Monday Thoughts

I Am A Gardener, What's Your Superpower?

- Anonymous

GardenDC Podcast Episode 61: Peonies

In this episode, we talk with Kathleen Gagan, owner of Peony's Envy, all about peonies. The plant profile is on herbaceous peonies and we share our upcoming events and local gardening news!

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: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-61---Peonies-e11q7og

The GardenDC podcast 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
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine
• Google Podcasts at this link (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/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Fenton Friday: Things are Looking Up!

 

Great News! All the decoy strawberry rocks mysteriously reappeared last night in my plot. No explanation, but just glad to have them back.

I've been picking about a cup full of strawberries every other day and cut the small heads off my purple broccoli to add to a pasta dish last night. 

Peas are forming (pictured) and the blackberry plants have a very small crop forming on them.

The favas also have a black sooty substance around the flowers, but I also see ladybugs attacking whatever is causing it, so I will let them do their work. Meanwhile, they seem to be forming bean pods just fine.

I saw that the garlic scapes are starting to form and hope to cut them this weekend to make pesto with. Here is a demo of the recipe I made with them last year.

It was a very hot and dry week, so I didn't want to plant any tender seedlings in the plot. Now that we are getting some rains and having a few overcast days ahead, that will allow me to move in some of the basils, tomatoes, chard, etc. and start my new cutting garden section.

How is your edible garden growing?

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.

Herbaceous Peonies Plant Profile

Herbaceous peonies (Paeonia sp.) are among my favorite flowers. Peonies are easy to grow and will reward you with armfuls of luscious blooms every May into June in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Once established, the only care they need is to cut back the dying foliage in autumn.

   Select a sunny, well-draining spot in your garden for your peonies. Be sure to give them space to grow as well, since this perennial grows to shrub-like proportions in a single season. Having said that, herbaceous peonies really do play well with others in your perennial borders, combining well with roses, catmint, salvias, and clematis.

   The only “trick” to herbaceous peonies is not to plant them too deep. When you get a peony root division, you will see the reddish “eyes” (new emerging plants). Plant them with the tips of the roots pointed downward and the eyes set just below the surface of the soil. Amend the planting hole with peat and then mulch it over very lightly with leaf compost. Do not add in any fertilizer.

   Herbaceous peonies are shallow-rooted, so try not to dig or bother the plants too much around their crown area. When you weed around it, just cut the nearby weeds off at the soil level.

    You may have to give the heavy blooms some staking and support, but I find that if I cut them at the bud stage to enjoy indoors often enough, I don’t have to worry about the characteristic peony flop.

   If a storm is brewing and your peonies are in full bloom, run out and cut all the blossoms that you can. A hard rain can often pummel and destroy these beautiful flowers.

    Peonies are long-lived plants. Some can last for a century or more. They are also great plants to divide and share with other flower lovers. Whether you choose an heirloom peony like ‘Festiva Maxima’ or a newer selection such as ‘Green Halo,’ a peony is a must-have addition to your garden.

Herbaceous Peonies  - You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

 

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Monday Thoughts

Do not fear,

the rain is only here

to help you grow

- jennaececelia

Win 30 Oriental Lily bulbs from Flowerbulbs.com in the May 2021 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest

For our May 2021 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving 30 Oriental Lily bulbs from flowerbulbs.com to one lucky winner.

    Oriental lilies, known as the most flamboyant personalities within the world of lilies, are characterized by their immense flowers, intense fragrance, and rich colors. With their tall, colorful blooms, lilies will bring a hint of the exotic to any garden. And fortunately, planting lily bulbs couldn’t be simpler. These elegant ladies combine perfectly with low-growing broad-leafed plants. That’s because lilies like to stand with their heads in the sun and their feet in the shade. Find out more about growing them at https://www.flowerbulbs.com/1034/lilium.

   To enter to win the box of 30 Oriental Lily bulbs, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on Monday, May 31, with “30 Oriental Lilies” in the subject line. In the body of the email, tell us what your favorite article was in the May 2021 issue and why. Include your full name and mailing address. The winners will be announced by June 2.  

UPDATE:
Congratulations to our contest winner, Diana Aviv of Washington, DC! 

GardenDC Podcast Episode 60: Hydrangeas

In this episode, we talk with Andrew Bunting, Vice President of Public Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, about hydrangeas. The plant profile is on brunnera and we share our upcoming events and local gardening news!

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: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-60---Hydrangeas-with-Andrew-Bunting-e119smc

The GardenDC podcast 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
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine
• Google Podcasts at this link (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/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Fenton Friday: Dry and Discouraging

I hate to end the week on a "Debbie Downer" note, but I was hit twice this week with thefts from my plot. Someone grabbed the first ripe strawberries and then someone (else?) stole all of the decoy strawberry rocks I had made and placed there to discourage birds and rodents from eating the berries. Sadly, humans are the worst "garden pest" animals I am dealing with right now.

So, I loosely netted the berries. It won't stop people if they are determined, but at least slow them down for a second. I also put up my motion-sensor camera and will add a sign to it later. I hope that helps. Pictured here is the one handful I picked today. I am grateful for this little harvest at least.

This week's weather was hot and dry. I go over for daily watering trips just to keep the peas and favas from "melting." The forecast ahead is for more of the same. Hoping for a few good rains early next week.

I plan to pull out the last of the broccoli and a few other of the cool-season crops then start planting my cutting garden flowers, basil, tomatoes, etc.

How is your edible garden growing?

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.

Philadelphia Flower Show - Here We Come!

 

For those who asked about our trip to this year's Philadelphia Flower Show Tour 2021.

Yes, we are ON to go again this year! 

The trip is Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 10:00am-10:00pm -- leaving and returning from downtown Silver Spring, MD.

We plan this to be a safe and enjoyable event for all so we want you to be aware of a few BIG changes:
- We require that everyone sign a waiver and be fully vaccinated.

- We ask that everyone mask-up as much as possible onboard the coach -- outside of when you are eating or drinking.

- We have one less row of seats up front by the driver for current distancing regulations, that means a few less attendees onboard and so we expect to sell out quickly.
  - The show is mainly outdoors and we are going rain or shine, so be prepared for whatever weather it may be that day.  

Please return the registration form and waiver with your payment by May 25.
I will take forms on a first-come basis and will date them as they arrive, then start a wait list.

See the registration form on page 17 in the May 2021 issue of Washington Gardener or email Kathy Jentz @ gmail for the forms.

UPDATE: A quick note that we still have a few spots left on our Philadelphia Flower Show Tour 2021 - on Wednesday, June 9, 10:00am-10:00pm -- leaving and returning from downtown Silver Spring, MD, so I am extending the deadline to June 2.

This year's Flower Show is shaping up to be a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

May 2021 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine –Euphorbia, Radishes, Summer-Blooming Bulbs, Catbirds, and much more

The May 2021 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is out.

Inside this issue:

·         Euphorbia (Spurge)

·         The Many Bonus Radish Harvests 

·         Attracting Gray Catbirds

·         Deer-Resistant, Summer-Blooming Bulbs

·         How Do Nematodes Help Plants and Soils?

·         A Real Pickle: Dealing with Pickleworm

·         Simplify with White Flowers

·         Loudoun County’s Demonstration Garden

·         Meet the Author of “The Color of Food”

·         DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar

and much more…

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the June 2021 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

Plant Profile: Brunnera

Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla) or Siberian Bugloss is also known as the False Forget-Me-Not due to its dainty blue flower sprays in springtime. The flowers are pretty, but the real reason you want this plant in your garden is that it is a perennial workhorse with many positive attributes. In fact, it was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2012.

This plant’s foliage is rough-textured and heart-shaped. The hairy texture of the leaves makes it deer- and rabbit-resistant. It is not a native plant to the Mid-Atlantic USA, but it is well-behaved and expands in a clump that can be divided and moved about every few years.

The only maintenance need is a fresh application of organic mulch in early spring and to cut back the spent flowers, unless you want the plant to seed about a bit.

Brunnera needs to be kept well-watered in its first year, but after that is quite drought-tolerant--making it a good choice for dry shade locations. It is also a great alternative or companion to other shade-loving foliage plants like hostas, heucheras, and caladiums.

The old-fashioned Brunnera is straight-green, while the newer cultivars have a silver sheen or white variegation to their leaves that makes this plant shine in deep shade. These include ‘Jack Frost’, ‘Looking Glass’, and ‘Silver Heart.’ There is even a chartreuse version named ‘Diane’s Gold’.

This versatile plant is a good groundcover as well as container plant.

Brunnera  - 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

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Monday Thoughts

"There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder." 

~  Alfred Austin

Bloom Day: I've Got the Blues (in a Good Way!)

Amsonia

Brunnera

Spiderwort

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 in the Mid-Atlantic USA (USDA zone 7) on the DC-MD border, spring has been fairly cool. Also, windy - really windy - and a bit dry. Now things seems to have settled down a bit.

This year, I have really noticed the waves of colors in the garden. The first blooms of the year being yellow (winter jasmine, eranthis, etc.), then a wave of whites (star magnolias, alyssum, etc.), then reds (tulips, calycanthus, etc.) now pinks (roses, peonies, etc.) and blues. So I thought I'd share a few "blue" blooms in my garden. Pictured here are Amsonia, Brunnera, and Spiderwort.

In the rest of the garden today, I have blooming: Wind Anemone, Columbine, Globe Allium, Solomon's Seal, Iris, native Honeysuckle, Roses, Peonies, Clematis, Pansies, Viola, African Daisy, Alyssum, Brunnera,  Euphorbia, Azaleas, Vinca, and much more!

Be sure to follow @WDCgardener on Instagram for daily pics of what is blooming in the garden and area gardens that I visit.

So what is blooming today in YOUR garden?

GardenDC Podcast Episode 59: Gardening with Tropical Plants

In this episode, we talk with Marianne Willburn, author of Tropical Plants and How to Love Them, about gardening with tropical plants. The plant profile is on strawberries and we share our upcoming events and local gardening news!

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: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-59---Gardening-with-Tropical-Plants-e10tj5b

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, Washington Gardener may receive a few pennies from Amazon.

The GardenDC podcast 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
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine
• Google Podcasts at this link (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/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Fenton Friday: Simply Radishing

This week's weather was still fairly cool for this time of year and breezy with just a spot of rain, so I've had to water the plot a few times to keep the lettuce and turnip seedlings from drying out.

We had two crops from the radishes this week. The one shown above and a second one of the edible seed pods. I'll be sharing more about that second one in the next issue of Washington Gardener Magazine.

At the Silver Spring Garden Club's GardenMart sale last weekend. I bought a 'Sungold' tomato plant along with some 'Shishito' and sweet peppers, a few different basils, swiss chard, several herbs, and some unusual cutting-garden plants. I hope to get these planted up in the next week or so.

The strawberries are SOOOOO close to ripening. If nothing else gets me over to the plot regularly, it will be the anticipation of eating those first red berries of the season!

How is your edible garden growing?

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.