Showing posts with label berries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label berries. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Aronia (Chokeberry) Plant Profile

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa previously known as Pyrus melanocarpa and Photinia melanocarpa) and red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) are deciduous shrubs that are native to eastern North America and bear fruits that are eaten by birds and other wildlife.

These shrubs have three seasons of interest with showy white flowers in the spring, fruits in late summer, and vibrant foliage in the fall. The plants are self-pollinated, but are also pollinator-friendly and attractive to bees, butterflies, and ants. Both kinds of chokeberry shrubs grow to about 3 to 6 feet wide and high. They are hardy to USDA Zones 3 to 9. They reproduce from seed and sending up suckers, which you can prune out or dig and plant elsewhere. They tolerate some shade and prefer moist sites, but will grow in drier soils as well. In the landscape, they can be used in mass plantings for erosion control and windbreaks. Chokeberry can also be grown as an edible fruit crop for humans. However, the fruit is too astringent to be eaten raw. It is normally prepared in baked goods and made into jams, jellies, syrup, tea, juice, and wine. Note that Aronia or Chokeberry is NOT the same as Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana). There are some selected Chokeberry cultivars available commercially that are more compact and better-behaving for the garden setting. They include ‘Autumn Magic’, ‘Viking’, ‘Nero’, and ‘Iroquois Beauty’. Aronia: 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 and text by Kathy Jentz Video by Cassie Peo ➤ 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 If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles: ~ Loropetalum:

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Saturday, February 24, 2024

GardenDC Podcast Episode 183: Elderberry

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with herbalist Susan Belsinger all about Elderberries. The plant profile is on Dill 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 Winter Dreams of Spring by Christy Page of Green Prints.

See Susan's elderberry recipes at: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/02/elderberry-recipes.html

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 157: Ginger and Turmeric

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-157-ginger-and.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 62: Edible Flowers

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/06/gardendc-podcast-episode-62-edible.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 148: Serviceberries and Saskatoons

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-148.html

This episode is archived at: 
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Elderberry-e2ftili/a-a21b7q2

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.

SHOW NOTES: 1:02 Get to know returning guest Susan Belsinger, herbalist and author 4:44 Susan talks about native and non-native elderberries (Sambucus sp.) 6:03 Elderberries tend to fruit the best if you have at least 2 near each another, even be two different varieties, within 60 ft of one another 6:20 Elderberry cultivars 8:25 “I can imagine that for a variegated leaf cultivar, it's not going to get as much chlorophyll uptake in it maybe, and it's not as strong a plant, but does sound like it's more apt for somebody with a smaller-sized garden or a container even” – Kathy 9:22 Full sun to part shade is optimal for elderberry growth in a home 11:02 “They don't have really deep root systems, They're fairly shallow. So a good thing is to mulch around them…to fertilize them every year with compost” – Susan 12:17 Elderberry propagation and pruning 14:50 Don’t harvest all the flowers or else you won’t have any berries! 16:18 “I always want to have elderflower tincture on hand…helping with colds and flus, and things like that” – Susan 16:38 Making elderflower cordials 17:38 How Susan makes delicious elderflower fritters 19:17 Elderflower liqueur such as St Germain 21:19 “It has just the slightest touch of musk to me, but it's somewhat honeysuckle-like, but even more delicate than honeysuckle, it's really great to be able to capture that essence whether it's dried or in a liqueur or in a tincture” – Susan 22:35 The flowers and berries are ready to harvest 2-3 years after planting the shrub 23:05 Birds and deer as potential problems with the berries 25:53 Bird netting can be used, but check it often to ensure other creatures aren’t getting caught 27:55 Harvesting techniques and steps 29:34 “You don’t want to cut a branch that has green berries on it, they need to be totally ripe. The green ones are inedible and really high in the toxins” – Susan 32:40 Benefits of using a freezer when harvesting 33:38 Using dehydrators rather than a freezer 34:47 Susan advises to not eat elderberries right from the shrub due to the toxicity, which can be lessened if heated 37:15 “I process it in small amounts and then I keep the berries or the juice in the freezer and pull it out and use it throughout the season” – Susan 38:40 Medicinal benefits of elderberries 41:54 It's antiviral, it reduces inflammation, and it strengthens the cardiovascular system and they've they're doing studies with it for cancer… and HIV... 44:08 Reach Susan via email at sbcooks@susanbelsinger.com and through her website susanbelsinger.com 45:39 Plant Profile: Dill 47:55 What’s new in the garden this week? Daffodils 48:20 Local garden events including the 2024 Maryland Orchid Society Show in Baltimore, MD 50:10 “Groundcover Revolution” by Kathy Jentz 51:30 “The Urban Garden” book 52:29 Christy Page on Winter Dreams of Spring 55:19 How to support the GardenDC Podcast

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 and Show Notes: Hannah Zozobrado

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Friday, June 09, 2023

Fenton Friday: Blackberry Sauce


This week was a very strange one. We had several code orange/red/'purple days in a row due to wildfire smoke from Canada, and that meant hardly any time outside at all - much less at the plot. We also had pretty much zero rain -- again. This is the driest spring I can recall and it is getting really tiresome already having to go over and water just to keep things alive, when I'd rather spend that time more productively planting things that are much delayed and clearing out weeds.

We did manage to plant two mounds of Zucchini seeds ('Dark Star' and 'Incredible Escalator', a climbing variety) and several kinds of Peppers ('Fish', 'Cherry Pick', 'Prism', 'Lunchbox', and 'Where's the Heat,' a sweet habenero). These are the same pepper seedling plants that the baby bunny chewed down to the nub. Thankfully, they already started putting on new growth a few days later and should be fine now. 

I picked a quart of blackberries on one day and then another 4+ cups on another day. The second picking of berries I made into Blackberry refrigerator jam -- well, it was more sauce-like than jam, but it should still be delicious on poundcake, ice cream, etc.

I pulled out one Garlic to test it and it is definitely of harvestable size, so I'll pull the rest in the next few days and hang it for curing. That will free up space to sow our cutting garden flowers.

I also picked some more Pea pods this week, but the pea plants are looking very tired so I think that is the last of them. The Spinach has also now bolted so I'll be pulling that out soon too.

The Lettuces and Arugula are still under a shade cloth, so should hang on for a few more harvests.

I picked lots of edible "rat tail" seed pods from the bolted Daikon Radish. They are delicious tossed on a salad. What I didn't anticipate is that the kittens (turrning one-year-old now) also love the radish seed pods. They grab several of them as soon as I bring them in the kitchen and play with them for hours. I'm sure several are under my oven right now.

How is your garden plot growing 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 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).
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Saturday, April 29, 2023

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

This episode is archived at: 

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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