Saturday, August 31, 2024

GardenDC Podcast Episode 208: Seed Libraries

In this episode, we talk with Ciara O'Brien, Founder of the Prince Georges County Seed Library, all about seed libraries. The plant profile is on Cotton and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Freezing Butternut Squash from Christy Page of Green Prints.

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

See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 88: Seed Swaps and Exchanges

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-88-seed-swaps.html

This episode is archived at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Seed-Libraries-e2njo2t

SHOW NOTES: 00:39 - Kathy previews the episode 01:17 - Welcome Ciara O’Brien, founder of the Prince George’s County Seed Library 01:38 - Ciara discusses her childhood/family experience with gardening 02:56 - Ciara shares what type of gardening she personally engages in 04:00 - Kathy and Ciara talk about Prince George’s County, MD 04:49 - Ciara discusses her time with the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps 06:07 - Ciara talks about the Pollinators and Produce program 06:59 - Ciara talks about her love of writing 08:11 - What is a seed library? 09:40 - Kathy and Ciara discuss seed returning/saving 10:25 - How did Ciara source the initial seed offering for the library? 12:12 - How did Ciara partner with the Prince George’s County Library? 14:10 - Who maintains the seed library on a day-to-day basis? 15:16 - Do you need to check in with a library worker to check out seeds? 15:44 - Where exactly is the seed library located? 15:58 - How are the seeds categorized in the seed library? 16:48 - Is there a limit to how many seeds you can take at a time? 17:42 - How are larger seed packets divided up into reasonable portions? 19:38 - Are seeds checked for quality/germination before being entered into the library? 20:31 - What kind of growing guidance is given with the seeds? 21:33 - What information is listed on the seed envelopes? 22:20 - Have you heard anything back from people who have used seeds from the library? 24:26 - Ciara talks about the seed library network 26:39 - Are there certain areas that have particularly high/low numbers of seed libraries? 29:54 - Ciara talks about the legal concerns around seed libraries 34:03 - Ciara discusses the scope of the current global seed market 35:32 - How can seed libraries make sure to access communities/populations that don’t normally have as much access to seeds? 37:04 - Are there specific kinds of seeds that people are requesting or are particularly interested in? 39:43 - Does the seed library include house plants? 42:00 - Kathy talks about how individuals can start their own seed libraries 43:51 - What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own seed library? 45:45 - Kathy and Ciara talk about how low-cost starting a seed library can be 47:00 - Ciara’s final advice for anyone interested in seed libraries in any capacity 47:58 - Where to contact Ciara? https://www.writtenbyciara.com/ 49:50 - Cotton Plant Profile 51:39 - What’s new in the garden this week? Roses starting to rebloom and peppers starting to mature 52:04 - Garden tips of the week: Seed starting for fall crops 52:22 - Upcoming local gardening events: DC State Fair, Urban Tree Summit, Garlic Planting Party, and more!

Ciara’s book recommendations*: - Seed Libraries: and other means of keeping seeds in the hands of the people by Cindy Conner - The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food by Janisse Ray *Amazon affiliate links

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/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
Show Notes: Zachary Intrater
Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Friday, August 30, 2024

Fenton Friday: Sharing the Harvest

Photo by Mary Hanisco.

At this month's harvest collection, we collected 78 pounds of produce -- and when you are weighing greens like basil and Swiss chard that is a LOT of good stuff!

Our community garden does a harvest collection on the last Saturday of each month during the growing season. If plot gardeners are not present, they can opt-out from having their plots gleaned and can also pick theirs in advance and leave it for the collection. I usually opt out, preferring to pick my own.

This time I was able to donate tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and cucumbers. Pictured at right here is a partial selection. I was just glad to have something to give at the end of this month -- it has been such a hard summer this year.

If you are not already in a harvest donation program, I urge you to donate your excess produce to a local food bank or soup kitchen and to report your amounts to Plant a Row for the Hungry so the amounts can be tallied up and credited to what home gardeners contribute to those in need.

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 13th 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).

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Monday, August 26, 2024

Monday Thoughts: “But of course! When the impulse to garden strikes, you garden.” ~ Susan Brownmiller

 “But of course! When the impulse to garden strikes, you garden.” ~ Susan Brownmiller

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Saturday, August 24, 2024

GardenDC Podcast Episode 207: Garden Planning and Design

In this episode, we talk with Helen Yoest, author of Beginner's Guide to Garden Planning and Design*, about taking simple steps to create good garden design. The plant profile is on Mandevilla and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Love, Land, and Wisteria from Christy Page of Green Prints.



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

See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 158: Garden Transformations

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-158-garden.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 89: Working with a Landscape Designer

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-89-working.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 149: Garden Design for Plant Collectors

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-149-garden.html

This episode is archived at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Garden-Planning-and-Design-e2nii4o

SHOW NOTES will be posted after 8-31-2024.

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/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
Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

PIN THIS FOR LATER!
*Helen's new book can be ordered at https://amzn.to/4cF9EAk (Note: This is an Amazon affiliate link.)
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Friday, August 23, 2024

Fenton Friday: Ribbons and more

Last Sunday, I picked up our ribbons from the Montgomery County Fair. We won 10 total and had submitted 23 entries.

We won: no 1sts, one 2nd place, and several 3rd, 4th, and 5th places. Among our winning entries was our Lemon Basil, Potatoes, Cosmos, Coleus, and variegated petunias.

The weather has cooled off this week, but alas, we were missed entirely by the last storm front that came through the region and are drying out again -- with no rain in the foreseeable future. So I'm back to hand-watering everything again.

The cool weather has benefitted many of the plot's plants. This week I picked cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, basil, and flowers. The heat will be back next week, but this break was much needed and the plants (and I!) are grateful. 

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 13th 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).

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