GardenDC Podcast Episode 35: Gardening for Wildlife - Part 1

This episode we talk with Marie Mims Butler about her experiences gardening for wildlife at the Virginia Zoological Park in Norfolk, VA. The plant profile is on Tall Sedum and I share a bit about the late-blooming Roses in my garden.

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/October-31--2020---Gardening-for-Wildlife---Part-1-elqren

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
  

• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• 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: Frost Alert

the community garden plot 

Eric Bond of Takoma Radio stopped by again and we recorded another segment* in the garden. He watched as I demonstrated how to plant Garlic and added straw mulch to the beds. I showed off the great looking Lettuce and a 'White Icicle' Radish I pulled out that had self-sown from the spring.

Elsewhere in the plot, the Arugula and two rows Watermelon Radish 'Mantanghong' are growing well. I harvested Okra and what will be the last of the mini Eggplants as we are predicted to get a frost/freeze this evening.

I think I have officially given up on the White Bunching Onions, Cilantro, and Moss Curly Parsley seeds. They were old packets and I don't think any germinated. I may try again with new seeds -- depending on how the weather is next week.

The Snap Peas 'Sugar Magnolia' continue to climb up their trellis -- still no flowers or pea pods!

The Broccoli seedlings are getting nibbled on a bit by bugs -- no florets forming yet.

I pulled all the Basil and I hope to get time tomorrow to make a big batch of pesto made for freezing.

What are you harvesting in your garden this week? 

*The radio segment will air on Sunday, November 1 

at 2pm ET. You can listen online at:  https://takomaradio.org/.

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.

Plant Profile: Orange Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus)

Orange Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is a prolific annual flower that re-seeds liberally, so once you have this plant, you will have it return each year in abundance.

To start it off, sprinkle (direct sow) a pack of seeds in mid-spring. The 'Bright Lights' seed mix is popular and widely available.

The seeds are easy to collect, so it is likely that you can get some free from fellow gardeners or at a local seed swap. If you do not want it to re-seed in your garden, deadhead and collect the spent blooms regularly.

This cosmos has ferny foliage and is covered with orange/yellow/gold flowers from mid-summer to frost. It is a wonderful cut flower, though it only lasts a few days in a vase. It is a pollinator magnet -- beloved by bees and butterflies. Finches enjoy eating the seed-heads.

It is native to the desert areas of the Americas, so that gives you a big clue as to its growing preferences. Sulfur Cosmos (aka Klondike Cosmos or Sulphur Cosmos) grows best in full sun, but tolerates poor/clay soil and it thrives in heat and humidity. I never give mine any water unless we have a prolonged period of no rain and excessive heat.

Orange Cosmos is a bright spot in my garden and one of those old-fashioned reliable plants that is the backbone of my cottage garden.

Orange Cosmos - You Can Grow That!

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The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Nicole Noechel
Audio by Kathy Jentz

 

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Win 2021 Garden Calendars from Workman Publishing in our October 2020 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest

For our October 2020 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away 2021 garden calendars from Workman Publishing (value $15, workman.com). 

   Workman 2021 calendars are the perfect gift for the growing number of green thumbs since the pandemic hit. Workman introduces a whole new lineup of lively, garden-inspired calendars—along with new editions of old favorites. 

   The Secret Garden wall calendar, with over 1 million copies sold, explores all the best-kept secrets gardens have to offer. The Birds in the Garden from Audubon features a gorgeous photo each month that is like glancing out the window and spotting a jewel-like songbird alighting on a flower.

   To enter to win a garden calendar, send an email to:

WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on Saturday, October 31, with “Workman Calendar” in the subject line and in the body of the email, tell us what your favorite article was in the October 2020 issue and why. Include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced on November 1.  

UPDATE:

Congratulations to our three contest winners! They are:

• Anamaria Anderson, Arlington, VA
• Roshani Kothari, Washington, DC
• April Studeny, Baltimore MD

GardenDC Podcast Episode 34: Colorful Foliage and Longwood's Chrysanthemum Festival

This episode we talk with Karl Gercens of Longwood Gardens about fabulous fall color from foliage as well as Longwood's legendary Chrysanthemum Festival. The plant profile is on Wild Ageratum and I share a bit about the Pink Muhly Grass in my garden.

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/October-24--2020---Colorful-Foliage-and-Longwoods-Chrysanthemum-Festival-elg4r6

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
  

• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• 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: The Lettuce is Ready for Its Close-up

 

The interns stopped by the plot this week and were each able to go home with a small bag of the Lettuce Leaf 'Salad Bowl Blend' along with a handful of Cherry Tomatoes, a few Okra pods, and some Peppers 'Roulette'. I am going to pause to here to say, have you ever seen a more pretty lettuce leaf?!? Gorgeous! Behind it is the cover cloth fabric we pulled back to harvest it, that cloth keeps the bugs off of it and the leaves from getting chewed up.

I pulled that pepper plant and stripped off all the remaining peppers - some red, a few orange, but mainly still green. I stopped counting at 50! They are sweet, with just the barest touch of heat on some random peppers. I cored them and cut them up then froze them spread out on cookie sheets overnight before placing them in freezer bags. I use them by the handful on pizzas -- I suppose I could add them also to an omelette or to other dishes, but I just love peppers on pizza, so they are reserved for this.
   By the way, do you like the bag I use to collect the peppers in (see photo)? It is the one from my breakfast cereal. I really like how thick they are and collect them in a cabinet and grab a few whenever I go out to the garden to harvest a few things. (I used to use newspaper sleeves, but I find they tear so easily.) I give many of the cereal bags away with my excess produce that I share too. At least they get re-used once or twice.
   I am not the only one in my household who likes the thickness and texture of these bags. As Santino, the bigger of my two cats, is obsessed with chewing on them. I often catch him when I hear "crinkle, crinkle, crinkle" in another room and jump up to stop him. If you look closely at this photo, you may see teeth marks around the top of this bag as well.  

From the seeds I planted two weeks ago, the Arugula and two rows Watermelon Radish 'Mantanghong' are growing well.

The seedlings for the White Bunching Onions, Cilantro, and Moss Curly Parsley are barely discenerable - if there at all. I will give them another week.

The Snap Peas 'Sugar Magnolia' are still climbing up their trellis -- no flowers or pea pods yet - but they have the biggest leaves on a pea plant that I have ever seen, along with the thickest stalks - I am talking pencil thickness!

The Broccoli seedlings are doing fine -- getting taller, but no florets forming yet.

My goal this week is to plant the Garlic and maybe a row of Carrot seeds. If time, I will also pull all the Basil and finally get that big batch of pesto made for freezing.

What are you 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 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.

Plant Profile: Wild Ageratum

Wild Ageratum or Blue Mistflower  (Conoclinium coelestinum or Eupatorium coelestinum) is an Eastern native plant. It is in the aster family and blooms from mid-summer through mid-autumn. It prefers full to part sun and is hardy to USDA Zones 5 to 10.

This plant has an annual look-a-like – the short bedding plant Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum). It is also a close relative of Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) and is known alternatively as Blue Boneset.

Wild Ageratum likes moist, fertile soils and can spread aggressively. It is easy to pull out the rhizomes though and if reseeding is a concern, remove the spent flower heads before they go to seed. 

It can grow to 2 to 3 feet tall. To prevent flopping and prolong the bloom period, taller plants may be cut back in summer.

Pollinators are fond of it and deer seldom trouble it.

Wild Ageratum is hard to find at the garden center, but you can try native plant sales or ask for a springtime division from a gardening friend.

Wild Ageratum - You Can Grow That!

 The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Nicole Noechel
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

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

~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC on Spotify, Apple, etc.

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October 2020 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine – Tiger Eyes Sumac, Growing Hops, Trouble-Free Roses and much more

 

The October 2020 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is out now.

Inside this issue:

·         Tiger Eyes Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac

·         Growing Hops at Home

·         Selecting Trouble-Free Roses

·         The Best Time to Plant Garlic

·         Meet Prince George’s Urban Agricultural Conservation Planner

·         Ready Your Yard for Fall

·         What to Do in the Garden this Month

·         Mastering Perfect Bulb–Perennial Combinations
and much more…

 

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the November 2020 issue are due by November 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

Help Us Stay Out of Spam Folders!

The following things will help Washington Gardener avoid your spam folder.

~ Add washingtongardenermagazine@gmail.com to your address/contact list.

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 33: US Botanic Garden’s 200th Anniversary

This episode we talk with Saharah Moon Chapotin, Susan Pell, and Devin Dotson about the US Botanic Garden’s 200th Anniversary. The plant profile is on Mexican Feather Grass and I share what's blooming in my garden.

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/October-17--2020---US-Botanic-Gardens-200th-Anniversary-el4p99

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: Radish Seedlings

Thinning Radish Seedlings

We are expecting a light frost this weekend at the community garden plot. I picked my last couple of small Cucumbers, a few Okra, and one small Eggplant. I should have stripped all the remaining Peppers and Tomatoes too -- along with pulling all the Basil -- but this week was a busy one giving talks and laying out the magazine -- I may get to that tomorrow.

From the seeds I planted last week, the Cilantro, Arugula, and two rows Watermelon Radish 'Mantanghong' are all up. The radish seedlings already need thinning, so that is basically the only task I got done, along with some minor weeding.

The seedlings for the White Bunching Onions and Moss Curly Parsley have not made an appearance yet. I'll give them another week or so, before calling them a bust.

The Snap Peas 'Sugar Magnolia'* are still climbing up their trellis -- no flowers or pea pods yet.

The Lettuce Leaf 'Salad Bowl Blend' is ready to cut and I am saving that for the interns visit early next week.

The Broccoli seedlings are doing fine -- getting taller, but no florets as of today.

Soon, it will also be time to plant Garlic. I may do that in the spot the tomatoes are in right now.

What are you 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 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.

Déjà Vu -- a Reblooming Bloom Day

Here in the Mid-Atlantic USA (USDA zone 7) on the DC-MD border, the past month has been a fairly typical early autumn. My garden is humming along. For this month's bloom day, I thought I'd share a few of the plants that I am trialing that are reblooming now. These are all bred to have flowers outside our usual bloom times.

I have a Bloomerang Dwarf Purple Lilac blooming now, along with several reblooming Weigela, Hydrangea, and Azalea varieties. Pictured below is an azalea I was recently sent to trial. It arrived several pruned back and took a few weeks to recover. It is now covered in flowers and looking quite spectacular.

Azalea Perfecto Mundo Double Pink from Proven Winners

What is blooming in your garden today?

It is the 15th of the month, which means Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day again. To view links to other garden bloggers' blooms around the world to see what it blooming in their gardens today and to read their collective comments, go to:

 https://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2020/10/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-october-2020.html

Plant Profile: Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima)

Mexican Feather Grass is a versatile ornamental grass that has many uses in the home landscape. It can be used in groupings, as a specimen plant, for edging, and in containers.

 In spring, the grass is a lime green, then sends out blonde-colored seed heads in summer and finally, in fall, the plant turns a tawny golden color.

 This grass has lovely movement and drama in the garden. It can add a layer of texture that blends well with many other plants such as Tall Sedums, Brazilian Verbena, and Echinacea.

 It is hardy to zones 7 to 10. It can grow in situations from full sun to part shade with good drainage. It is drought- and heat-tolerant.

 Mexican Feather Grass is a relatively small grass. Its mature size is approximately two feet high and wide. It can be divided in the springtime and is a low-maintenance plant in our region. It can be an aggressive spreader in other areas like California.

 The Latin name for Mexican Feather Grass recently changed from Stipa to Nassella, which has caused a little bit of confusion and you will hear people call the grass by either name, but they are all the same plant.

Mexican Feather Grass - You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Nicole Noechel
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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SPRING PUBLICATION INTERNS SOUGHT

Washington Gardener Magazine, a 15-year-old local gardening magazine, is looking for talented SPRING interns. Candidates must display an eagerness to learn about the publishing industry.

The successful candidate will either be a junior or senior in college, who is interested in examining a career in magazine journalism. The unpaid program requires a 10-20-hour weekly commitment, with hours being flexible, including some weekend local garden events. The internship will begin in late January and run through the spring session. The student will be responsible for determining whether college credit will also be available for the internship program.

Duties would include: • Communicating with authors • Conducting interviews • Proofing & editing articles • Researching • Taking photographs/videos  • Press Releases, both writing and editing • Blogging, both writing and posting • Social Media Campaign • Assisting with mass mailers, and providing general support to our editorial staff. Ideal candidates will have a journalism background, but all students passionate about gaining experience with a local, vibrant digital magazine are encouraged to apply.

Students should send a cover letter, names of references, and copies of their best writing samples BY Monday, November 23 to:

Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener Magazine
826 Philadelphia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910
kathyjentz (at) gmail.com

Photo source: Unsplash.com

GardenDC Podcast Episode 32: Garden Tours, Private European Gardens, and Goldenrod

This episode we talk with Carolyn Mullet about her Garden Tours and upcoming book on private European gardens, Adventures in Eden. The plant profile is on Goldenrod and I share some observations about the Wild Ageratum blooming in my garden.

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/October-10--2020---Garden-Tours--Private-European-Gardens--and-Goldenrod-eks7fg

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.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Fenton Friday: Cool Season Seeds

This week at the community garden plot, I went on a seed-planting spree. It may be too late for some things - or maybe not - we shall see how the rest of the autumn season plays out.

I planted Cilantro, Arugula,  White Bunching Onions, Moss Curly Parsley, and two rows Watermelon Radish 'Mantanghong'. The radish seeds were sent from Botanical Interests and I have never grown these watermelon-types before and am eager to try them. The tiny seedlings are already up and looking good! 

Elsewhere in the plot, the Snap Peas 'Sugar Magnolia'* are climbing up their trellis and I expect them to produce flowers then pea pods any day now.

The Lettuce Leaf 'Salad Bowl Blend' is pretty much ready to cut and make a salad from -- though I'll give it a few more days before doing that.

The Broccoli seedlings are doing fine and I added a larger row cover over them so they could grow taller without being pinned in so tightly.

I am still harvesting a few handfuls of Okra, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants this week as well -- and the 'Big Duck Yellow' Marigolds are the size of small shrubs.

Today, I also pre-taped a segment for Takoma Radio with Eric Bond that will air on Sunday, 10/12 at 2pm during the Talk of Takoma show. You can listen online at https://takomaradio.org/.

What are you harvesting in your garden this week? 

*also from Botanical Interests

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.