Fenton Friday: Lovely Lisianthus

This week the intense heat was back and we had hardly any rain. Now we are experiencing extremely poor air quality due to smoke blowing in from the Canadian wildfires. I'm praying for rain this weekend to clear out the air and water the gardens. The smoke haze cannot be good for our plants, which are already suffering greatly from the drought and record heat waves.

I cut blooms from the Dahlias and Lisianthus (pictured above).

We weeded and watered a bit -- and picked a few Blackberries.

The Squash vines are flowering, so I expect to see baby Squash developing soon. The Eggplant and Tomato plants have lots of blossoms on them. As soon as the temperature returns to normal, they should start developing/producing fruit.

Speaking of Tomatoes, when I left last week to go tour gardens in Buffalo, NY, there was one nice-sized tomato starting to ripen on the 'Fourth of July' plant. When I got back, it was gone -- not rotting on the ground nor bitten and left behind -- just gone. I suspect a hungry critter took it (maybe of the human kind?).

For the Pollinator Strip, we are still waiting for the second batch of Nasturtium and Celosia we planted last week to germinate. The Sunflowers and Marigolds are blooming well. The Zinnias still need a few weeks.

I finally got the Pepper seedlings planted! They are a Sweet Cayenne variety and a 'Calabrian' one.

Everything else is coming along well. 

What are you growing and harvesting in your 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 15th 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).

Larkspur Plant Profile

Larkspur Plant Profile

Larkspur (Consolida ajacis) is an annual flower with tall bloom spikes in late spring and early summer. The flowers are typically blue, purple, pink, or white.

It is native to the Mediterranean region and can be grown in zones 2 to 11 as an early season annual.

It grows best in full sun in well-draining soils.

You can direct sow it in early spring or in late fall in zones 6 to 8 for blooming the next spring. You can also starts seeds indoors in late winter under grow lights. Larkspur seeds need cool temperatures (below 55 degrees) in order to germinate.

It prefers cool weather and does not tolerate heat. Young larkspur plants tolerate frost well. 

Because Larkspur can grow to 3 to 4 feet tall, you may need to stake it especially in locations with strong winds.

Larkspur is a terrific cut flower.  Cut the stalks when the bottom two to four flowers have opened. The flowers will continue to open in the vase. You can also let them dry on the plant for dried flower arrangements.

After flowering, you can collect seedpods for planting next year or let them go to seed to self-sow themselves.

Larkspur is deer-resistant as it contains toxic alkaloids. It is visited by various pollinators including bumblebees and butterflies.

Larkspur: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Koree Perry.

 

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If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Gentian Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/10/gentian-plant-profile.html

~ Spiderwort Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/03/spiderwort-plant-profile.html

~  Blue-eyed Grass Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/06/blue-eyed-grass-plant-profile.html

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 253: The Farm-to-Vase Movement

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Alex Mudry-Till of Quince Blossom Ridge, all about cut-flower farming. The plant profile is on Patrinia 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 Travels with Iris by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 54: Flower Farming with Lisa Mason Ziegler

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 104: Dahlias

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-104-dahlias.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 19: Floral Design with Holly Heider Chapple

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-19-floral.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/0UmKbt3r9piKWEepxGAdyZ?si=yJRyOe29TsqqXZucvhjdFQ

Show Notes will be posted after 8-26-2025.

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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

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Dahlia Plant Profile

Dahlia Plant Profile

Dahlia is a tuberous plant that produces ornamental flowers. The blooms range in size from small to quite large. They can range widely in form and coloration as well.

The Dahlia is native to the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. It is hardy to zones 8 to 11, so it is treated as an annual in other growing zones. The tuberous roots are dug up each autumn and then stored indoors for the winter. They can be potted up or planted directly in the ground once the soils warm up again in the spring.

Dahlias need a site with good drainage and part to full sun. Due to their hollow stems and heavy flowers, most Dahlia plants will need to be staked or caged for support. In many ways, Dahlia growing is similar to how you would care for Tomato plants.

Dahlias do best with regular fertilizing. They do not need to be watered often and the tubers can actually rot if over-watered.

Dahlias are terrific cut flowers and only a few plants will give you months of blooms for beautiful bouquets.

Dahlia: 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 and editing by Brandie Bland

➤ 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

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 54: Flower Farming with Lisa Mason Ziegler

This episode we talk with Lisa Mason Ziegler of The Gardener's Workshop about her flower farm business. The plant profile is on Wild Violets and we share our upcoming events and local gardening news!

Lisa's own podcast is called Field & Garden and you can listen to it here.

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-54---Flower-Farming-with-Lisa-Mason-Ziegler-euh91p

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• 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/kathy-jentz/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

Note: this post contains Amazon affiliate links.

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Bloom Day Bouquet

It is the 15th of the month, which means Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day again. To view links to other garden bloggers' blooms around the world to see what it blooming in their gardens today and to read their collective comments, go to http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/

Here is the Mid-Atlantic USA (USDA zone 7) on the DC-MD border, the past month has continued the odd summer pattern of cooler and wetter than normal weather. I am not complaining! Every day it rains is one less hour spent watering!

For Bloom Day this month I thought I'd share this bouquet created from flowers from my community garden plot to use at our harvest potluck picnic -- Sunflowers, Celosia, and Queen Anne's Lace. We left out the Zinnias on this one. I could add some of my prolific Goldenrod from the home garden to fill it out or pop in some of my highly scented Mrs. Burn's Lemon Basil, but I'll leave it alone for now and enjoy it for its rustic simplicity.

So what is blooming in YOUR garden today?

Video Wednesday: Heirloom Mums

Leon A Carrier and Carol Heitmuller Carrier of PlantsMasters in Laytonsville, MD, are growers of specialty cut flowers and selected plants. Here they talk about their heirloom mum selections and growing tips.

Orange Cosmos: You Can Grow That!

Orange Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is a prolific annual flower that re-seeds liberally, so once you have this plant, you will have it return each year in abundance.

To start it off, sprinkle (direct sow) a pack of seeds in mid-spring. The 'Bright Lights' seed mix is popular and widely available.

The seeds are easy to collect, so it is likely that you can get some free from fellow gardeners or at a local seed swap. If you do not want it to re-seed in your garden, deadhead and collect the spent blooms regularly.

This cosmos has ferny foliage and is covered with orange/yellow/gold flowers from mid-summer to frost. It is a wonderful cut flower, though it only lasts a few days in a vase. It is a pollinator magnet -- beloved by bees and butterflies. Finches enjoy eating the seed-heads.

It is native to the desert areas of the USA, so that gives you a big clue as to its growing preferences. Sulfur Cosmos (aka Klondike Cosmos or Sulphur Cosmos) grows best in full sun, but tolerates poor/clay soil and it thrives in heat and humidity. I never give mine any water unless we have a prolonged period of no rain and excessive heat.

Orange Cosmos is a bright spot in my garden and one of those old-fashioned reliable plants that is the backbone of my cottage garden.

All who are involved with You Can Grow That! (YCGT!) believe that plants and gardening enhance our quality of life. We want people to be successful with what they grow and to become more aware of the many gifts that horticulture brings. Find out more at http://www.youcangrowthat.com/.

Fenton Friday: My Favorite Flower

 In my 10x20 plot at the Fenton Community Garden, I have edged one of the borders this year with Lisianthus flowers. Next to herbaceous Peonies, Lisianthus are my absolute favorite flowers. I am always surprised at how little-known they are among home gardeners!

They are annuals and they do need full sun. I had tried them in previous years direct-sown from seed in planting box in part-sun with mild success, but this year I wanted to ensure a good crop for cutting. So I jumped on the offer by Carol Carrier, a local cut flower grower, to sell me a tray of her Lisianthus plugs this spring. I potted up half of them and we sold them at the Silver Spring Garden Club's annual GardenMart fundraiser sale. I realized I should have gotten many more of them from Carol, when one of the first customer to arrive at the Mart bought up all we had. (And maybe, too, we should have charge more?)

The other half, 20 plugs marked purple or white , I planted in my plot along the string border as I anticipated they might grow tall and leggy and need staking. The sat for weeks not doing much of anything. Finally, they shot up a few weeks ago when the summer heat came on and flower buds started to form. Earlier this week, several of them jumped into bloom at once and I was ecstatic. I cut them immediately for small bud vases around my house.I anticipate cutting many more bouquets as the summer progresses.

Elsewhere in my garden plot, the Tomatoes are looking much better -- despite a "weak" derecho coming through on Tuesday night! They are all fairly short plants so the 60+ mph winds and pounding rain did not do too much damage.

I have one Okra plant and it is starting to form flowers finally. The cutting Lettuce is still hanging on and I might get one more decent salad out of it. I planted Swiss Chard seedlings and it is starting to take off. I gathered up tiny Basil that self-sown into the plot pathways and among the beans and transplanted those into one neat row. Hoping to make pesto soon with the Garlic I harvested a few weeks ago!

How is your edible garden growing?

Video Wednesday: Supermarket Bouquet

How to transform a generic Supermarket Bouquet into several small flower arrangements to brighten up your home and office. Sprinkled in among the bouquet how-to are several tips on making your cut flowers last longer. Watch to the end for a glimpse of our feline gardening assistant, Santino.

A Cutting Garden: You Can Grow That!

A home full of fresh-cut flowers is a welcoming, warm place. When those flowers come from your very own garden it is even more rewarding. It is a joy each time you look at the blooms t in your own home or at your work place to know they came from your own labor of love. A hand-cut bouquet from your own garden is always the perfect gift. When you grow a cutting garden, you’ll have plenty to gather for yourself and to share. 

The cutting garden is simply a bed of flowers and foliage plants which the gardener has grown specifically to use in flower arrangements. Often situated at the backs of vegetable beds, along the sides of houses, and skirting fence lines, the cutting garden is a practical alternative to the age-old gardener dilemma of not wanting to cut your most beautiful blooms from your carefully landscaped gardens.

When designing a cutting garden, there is no need to worry about the overall looks of the growing beds as you will be using it for continual materials for your flower arrangements. Pick a site with full sun and good drainage. Cutting gardens can be started from seed, much as you would your vegetable garden, or you can use divisions from your perennial plants. You may also purchase an assortment of potted annuals to add to the mix.

Your cutting garden can be a place for experimenting with new plants and colors that you would not have otherwise chosen in your landscaped beds. A few tips to make yours a success include planting in wide rows for easy harvesting, deadheading regularly to promote flower (nor seed) production, and choosing a variety of early, mid, and late season flowers.

When making selections of plants for a cutting garden, the plant choices are almost endless. You may want to stick to those annuals and perennials that are long-stemmed, sturdy, and do well once severed from their host plant. Here is a list of suggested cutting garden flowers and foliage plants suitable for growing the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area:

• Artemisia
• Asters
• Black-Eyed Susan
• Celosia/Cockscomb
• Cosmos
• Dianthus
• Echinacea/Coneflowers
• Gladiolus
• Goldenrod
• Lavender
• Liatris
• Lilies
• Lisianthus
• Mums
• Peony
• Sages/Salvias
• Shasta Daisy
• Sunflower
• Verbena bonariensis
• Yarrow
• Zinnia

Of course, you can always supplement your cutting garden arrangements with flowers, grasses, branches, and foliage cut from other plants in your gardens, but having a growing bed dedicated just for cutting purposes encourages you to use them more and to not worry about the old "to cut or not" debate.

All who are involved with You Can Grow That! (YCGT!) believe that plants and gardening enhance our quality of life. We want people to be successful with what they grow and to become more aware of the many gifts that horticulture brings. Find out more at http://www.youcangrowthat.com/.

Video Wednesday: Florist Behind-the-Scenes on Valentine's Eve

Thought you all would enjoy this one-minute video of a long-time, local florist business. I took this footage the day before Valentine's to go with this story I wrote from the Silver Spring Patch that is posted here.

Caring for Cut Flowers ~ Washington Gardener Enews ~ January 2012

Open publication - Free publishing - More DC

Washington Gardener Enews ~ January 2012

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

~ Caring for Cut Flowers

~ Magazine Excerpt: A Daytrip to Biltmore Estate

~ Washington Gardener Magazine 2012 Seed Exchange Details and Advance Registration Form

~ Mid-Atlantic Garden To-Do List for January-February

~ Reader Contest: Win passes to Washington Gardener Magazine's 2012 Seed Exchanges

~ Washington Gardener's Recent Blog Post Highlights

~ Washington Gardener Magazine 2012 Photo Contest Rules

~ Spotlights Special:Bloom-A-Thon Azaleas

~ Top Local Garden Events Calendar for January-February

~ Washington Gardener Magazine Back Issue Sale!

and much more...