GardenDC Podcast Episode 13: Connie Hilker on Heritage Roses, Hardy Waterlilies, and Crocs

This episode, we chat with Connie Hilker of Hartwood Roses about Heritage (aka Old or Heirloom) Roses. I share my love for Crocs and the plant profile is on Hardy Waterlily (Nymphaea).

Connie Hilker

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/kathy-jentz/episodes/May-30--2020---Heritage-Roses-eemn32

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (note that currently, this link will only work on Android devices)

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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Fenton Friday: Pass the Peas (and Carrots!)

Carrot 'Oxheart'

I decided to dig up some of the carrots we planted last fall. These 'Oxheart' are not even close to the "massive" roots that the seed packet described. Still, they will do for a snack, once I get done scrubbing them.

I harvested a few strawberries and asparagus spears, as well as snipping off all the garlic scapes.

The peas are really humming along now, the hard part is waiting until each is about 4-inches long before I pick them. Pictured are a few that made it to my kitchen, the rest I eat right there in the plot.

I managed to plant a few sweet potato slips as well as the "regular" white 'Satina' potatoes.

The heat and humidity have descended on us, so I'll have to be more diligent about watering and also weeding. I also need to start getting all my pepper and tomato seedlings in the ground now.

Peas 'Snak Hero'

Due to the heat now, most of the cool-season crops are bolting (setting flower, then seeds). I am going to let the last of the radishes do so, but hope the beets and other things hold off until they are at a decent size to harvest.



My next task is to go through all my warm-season seed packs this weekend and start direct-sowing the okra, beans, marigolds. etc.


Back in my home garden, I ripped out a bunch of mugwort, laid down cardboard, and applied a thick layer of leaf compost. I then cut a hole through the layers and planted some 'Amish Melon' seedlings, that I got from a fellow gardener. I'm not a big fan of muskmelon, but I'll give it a try and am happy to let the vine sprawl in the side yard where it can hopefully out-compete any returning mugwort.







What are you harvesting this week in your edible 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 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

Power Circle Activated!

For the past few years, I have been helming a "power circle" for a small group of garden bloggers -- all members of the Garden Communicators International (used to be called Garden Writers Association). We have monthly phone calls on various topics ranging from marketing tips to content ideas. The group is winding up to a close now, so I'll miss our regular gatherings. I still plan to stay in touch through GardenComm and by visting their blogs regularly. I thought I would share the other members' blogs and highlight a bit about them.

Amy Whitney blogs at Small Garden News and she is the Southeast USA. Her blog concentrates on organic food gardening and she has two books that you will want to check out -- one on Fall Garden Planning and the other is a Garden Planner and Notebook.

Duane Pancoast blogs at The Geriatric Gardener. He covers issues surrounding aging in the garden. He just published a book on that same topic and you should be able to order that soon.

Gail Pabst co-writes her No Farm Needed blog with her daughter. Check out their online store which features their pressed flower crafts from flowers that they both grow.

Gerald Simcoe's web site is GeraldSimcoe.com. He studied horticulture at Longwood Gardens, but now spends his time painting. Check out his floral still lifes -- from flowers grown in his own garden.

Keri Byrum's blog is Miss Smarty Plants. She was in Florida for awhile, but is back in Iowa on a farm. She specializes in growing hops for local breweries and has great information on raising backyard chickens.

Marianne Willburn writes at Small Town Gardener and you may know her from her two recent guest appearances on the GardenDC podcast. You may also know her book Big Dreams, Small Garden, which we reviewed in the magazine a few years ago. She is a DC-area local -- living in Lovettsville, VA.

GardenDC Podcast Episode 12: Eva Monheim on her "Shrubs and Hedges" book, Hakone Grass, and Gardening in Movies

This episode, we chat with Eva Monheim about her new book on Shrubs and Hedges. I opine about gardening in movies and the plant profile is on Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra).

Eva Monheim

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/kathy-jentz/episodes/May-23--2020-eef975

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (note that currently, this link will only work on Android devices)

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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Fenton Friday: Holding Out for a 'Snak Hero'

'Snak Hero' pea flowers and pods forming

This week was another cool-ish one, but unlike prior weeks it was dry. It was also windy. So dry and windy in fact that I had to run over to the plot mid-week to throw some emergency water on the poor strawberry plants and greens.

The 'Snak Hero' Pea is covered in blossoms now and the pods are forming. I pulled out the seed pack and see that they are supposed to grow to "Slender 4″ long pods" that resemble green beans so I will let mine grow a bit more before harvesting them.

I dug some more Radishes -- they taste much sharper now that the sun and heat are moving in. I also had a few more Asparagus spears and Spinach to make a salad with.

The scapes (flower stalks) are forming on the hardneck Garlic and I will cut those off in the next day or two to use in a pasta dish.

Because it was so dry, I didn't plant the 'Satina' Potatoes yet, but that is next on my list along with clearing a spot to direct-sow my watermelon and squash seeds.

In a part-shade spot of my home garden, I have several tomato and pepper seedlings hangout out until the ground is warm enough to plant them. Looking at the forecast for the week ahead, that should be very soon!

What are you harvesting this month in your edible 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 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

Win Bloomables Plants from Star Roses in the May 2020 Washington Gardener Reader Contest

For our May 2020 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away three (3) different Bloomables plants chosen by Star Roses to one lucky winner (prize value: $90)!
   Win a selection of plants from Star® Roses & Plants new Bloomables® collection! With more than 35 varieties of Star Roses’ best flowering roses and woodies to choose from, these varieties are easy to grow and offer high rewards in the garden. Bloomables have it all: Bright colors, unique textures, and of course, amazing blooms, make this collection stand out! Check out the collection at www.bloomables.com.
    To enter to win the set of three Bloomables from Star Roses plants, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on Sunday, May 31, with “Bloomables from Star Roses” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the May 2020 issue and why. Include your full name and address. Winners will be announced on June 1.

UPDATE: The winner chosen at random from the submitted entries is Barbara Delaney of
Bethesda, MD. Congratulations, Barbara!

Plant Profile: Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

The Fringetree is a small tree that is native to the Eastern United States.

The “fringe” of this tree refers to the long, white, clusters of drooping flowers in late spring. They are mildly fragrant and give it its alternate common name of “Old Man’s Beard.”

It prefers moist, but well-draining and fertile soil. It flowers best in full-sun to part-shade. It typically reaches between 12 to 20 feet tall.

Deer love to munch on it, so keep it protected while it is still young and small. Once it gains its height, the deer cannot reach those yummy leaves.

This tree seldom needs pruning and is tolerant of air pollution, so it makes a good choice for urban gardens.

A Fringetree can be male or female—the male version being the one with slightly showier flowers. The female tree’s flowers, if fertilized, produce clusters of olive-like fruits in late summer that are a desirable food source for birds and wildlife.

Fringetree looks especially beautiful set against a backdrop of dark evergreen trees and its white blossoms practically glow in the moonlight. 

There is a Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) that is very similar in appearance to our native species. The native one has smooth bark, while the Asian one has bark with furrows of dark brown and light gray.

Fringetree - You Can Grow That!

Read more about Fringetree in the November 2014 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine.

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May 2020 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine – Harvest Times, Low-Maintenance Perennials, Native Twinleaf, and much more…

Inside this issue:

·         When is the Right Time to Harvest?

·         7 Perennials that Work Hard for YOU

·         The Science Behind the Smell of Spring

·         New Tomato Virus Alert

·         10 Tips for Growing Victory Gardens in Containers

·         What to Do in the Garden this Month

·         Native Twinleaf: A Plant Fit for a President

·         Mill Pond Garden: A Tiny Treasure in Delaware
·         Longwood Gardens Selects Two Locals as Fellows

·         and much more…

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the June 2020 issue are due by June 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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Upcoming Webinars: Can’t Fail Container Gardening and Winning the War on Weeds

Webinar: Can’t Fail Container Gardening Basics and Beyond
Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00pm ET via Zoom
Instructor: Kathy Jentz, Editor of Washington Gardener Magazine

Introductory Fee: $10From what type of soils to use to what plants do best in our region, Kathy will cover the basics of growing successful container plantings. She will also cover both ornamental and edible containers as well as the different styles and fashions in container gardening.
Register at: https://py.pl/2WL7ArxVKnM

Webinar: Winning the War on Weeds

Saturday, June 6 at 10:00am – 11:30am ET via Microsoft Teams

Instructor: Kathy Jentz, Editor of Washington Gardener Magazine

Fee: $10 / Discounted Fee for FOBG Members: $8

Tired of fighting the never-ending weed war year after year in your garden? Fear no more as this workshop will explore proven ways to combat weeds and keep them controllable, while still being able to enjoy your garden. This talk will also review a list of the "Dirty Dozen" weeds, which are the worst challenges to fight off in our local gardens. Learn labor-saving tools, best timing for maximizing efforts and tips for preventing future weeds.

Register at: https://apm.activecommunities.com/montgomerycounty/Activity_Search/74702

GardenDC Podcast Episode 11: Lotus, Harvesting Asparagus, and a Profile of Calamintha

This episode, we chat with Kelly Billing of Water Becomes a Garden about Lotus, and I answer a listener question on harvesting Asparagus. The plant profile is on Calamintha (Calamintha nepeta).

Kelly Billing and her lotus rt

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/kathy-jentz/episodes/May-16--2020-ee50k0

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (note that currently, this link will only work on Android devices)

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.

You can also read more about Kelly in the August 2018 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine. 

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Fenton Friday: A Leap Forward

first ripe strawberry of the season

What a difference a week makes! From below-freezing to practically 90-degrees! Suddenly, many plants that were in a holding pattern last week are putting on great growth.

The peas are flowering and I cannot wait for those pods!

The strawberries are ripening and because I have zero patience, I grabbed that first one and ate it already. It was a tad under-ripe, but still darn good!

I cut enough spinach and lettuce for a lunch salad earlier this week. I should be able to do two more cuttings (at least) until those are spent.

The carrots and the beets are forming nicely. I will dig a few in a few weeks to test them out for size.

Unfortunately, that does mean many of the cool season vegetables are now bolting (going to flower) -- that includes the kale, cilantro, and radishes. I will let the radishes set seed so I can collect them to plant next year. for giving away at SeedSwapDay, and for trying in a salad -- as I've heard the radish seeds are edible, though have not eaten them myself.

pea plants flowering

Radished bolting

'Satina' seed potatoes

One of the highlights of the week was receiving a small box of 'Satina' seed potatoes ordered from the Maine Potato Lady by our Washington Gardener Magazine "EdbleHarvest "columnist Elizabeth Olson. I hope to plant them early next week.


The other nice surprise was finding several ladybugs around my plot -- maybe another plot owner released them?

ladybug

What are you harvesting this month in your edible 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 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

A Warm Welcome to Bloom Day!

bearded iris

It is Garden Blogger's Bloom Day again! On the 15th of each month, we gardeners with blogs share a few bloom photos from our gardens. Here is the Mid-Atlantic USA (USDA zone 7) on the DC-MD border, the past month has been a very wet and cold one. The early-spring blooms that had been ahead of schedule due to the somewhat mild winter are now all gone and the mid-spring are now here. Today, we take a BIG temperature jump into the mid-80s and I am loving the warm sun on my skin this afternoon.

Pictured here is a bearded iris that I got from another gardener years ago. It came with no name, so I have no idea on the variety. In my head, I call it "grape bubble yum" as that is what it smells like to me.

Over at my Instagram account, I have posted many more blooms in the last few days that you can check including:
- Clematis 'Silver Moon'
- Clematis 'Taiga' 
- Hardy Geranium (Geranium sanguineum) 'Pink Summer'
- Allium ‘Globemaster’
- several different weigela shrubs
and I will be sharing many more bloom photos in the coming weeks.

What is blooming in YOUR garden today?

Plant Profile: Lily of the Valley

When I picked up some Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) pips from a garden club plant exchange years ago, I wanted a spot for them that was well away from other planting beds because I had been warned about how this plant can take over and be very aggressive. Just to get them in the ground quickly, I stuck them in an empty, dry shade area next to my home’s foundation. To my surprise, not only did they survive, but they actually thrived!

   Their spreading tendencies are kept in check by being in that dry, full-shade spot. Give them better growing conditions at your own peril.

   They are the definition of low-maintenance. At the beginning of spring, I rake out the old, tattered foliage from their beds and sprinkle in some leaf compost. This isn’t necessary, but it keeps the bed looking neat. Other than that, the only care they need is to pluck out the occasional weed in their midst.

   The scent of their blooms in spring is lemony fresh. To pick some Lily of the Valley flowers to enjoy indoors, grasp the stem down at the base and then pull firmly upward in one smooth motion.

   Note that they are poisonous and should be kept away from small children and pets.

   Over the years, I have collected the pink version of Lily of the Valley as well as one with variegated foliage.

   There is a native version, Convallaria majuscule ‘Greene’, that is almost impossible to differentiate from the Eurasian import unless they are side by side. The American one is a bit taller and can be found in the Appalachian woodlands in discrete clumps of just a few plants, rather than in a large patch.

   I highly recommend this sweet little flower to beginning gardeners who want an early success to give them confidence to tackle more labor-intensive plantings. 

Lily of the Valley - You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

➤ 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
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~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/
~ facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC on Spotify, Apple, etc.

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 10: Peppers, Fothergilla, and Rachel Carson's Home

This episode, we chat with Peter Pepper about growing Peppers and I describe my visit to Rachel Carson's home a few years ago. Also, I share what is blooming in my garden and the plant profile is on fothergilla.

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/kathy-jentz/episodes/May-9--2020-edq60b

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (note that currently, this link will only work on Android devices)

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.