GardenDC Podcast Episode 233: What's Up, Buttercups?

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Peggy Anne Montgomery with Garden Media Group, all about the Ranunculus family. The plant profile is on Fleabane 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 the Robins Reign of Spring from Christy Page of Green Prints. 

TO PURCHASE, RANUNCULS BULBS go to: https://shop.kathyjentz.com/collections/ranunculus

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 127: Unusual and Specialty Bulbs

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-127-unusual.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 43: Galanthus 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-43-galanthus.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 56: Next Level Containers 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-56-next-level.html

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

This episode is archived at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Whats-Up--Buttercups-e30h2sg

Show Notes will be posted after 3-25-2025.

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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

Show Notes: Skylar Drew

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Broccoli Seedlings In

This past week has been up and down as far as the weather goes -- some wind, some rain, some heat and sun, then back to typical March temperatures again. 

Intern Madison Korman planted two cool-season crops from seed this week - 'Traditional Chioggia' Beets and 'Crispy Colors Duo' Kohlrabi - both from Renee's Garden Seeds. This, is in addition to the seeds started by our other intern Skylar Drew last week.

I bought a 6-pack of 'Castle Dome' Broccoli seedlings at Thanksgiving Farms last weekend and planted them today. I put them under a cover cloth and next to the one remaining Brussels Sprouts plant that made it through the winter. All th rest of the Brassicas died in the extreme cold winter this year. I usually have most of the winter-over, so that was quite disappointing. U have not grown 'Castle Dome' before so am eager to try it out. It is sypposed to be "a compact, heat-tolerant, and early-maturing hybrid broccoli variety." 

I did cut off the dead foliage from the Asparagus, but didn't get a chance to prune the Thornless Blackberries yet..

A neighbor came by and dug a good-sized section of Garlic Chives and Yarrow from the back section of the plot for her new herb garden. I warned her about their tendenies to spread and she will let them fight it out in a bed with mint and other aggressive growers.

I did a little weeding, but need to do a lot more to stay ahead of the chickweed and henbit! I see it taking over several open plots that are awaiting their newly assigned gardeners.

Fresh wood chips were delivered, so those will be next on our list to spread on the pathways that have gotten a bit bald around our plot.

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).

March 2025 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine: Persian Buttercup, Blackbirds, Spring Ephemeral Natives, and much more…

The March 2025 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is out.

It is posted and archived online at:  

 https://issuu.com/washingtongardener/docs/washington_gardener_magazine_march_2025

 

Inside this 20^th anniversary issue:

·         Persian Buttercup

·         Catching Up with Past Profile Subjects

·         Orchids: Masters of Deception

·         Designing Resilient Landscapes

·         Celebrate Tulip Time

·         Better Ways of Removing Ubiquitous Honeysuckle

·         How Gardening Changed My Life

·         New and Improved Fire Ants?!

·         Red-winged Blackbirds

·         Early-spring Native Plants

and much more…

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the April 2025 issue are due by April 5.

>>  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

Ranunculus Plant Profile

Persian buttercup (Ranunculus hybrid) are beautiful cool-season flowers. The blooms look like a small peony or rose (without the thorns). The Persian Buttercup was crowned 2025’s Bulb of the Year. They come in a wide range of colors from pastel pinks and peaches to deep reds and purples.

 Persian buttercups make a great cut-flower and are very attractive in mixed bouquets.

Ranunculus are cold-hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11 and grown as annuals in colder zones.

You can purchases Ranunculus tubers In late fall or early spring. Store them in a cool place (around 50 degrees) until you are ready to plant them. 

Plant them in well-drained soil in full sun.

To give them a bit of head start, soak the tubers in water for 3 hours and then pot them up in containers about 6  weeks before you  plan to put them outside with other cool season annuals such as primroses, violas, and snapdragons.

Give them a bit of liquid fertilizer and keep them deadheaded for continual blooming.

Ranunculus: You Can Grow That!

TO PURCHASE, RANUNCULS BULBS go to: https://shop.kathyjentz.com/collections/ranunculus

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Video and Editing by Madison Korman

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~ Podcast: GardenDC

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

~ Hardy Cyclamen Plant Profile

 https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/03/hardy-cyclamen-plant-profile.html

~ Colchicum Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/10/colchicum-plant-profile.html

~ Amur Adonis Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/03/amur-adonis-plant-profile.html

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Monday Thoughts: “Spring is coming with a strawberry in the mouth.” ~ Elana Lopez

“Spring is coming with a strawberry in the mouth.” 

~ Elana Lopez

GardenDC Podcast Episode 232: Good Garden Fences -- A Special Podcasthon Edition

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Jeff Beneke, author of Fences for Home and Garden: A Complete Guide to Selecting and Installing Wood, Masonry, Metal, and Living Fences*, all about fencing your garden. The plant profile is on Persian Buttercups 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 Creating Multi-fruit Lemon Trees from Christy Page of Green Prints. 

Note that this is a Special AD-FREE Podcasthon episode of our podcast and we urge listeners to donate as they are able to the World Central Kitchen. 

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 177: New Plants and Products

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-177-new-plants.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 124: Raised Bed Gardening 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/10/gardendc-podcast-episode-124-raised-bed.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 12: Shrubs and Hedges https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-12-eva-monheim.html

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.

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

This episode is archived at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Good-Garden-Fences----A-Special-Podcasthon-Edition-e306fb0

Show Notes: 01:37 Introducing Jeff Beneke 02:05 Was Jeff born with chlorophyll in his veins and a green thumb? 05:00 Jeff talks about starting his family and gardening 07:50 Jeff’s career as a woodworking book editor 10:45: Jeff’s growing conditions in Asheville, North Carolina 13:17: Using raised beds in regions with heavy clay soils and silt 15:32 Kathy and Jeff talk about the history and popularity of fences 17:02 Kathy and Jeff talk about “hedge wars” in fencing 19:00 Determining your primary pests before fencing 20:07 Successful fencing methods for pests 26:11 Aesthetic and organizational fencing 28:29: “What wood materials do you think are best these days?” Kathy asks Jeff 35:20 Kathy and Jeff talk about rustic fencing 39:20 “Good fences make good neighbors” - Robert Frost 41:25 How to contact Jeff 41:54 Jeff’s final advice on fencing 42:56 Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) plant profile 44:32 What’s new in the garden this week? 47:50 The Last Word by Christy Page: Multi-fruit citrus trees 52:01 How to support the Garden DC Podcast

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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

Show Notes: Skylar Drew

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

*Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3Rh7tut. 

GardenDC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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