GardenDC Podcast Episode 148: Serviceberries and Saskatoons

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with returning guest Stanton Gill, Extension Specialist in IPM and Entomology with University of Maryland Extension, and co-owner of MacBride and Gill Falcon Ridge Fruit Orchard in Westminster, MD, about growing Serviceberries and Saskatoons in the Mid-Atlantic USA. The plant profile is on Bearded Iris 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 horticulturist and Washington Gardener Magazine's InsectIndex columnist Carol Allen, who shares the Last Word on arborist wood chips.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support.

Show Notes: 01:27 Meet Stanton Gill, Extension Specialist in IPM and Entomology with University of Maryland Extension and co-owner of MacBridge and Gill Falcon Ridge Fruit Orchard. 02:22 All about the “advanced fruit production with integrated pest management” class. 03:02 Where do you have to live to take the class? 04:48 Genus, species, and common names. 05:57 What is the other Serviceberry story? 07:00 Why is it called the Shadbush? 08:42 Frost damage – they’re similar to roses. 09:36 Saskatoons ripening and harvesting. 10:50 Does cutting entire branches off work? 12:07 The Cree Indians named the Saskatoon. 14:03 “Out here, if someone falls off a ladder, they dust themselves off and get back on the ladder.” 14:43 If you let saskatoons become a tree, they can become 25 feet high! 15:18 How can insect-mesh prevent birds? 16:45 “The birds bounce on it.” 19:30 When growing two different varieties, how close should the plants be to each other? 20:20 All about Serviceberry flavor! 21:26 “Most people can’t tell the difference between a blueberry pie and a saskatoon once you cook it and put in a little bit of sugar.” 22:22 How did Native Americans make “power bars” with serviceberries? 24:56 How to freeze and store serviceberries 27:16 Serviceberries are difficult to root from a cutting. 32:20 Pruning for the landscape look – what is that? 34:39 All about winter pruning. 35:41 How does the sunlight affect sweetness? 37:51 How to find Saskatoons at nurseries 40:13 Serviceberry/Saskatoon rust issues (ugh!) 44:06 Lace bug damage – yikes. 48:41 Is it okay to glean serviceberries from public property? 51:03 Bearded Iris: this week’s Plant Profile! 53:22 Garden updates: Peonies, Roses, Bearded Irises and everything else is blooming! 54:13 April 2023 Washington Gardener Magazine issue is out! 55:17 Upcoming events: Maryland Native Plant Society’s monthly program; Gardening for Dry Shade talk by Kathy Jentz; Tudor Place’s Spring Garden Party. 56:42 “Groundcover Revolution” by Kathy Jentz. 58:02 “The Urban Garden” by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight 59:06 The Last Word on arborist wood chips from Carol Allen, horticulturist and Washington Gardener Magazine’s InsectIndex columnist.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 82: Persimmons and Other Unusual Fall Fruits with Stanton Gill
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-82-persimmons.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 139: Bountiful Berries

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-139-bountiful.html

This episode is archived at: 

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Serviceberries-and-Saskatoons-e234nca

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

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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.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:

Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Editing and Show Notes: Jessica Harden

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Fenton Friday: Asparagus Patch Revamped

@wdcgardener Our asparagus patch at the community garden plot was getting a bit wild and weedy, so we used the lasagna/layer method to revamp it. #gardendc #layermethod #weeding #lasagnamethod #asparagusbed #asparagus #layergarden #layergardening #lasagnagardening #lasagnagarden ♬ love ya - Shoffy

Our asparagus patch at the community garden plot was getting a bit wild and weedy, so we used the lasagna/layer method to revamp it. (See our TikTok video above.)

   The lasagna method (also known as the layer method) is a way to recover a section of your garden that has been overtaken by weeds. First, rip out and cut back as much as possible. Weed whack the rest of it down to the ground and let it lay there. That bottom green layer is a great amendment for the soil. Next, add a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard*. Wet it or weigh it down so it doesn't fly away. 

   The next layer is a thick covering of compost. That can be chopped-up leaves, wood chips, or any organic mulch. Finally, you can add an optional layer of straw (not hay!) on top.

   Note that we kept a few of the old asparagus plants still up and we will come back in a few weeks and plant new asparagus starts also.

   *And yes, we SHOULD have removed the tape off the cardboard boxes first. We were rushing in the rain to get this done - I'll dig the tape out once the cardboard starts breaking down in a few months.

   Elsewhere in the plot, we pulled a Daikon radish to check on its size - it is long, but still very thin and needs to bulk up a bit before harvesting. The lettuces and other crops are humming along with the potato plants growing several inches a day!

   The big surprise is the Arugula is already starting to bolt! We have it under a shade cloth and the weather has been seesawing from highs in the 50s/60s to the mid-80s. Now we are back into a cool and rainy stretch, bur I guess those high temps had already impacted the plants.

What are you growing in your edible garden this season?

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 12th 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).

Spanish Bluebells Plant Profile

Spanish Bluebells Plant Profile

Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are a flowering bulb that blooms in mid-spring. The common name comes from the lavender-blue, bell-shaped blooms on its foot-tall flower spike. They are sometimes referred to as Wood Hyacinths. While the flowers are normally blue, you can also find white and pink forms.

They are native to Spain and northern Africa. These little bulbs are hardy to USDA zones 3 to 8. Spanish Bluebells prefer well-draining soils in sun to part-shade locations.  They are deer-resistant and low-maintenance.

The bulbs naturalize by both self-sowing and by making more bulb offsets. You can dig and divide a clump to replant them once the foliage starts to die back. If planted near English bluebells (Hyancinthoides non-scripta), they can potentially hybridize with each other and create new flower forms from their seeds.

Spanish Bluebells: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.

Video and editing by Jessica Harden

Audio and text by Kathy Jentz

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Top Local Spots for Azalea Viewing: Best Bloom Displays in the DC-MD-VA Region

Top Local Spots for Azalea Viewing: Best Bloom Displays in the DC-MD-VA Region

What is a spring in the Mid-Atlantic without abundant azalea blooms? Masses of bright blossoms make for a wonderful sight after a long, cold winter. Sure, they can be over-used at times, but the reason we love them so much is because they are so successful and reliable in our gardens.

   Azalea season runs from April through June with early-, mid-, and late-season blooming shrubs. (Though technically, with the new re-blooming varieties, the flowering season can extend through fall.) Be sure to re-visit some of these locations throughout the several weeks of bloom so you can enjoy the changing mix of colors as different varieties wax and wane.

   A few years ago, Washington Gardener Magazine asked local azalea fans for their favorite bloom viewing spots in our region. “I’ve always enjoyed the ride along Prosperity Avenue between Little River Turnpike and Route 50 in Fairfax County, VA. Many homes have beautiful, mature azaleas,” said Rick Bauer, president of the Northern Virginia Chapter, the Azalea Society of America.

   “My first place vote will always go to the National Arboretum,” said Mike Welsh, retired city gardener for Takoma Park, MD. “It has everything: a great collection, many different forms and varieties, the wonderful lay of the land for viewing, and a central location. By far, the most fascinating lore and history. It gets better, year after year. All one needs do is to go and look at the faces of those visiting and witness first-hand their expressed pleasure and their interaction with those beautiful azaleas.”

   Mike’s professional gardening domain was Takoma Park, MD, which is well-known for its many beautiful azaleas, in both private and public gardens. The location is the former home of Benjamin Y. Morrison, the famed horticulturist who was the founder and first director of the U. S. National Arboretum. Morrison is noted for cross-breeding different strains of azaleas to produce the Glenn Dale azaleas, which are prevalent today throughout the eastern United States. Morrison lived near Piney Branch Road and many of his Glenn Dale introductions can be seen throughout the city’s private home gardens and public parks.

   “Azaleas have a glamorous presence that few other plants have; beautiful azalea viewing can be anywhere and everywhere,” added Mike.

Azaleas at the USNA bonsai collection. Photo courtesy of DCGardens.com

   Indeed, most of these azalea-viewing suggestions are free and open to all. A few are on private property and we ask you to respect the homeowners by not trespassing and staying in the public right-of-way to take any photos.
• Brighton Dam in Brookeville, MD, has more than 20,000 azaleas and is provided by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.
•  Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, features more than 300 varieties of azaleas represented by 2,000 plants.
• Landon School in Bethesda, MD, hosts an annual Azalea Festival on the first weekend of May. The Perkins Gardens include 15,000 azaleas.
• The U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC, is where thousands of azaleas cover the flanks of Mount Hamilton in a blaze of color. 
• McCrillis Gardens in Bethesda, MD, was the private collection of an azalea gardener before being given to Montgomery County Parks in 1978.
• Franciscan Monastery in Washington, DC, features a hillside of azaleas in its 40-acre grounds.
• Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens in Washington, DC, includes hundred of azaleas sprinkled throughout the many garden rooms.
• Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA, has a small collection of natives and some Asian varieties.
• Rachel Carson Conservation Park, in Olney, MD, is known, in part, for Rachel Carson’s famous wild azaleas (Pinxters), which are in full bloom in mid- to late-May.
• Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, VA, contains an azalea collection with more than 50,000 plants representing more than 550 species in full bloom. They also host an annual Azalea Celebration Week in early May.
• Cylburn Arboretum in Baltimore, MD, is known for its Azalea Trail and offers guided walks on occasion.
• Maymont in Richmond, VA, includes a Japanese Garden with spectacular combinations of azaleas, Japanese Maples, and spring-flowering trees.
• Annmarie Garden in Solomons, MD, has about 500 shrubs in its Glenn Dales collection established in 1997 and tended by volunteer gardeners.
   Did we leave any of your favorite local azalea viewing spots off this list? Let us know where you go to be amongst “the royalty of the garden.”  

Here are some tips and sources for growing great azaleas in YOUR garden: 

• Azalea Plant Profile https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/05/plant-profile-azaleas.html
• All Things Azalea https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-9-all-things.html
• Azalea Society of America https://www.azaleas.org/
• A reader tip: "White's Nursery supplies many of these places with their azaleas. There are hundreds of varieties. The prices are very reasonable because it is a one-man business. Mike White does it as a hobby. Even if you don't need azaleas, go look at the beautiful flowers at 22531 Wildcat Rd Germantown, MD.

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Monday Thoughts: “Gardening is the slowest of the Performing Arts.” — Mac Griswold

“Gardening is the slowest of the Performing Arts.” — Mac Griswold

Win a set of three Grow Bags in the April 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest

For our April 2023 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a set of three grow bag pots (value $30). 

   These fabric garden bags are made of quality nonwoven fabric material, sturdy and breathable, providing an ideal growing environment for plants and flowers. The grow bags are one-gallon sized. They have handles sewn on for easy transport. The nonwoven material provides good drainage for plants, allowing roots to breathe freely and plants to grow faster and more vigorously. When not in use, they can be folded flat and stored easily. They are reusable for at least three growing seasons and are machine-washable.

   To enter, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on April 30 with “Grow Bags” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the  April 2023 Washington Gardener issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. The winner will be announced and notified on/about May 1. 

UPDATE: The contest winner is Dorothy Cichra of Silver Spring, MD. Congratulations, Dorothy!

GardenDC Podcast Episode 147: Sustainable Gardening Practices

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Lois J. de Vries, Executive Director of the Sustainable Gardening Institute and Library, about sustainable gardening practices. The plant profile is on Golden Ragwort 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 Dr. Allan Armitage, who returns to share the Last Word on Annual Plant Snobs.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support.

Show Notes: 01:14 Meet Lois J. de Vries, executive director of the Sustainable Gardening Institute and Library. 02:37 “I’ve killed my fair number of plants.” 03:25 Why did Lois used to hate hydrangeas and lilies of the valley? 03:55 Lois’ introduction to horticulture is a “long and winding road.” 06:19 “It really brought home to me how little many homeowners know about the environment and sustainable landscaping practices.” 06:46 Why did Lois start the online garden library and institute? 09:41 “One day I woke up and said ‘what we need is a sustainable gardening library.’” 10:49 Who is the map for? 11:53 All about Lois’ personal garden! 13:18 “We got skipped by the snow, but I’m not complaining about that.” 15:13 Dan: Lois’ other half and official hole digger. 16:58 Eco-Regions app: what is it and how do gardeners use it? 19:45 The app tells you about previous land use – hopefully it wasn’t a brownfield. 20:13 “People think that they have a [brown] thumb, but it can also be that you have a different soil.” 21:58 The topics are vetted by the Sustainability Committee at GardenComm. 27:45 “My first favorite topic is stormwater management, but we won’t get there…” 28:11 What is sustainability? 32:50 One-third of the content providers are in the New York to Virginia area. 33:26 Montana doesn’t have many public gardens and colleges. 34:22 Why aren’t private corporations part of the Sustainable Gardening Institute and Library? 42:24 With sustainability, start small. 42:48 “I enjoy my exotic plants as much as anybody.” 44:33 “No garden is truly sustainable.” 46:21 Advice for new homeowners: do nothing. 49:14 Golden Ragwort: this week’s Plant Profile! 50:59 Garden updates: Carolina Allspice shrub is blooming, Yukon Gold potatoes are popping up! 51:22 Upcoming events: FONA Garden Fair; Beltsville Garden Plant Sale; Shepherd Park Garden Tour; GardenMart Plant Sale. 53:51 “Groundcover Revolution” by Kathy Jentz. 55:13 “The Urban Garden” by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight 56:19 The Last Word from Dr. Allan Armitage on Annual Plant Snobs

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Episode 101: Sustainable Lawn Care 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-101.html

~ GardenDC Episode 117: Environmentally Friendly Gardening

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-117.html

This episode is archived at: 
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Sustainable-Gardening-Practices-e22hu7g

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

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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.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:

Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Editing and Show Notes: Jessica Harden

PIN THIS FOR LATER!