Fenton Friday: Cool-Season Seed Starting

Photo by Ellen Isaacson. 

The past week was cool and we got a bit of rain, but could use more. It is pretty dry when you dig down an inch or so.

This week we planted Parsley, Buttercrunch Lettuce, and two kinds of Cilantro. (See pic above for the varieties and seed sources.) We also moved the bunny-proof wire (hardware cloth) barrier from the old greens bed to this one and add some compost to adjacent areas to keep the weeds down.

This week we harvested a couple Cucumbers, some Zucchini, lots of 'Sun Gold' Tomatoes, a few 'Lunchbox' Sweet Peppers, Thai Hot Red Peppers, a handful of 'Rattlesnake' Green Beans, and a big bunch of Basil for making pesto to freeze for winter meals. I also cut Dahlias for bouquets.

The cucumber vine is looking very past prime and I think I should yank that as well as the Green Bean vines soon. The Cow Peas are not producing pods yet, but the plants look great now that the rabbits are leaving them alone!

I am waiting on the Hibiscus to produce a few more flower pods, then plan to test out brewing tea with several of  them. Anyone have experience with this? Pointers?

Next week, we will plant more cool-season veggies in the bed of last season's greens that we cleared this week.

What are you growing and harvesting 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 14th 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.)

Basil Plant Profile

Basil Plant Profile

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual herb in the mint family that is native to southern Asia. The leaves and stems are edible and highly aromatic. It is used as a culinary addition to soup, sauces, salads, and many other dishes.

Cultivars of Basil include Thai Basil, Genovese Basil, Sweet Basil, African Blue Basil, and many more. Newer varieties such as Prospera and Rutgers Obsession are bred to be more downy mildew resistant.

Basil is very easy to grow from seed. Direct sow it in the ground or a container as soon as the chance of a frost in the spring has passed. It can also be propagated by taking stem cuttings and rooting them in water before transplanting them outside.

It is rabbit- and deer-resistant. Slugs, snails, and Japanese beetles can be an issue, so be on the lookout for these pests and handpick them off when you see them.

It prefers to grow in full sun and in moist, but well-draining soils. There is no need to fertilize it. It is hardy to USDA Zone 10 to 11.

Prune it regularly by pinching out the tips once it grows to a foot or so tall. This will encourage lots of leafy full growth and discourage flowering.

Towards the end of the summer, stop pinching it back and let it go to flower and seed. Pollinators go crazy for the flowers and you can collect the seeds for sowing next year.

Basil: You Can Grow That!

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

Audio, video, and text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Ellen Isaacson

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If you enjoyed this Plant Profile, check out:

~ Dill Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/04/dill-plant-profile.html

~ Borage Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/borage-plant-profile.html

~ Bronze Fennel Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/bronze-fennel-plant-profile.html

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Win a 2026 calendar from Workman Publishing in our September 2025 Washington Gardener Reader Contest

For our September 2025 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a 2026 calendar from Workman Publishing (value $17, workman.com). Workman 2026 calendars are the perfect gift for the green thumbs and nature enthusiasts in your life.

   Escape somewhere beautiful all year long with vibrant full-color photographs paired with literary passages that bring the porch to you. Settle in with these tranquil porches, verandas, patios, and terraces. Each month brings a different locale and an evocative porch-themed quote. Great for travelers, home design and décor fans, nature-lovers, and anyone who needs a little quiet time. 

  To enter to win the Out on the Porch calendar, send an email by 5:00pm on Tuesday, September 30, to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Porch Calendar” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the September 2025 Washington Gardener issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about October 1. Replies might be published. 

Monday Thoughts: "The essence of the enjoyment of a garden is that things should look as though they like to grow in it." ~ Beatrix Farrand

 

"The essence of the enjoyment of a garden is that things should look as though they like to grow in it." 

~ Beatrix Farrand

GardenDC Podcast Episode 255: Expert Advice for Tick-Free Gardening

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Michael J. Raupp, Professor Emeritus of Entomology at the University of Maryland, all about ticks. The plant profile is on Rain Lilies 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 the Last Word on Back to the Land by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 115: The Dreaded Spotted Lanterfly

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-115-dreaded.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 29: Butterfly Gardening

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/09/gardendc-podcast-episode-29-butterfly.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 141: Nature's Best Hope with Doug Tallamy

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-141-natures.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter/subscriber at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse our new online store!

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/44lDaGLCwnJw475Sa7obfh?si=TZYnB5JmS7yknbpKSiro8g

Show Notes will be posted after 9-16-2025.

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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

Interview Edit: Cavit Ireland

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Potatoes and Purple Carrots

August was our coolest in 25 years, but also our driest! The heat is back this weekend, I'm hoping also along with a few decent rain storms.

We planted the Carrot 'Dragon' seeds from Seed Savers Exchange way back in mid-April. Carrots are notorious for taking a long time to germinate and grow. This variety says 90 days to havest, but I left them in the ground far longer. We dug them this week to make room for cool-season lettuces and herbs. They are gorgeous! More importantly, they are delicious --10 out of 10. I'd definitely grow them again.

In that same bed where we dug out the carrots were some German Butterball Potato plants that popped up over the summer from leftovers from previous years' crops. (Is it ever possible to find and dig up every last potato tuber?) We harvested about a cup and a half of them and they made a tasty roasted side dish for dinner last night for two of us.

This week I also harvested a couple Cucumbers, some Zucchini, lots of 'Sun Gold' Tomatoes, a few 'Lunchbox' Sweet Peppers, a handful of 'Rattlesnake' Green Beans, and a handful each of Dill and Basil for flavoring some dishes.

New intern Ellen also picked several Thai Hot Red Peppers -- they are small, but mighty!

Next week, we will plant those cool-season greens in the bed we were clearing (mentioned above). 

What are you growing and harvesting 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 14th 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.)

Meet the New Interns

This fall, I have taken on two editorial interns. If you attend upcoming gardening events in our region, like the Urban Tree Summit, you are sure to meet them. Look for their author bylines in upcoming issues, on the GardenDC Podcast, and our YouTube channel. As a first assignment, I asked them to write a short introduction to our readers

Hi everyone! My name is Ellen Isaacson (pictured above at right), and I am a senior at the University of Maryland in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. I'm a multimedia journalism and French Language & Literature double major with a minor in general business. I've loved writing since I was little, and I've started pursuing journalism as a contributing correspondent for the local publication, the Source of the Spring. I also have some gardening experience from working at Johnson's Florist and Garden Center in Kensington during my last two years of high school. I loved learning about different plants, helping customers with their gardening questions, and seeing their excitement once their gardens started to thrive. My parents and other family members love to garden, and I've always enjoyed helping them take care of their plants. In my free time, I love to read, listen to music, ski, hike, and spend time with friends and family. I'm excited to be working with the Washington Gardener as a publication intern this fall and learn more about gardening and magazine writing, and publishing. I hope that this experience will strengthen my journalistic skills and expand my love for plants and the outdoors. 

Hey gardeners, my name is Cavit Ireland (pictured above at left), I’m a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland and I’m excited to create content and cultivate crops for the Washington Gardener as a Fall 2025 intern. I have experience working with local news and on the air, hosting Sonic Fruit, a weekly music program on WMUC 90.5. I have also worked with the Greenbelt News Review covering community events, businesses, and social issues and Roots Magazine as a music reviewer. When I was home in New York this summer, I helped my parents rejuvenate their front garden with beautiful hydrangeas and baby trees, while also making sure the vegetable garden didn’t grow out of control. We grew some strong mint and juicy plum tomatoes that went into a delicious salad. While working with the Washington Gardener, I want to improve upon my own homesteading while bringing insightful, helpful information to the community.

September 2025 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine: Gaura, Fungi Farm, Food Forests, False Hellebore, and much more…

The September 2025 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is now out.

Inside this issue:

• Gorgeous Gaura
• Maryland’s Fungi Frontier
• A New Food Forest
• Time to Plant Fall Lettuce
• Creeping Cucumber Weed
• Native False Hellebore
• Dealing with Southern Blight
• Harvest Time Produce Safety Tips
• Spooky Blooms for Halloween
• Garden Book Reviews and Reader Contest
• Rewilding the Garden
• Meet Ranger Vince Vaise
• and much more…

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the October 2025 issue are due by September 10.

>>  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: https://www.washingtongardener.com/index_files/subscribe.htm

Monday Thoughts: “Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.” – Heinrich Heine

“Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.” 

– Heinrich Heine

GardenDC Podcast Episode 254: The New American Gardener

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Rochelle Greayer of the American Horticultural Society, about her vision for the American Gardener magazine. The plant profile is on Korean Angelica 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 the Last Word on Apple Orchard Antics by Christy Page of GreenPrints

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 40: Botanical Latin and Labels

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-54-flower.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 6: Spring-Flowering Trees and Shrubs with David Ellis

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-6-spring.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 9: All Things Azalea

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-9-all-things.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter/subscriber at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse our new online store!

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ICuVwx0YzZR34wEHxmeRB?si=032ef0a05cde479a

Show Notes will be posted after 9-6-2025.

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

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• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
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• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

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!