She is from Bel Air, Maryland, where she watched her mom grow her garden.
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 14th 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).
Wednesday, May 07, 2025
Fleabane Plant Profile
Fleabane Plant Profile
Fleabane (Erigeron
species) are a daisy-like wildflower that pop up in disturbed areas. They are considered
a “pioneer species” and can act like an annual or biennial.
The common name fleabane comes from the belief that dried flower
clusters of this plant could rid your home of fleas.
Erigeron annuus
(formerly Aster annuus),is known as the annual fleabane, daisy fleabane, or Eastern
daisy fleabane. It is native to North America and Central
America. It blooms from June to October and grows to about 3 feet tall.
Eastern daisy fleabane is hardy to USDA zones 2 to 9. It
grows well in full to part sun sites and. it is tolerant of a wide range
of soil conditions.
Erigeron acris (previously
known as Erigeron philadelphicus) is commonly
known as Philadelphia Fleabane, Bitter Fleabane, and Blue Fleabane.
Philadelphia Fleabane is native to most of the United States
and blooms from April to June. It is hardy to USDA zones 2 to 9. It grows
well in full to part sun sites and. it is tolerant of a wide range of soil
conditions.
Erigeron pulchellus known
commonly as Robin's plantain is
a biennial or short-lived perennial that is native to eastern and central US. It
has lavender-blue to white flowers that bloom
from April to June. IT is hardy to USDA zones 3 to 8.
Fleabane flowers are pollinated by a variety
of bees,; as well as flies, wasps, small butterflies, and other
insects.
They are deer-resistant and drought-tolerant.
Fleabane: You Can
Grow That!
The video was produced
by Washington Gardener Magazine.
Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz
Video and Editing by Madison Korman
➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up
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If you liked this video,
we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:
~ Shasta Daisy Plant
Profile
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/08/shasta-daisy-plant-profile.html
~ Golden Ragwort Plant
Profile
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/05/golden-ragwort-plant-profile.html
~ Lyreleaf Sage Plant
Profile
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/04/lyreleaf-sage-plant-profile.html
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Monday, May 05, 2025
Saturday, May 03, 2025
GardenDC Podcast Episode 239: DOGE Cuts and Your Garden
In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Thomas Christopher, horticulturist, author, and podcaster, about Department of Government Efficency (DOGE) impacts on gardening. The plant profile is on Trillium 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 Types of Pruning Shears by Christy Page of GreenPrints.
If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 117: Environmentally Friendly Gardening
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-117.html
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 145: Everything is Politics, Even Gardening
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-145-everything.html
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Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz
Friday, May 02, 2025
Fenton Friday: Salad Harvest
This week we also added Marigold seeds to the rebooted the pollinator garden strip on the exposed corner of our community garden. The two varieties are 'Siam Gold' and 'Primrose Flame'.
We also planted a dozen 'Stuttgart' Yellow Onions. It is late in the season to be doing so, but the onion sets were given to our community garden by HarvestShare to grow for suporting their food for the hungry programs. I'm not an onion fan, but I figured we'd give it a try and I found a spot for them by the Garlic bed.We were also able to harvest the Arugula and Lettuce. The Cilantro (shown above -- in between the two salad greens) can be cut soon too.
The Radishes, Beets, Turnips (shown above), Spinach, Dill, Potatoes, Blackberries, and Carrots are all still several weeks from being ready to harvest.
What are you growing in your edible 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 14th 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).
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Dill Plant Profile
Dill Plant Profile
Dill (Anethum
graveolens) is an annual herb that is native to Eurasia and the
Mediterranean. Dill is used in pickling and in such dishes as potato salad,
sauerkraut, and fish preparations. It has beautiful ferny foliage and pretty
yellow flowers.
In addition to its culinary uses,
Dill attracts beneficial insects. It is a host plant for the
caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly. It was named Herb of
the Year in 2010.
Grow it in full sun and in well-draining soil--protected from strong winds. It
is hardy to USDA zones 2 to 11.
Dill is best started by direct-sowing seeds in the ground.
It can also be grow in containers. (It has a long taproot, so it doesn’t like
to be moved or transplanted.) To have a continual supply of dill, sow a new row
of seeds every few weeks.
You should occasionally weed around the plants and thin out
the new seedlings once they are a few inches high. Pinch off the flower heads
to encourage fuller leaf growth, which is the main part you will harvest for
use in cooking.
Once the dill plant has 5-6 leaves on it, you can start
harvesting them. To harvest the leaves, pinch or snip them off with kitchen
scissors. Select the older leaves first.
Towards the end of the season, let the dill flower and form
seedheads. Collect the seeds for use in cooking and to plant some for next
year. If you let the seeds fall where they are growing, they will often
self-sow next season.
It is deer-resistant and makes a charming addition to a cut-flower
bouquet.
Dill: 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 Madison Korman
➤ If you
enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our
Youtube channel (thank you!)
➤Remember
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Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE
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Podcast: GardenDC
If you enjoyed this Plant Profile, check out:
~ Borage Plant Profile
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/borage-plant-profile.html
~ Bronze Fennel Plant Profile
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/bronze-fennel-plant-profile.html
~ Yarrow Plant Profile
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/06/yarrow-plant-profile.html
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