GardenDC Podcast Episode 33: US Botanic Garden’s 200th Anniversary

This episode we talk with Saharah Moon Chapotin, Susan Pell, and Devin Dotson about the US Botanic Garden’s 200th Anniversary. The plant profile is on Mexican Feather Grass and I share what's blooming in my garden.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/support. 

The episode is posted at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/October-17--2020---US-Botanic-Gardens-200th-Anniversary-el4p99

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (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.

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Fenton Friday: Radish Seedlings

Thinning Radish Seedlings

We are expecting a light frost this weekend at the community garden plot. I picked my last couple of small Cucumbers, a few Okra, and one small Eggplant. I should have stripped all the remaining Peppers and Tomatoes too -- along with pulling all the Basil -- but this week was a busy one giving talks and laying out the magazine -- I may get to that tomorrow.

From the seeds I planted last week, the Cilantro, Arugula, and two rows Watermelon Radish 'Mantanghong' are all up. The radish seedlings already need thinning, so that is basically the only task I got done, along with some minor weeding.

The seedlings for the White Bunching Onions and Moss Curly Parsley have not made an appearance yet. I'll give them another week or so, before calling them a bust.

The Snap Peas 'Sugar Magnolia'* are still climbing up their trellis -- no flowers or pea pods yet.

The Lettuce Leaf 'Salad Bowl Blend' is ready to cut and I am saving that for the interns visit early next week.

The Broccoli seedlings are doing fine -- getting taller, but no florets as of today.

Soon, it will also be time to plant Garlic. I may do that in the spot the tomatoes are in right now.

What are you 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 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

Déjà Vu -- a Reblooming Bloom Day

Here in the Mid-Atlantic USA (USDA zone 7) on the DC-MD border, the past month has been a fairly typical early autumn. My garden is humming along. For this month's bloom day, I thought I'd share a few of the plants that I am trialing that are reblooming now. These are all bred to have flowers outside our usual bloom times.

I have a Bloomerang Dwarf Purple Lilac blooming now, along with several reblooming Weigela, Hydrangea, and Azalea varieties. Pictured below is an azalea I was recently sent to trial. It arrived several pruned back and took a few weeks to recover. It is now covered in flowers and looking quite spectacular.

Azalea Perfecto Mundo Double Pink from Proven Winners

What is blooming in your garden today?

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:

 https://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2020/10/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-october-2020.html

Plant Profile: Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima)

Mexican Feather Grass is a versatile ornamental grass that has many uses in the home landscape. It can be used in groupings, as a specimen plant, for edging, and in containers.

 In spring, the grass is a lime green, then sends out blonde-colored seed heads in summer and finally, in fall, the plant turns a tawny golden color.

 This grass has lovely movement and drama in the garden. It can add a layer of texture that blends well with many other plants such as Tall Sedums, Brazilian Verbena, and Echinacea.

 It is hardy to zones 7 to 10. It can grow in situations from full sun to part shade with good drainage. It is drought- and heat-tolerant.

 Mexican Feather Grass is a relatively small grass. Its mature size is approximately two feet high and wide. It can be divided in the springtime and is a low-maintenance plant in our region. It can be an aggressive spreader in other areas like California.

 The Latin name for Mexican Feather Grass recently changed from Stipa to Nassella, which has caused a little bit of confusion and you will hear people call the grass by either name, but they are all the same plant.

Mexican Feather Grass - You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Nicole Noechel
Audio by Kathy Jentz

 

➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!)

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SPRING PUBLICATION INTERNS SOUGHT

Washington Gardener Magazine, a 15-year-old local gardening magazine, is looking for talented SPRING interns. Candidates must display an eagerness to learn about the publishing industry.

The successful candidate will either be a junior or senior in college, who is interested in examining a career in magazine journalism. The unpaid program requires a 10-20-hour weekly commitment, with hours being flexible, including some weekend local garden events. The internship will begin in late January and run through the spring session. The student will be responsible for determining whether college credit will also be available for the internship program.

Duties would include: • Communicating with authors • Conducting interviews • Proofing & editing articles • Researching • Taking photographs/videos  • Press Releases, both writing and editing • Blogging, both writing and posting • Social Media Campaign • Assisting with mass mailers, and providing general support to our editorial staff. Ideal candidates will have a journalism background, but all students passionate about gaining experience with a local, vibrant digital magazine are encouraged to apply.

Students should send a cover letter, names of references, and copies of their best writing samples BY Monday, November 23 to:

Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener Magazine
826 Philadelphia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910
kathyjentz (at) gmail.com

Photo source: Unsplash.com

GardenDC Podcast Episode 32: Garden Tours, Private European Gardens, and Goldenrod

This episode we talk with Carolyn Mullet about her Garden Tours and upcoming book on private European gardens, Adventures in Eden. The plant profile is on Goldenrod and I share some observations about the Wild Ageratum blooming in my garden.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/support. 

The episode is posted at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/October-10--2020---Garden-Tours--Private-European-Gardens--and-Goldenrod-eks7fg

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (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.

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Fenton Friday: Cool Season Seeds

This week at the community garden plot, I went on a seed-planting spree. It may be too late for some things - or maybe not - we shall see how the rest of the autumn season plays out.

I planted Cilantro, Arugula,  White Bunching Onions, Moss Curly Parsley, and two rows Watermelon Radish 'Mantanghong'. The radish seeds were sent from Botanical Interests and I have never grown these watermelon-types before and am eager to try them. The tiny seedlings are already up and looking good! 

Elsewhere in the plot, the Snap Peas 'Sugar Magnolia'* are climbing up their trellis and I expect them to produce flowers then pea pods any day now.

The Lettuce Leaf 'Salad Bowl Blend' is pretty much ready to cut and make a salad from -- though I'll give it a few more days before doing that.

The Broccoli seedlings are doing fine and I added a larger row cover over them so they could grow taller without being pinned in so tightly.

I am still harvesting a few handfuls of Okra, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants this week as well -- and the 'Big Duck Yellow' Marigolds are the size of small shrubs.

Today, I also pre-taped a segment for Takoma Radio with Eric Bond that will air on Sunday, 10/12 at 2pm during the Talk of Takoma show. You can listen online at https://takomaradio.org/.

What are you harvesting in your garden this week? 

*also from Botanical Interests

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 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

Plant Profile: Goldenrod (Solidago sp.).

 

Goldenrod is falsely accused of causing fall allergies as it blooms at the same time as Ragweed, the real culprit. It is also an easy-to-grow plant that many home gardeners treat as a weed or ignore it for its commonness.

However, Goldenrod has much to recommend it. It has late-summer color that lasts for weeks, pollinators love it, and it grows without any care from this gardener, what more could you want from a back-of-the-border perennial? It also makes a great cut flower and is an economical filler in mixed arrangements with more expensive flower selections.

It will self-sow vigorously and that means weeding it out between pavers and other places where a tall plant cannot be allowed to remain. It is fairly shallow-rooted though, so it is not a big problem to pull up after a recent rain. You can also prevent rampant re-seeding by cutting off the flowerheads after they are past peak, but before the spill their seeds to the winds.

Most Solidago species originate in the meadows and open woodlands of North America. 

There are better-behaved cultivars of Goldenrod available that are more compact, have showier flowers, and behave less aggressively than the straight species. They include ‘Golden Fleece’, ‘Goldrush’, and ‘Fireworks’.

Goldenrod are not picky about soil types and do not need fertilizing. They do need full sun to do their best flowering. Like many other perennials, the best times to divide or move them are in spring or fall.

Goldenrod - You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Visuals by Nicole Noechel
Audio by Kathy Jentz

 

➤ 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 on Spotify, Apple, etc.

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 31: Beekeeping and Asters

This episode we talk with Claire Jones of Claire Jones Landscapes LLC and the Garden Diaries Blog about all aspects of Beekeeping. The plant profile is on Asters and I share about the some upcoming talks and webinars that I am giving.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month!
See how at: https://anchor.fm/kathy-jentz/support. 

The episode is posted at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/October-3--2020---Beekeeping-ekh7ms

It is also available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AsWArNpQo8OlzHoMDMSI8

• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V

• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc

• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk

• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc

• Google Podcasts at this link, either now or soon (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.

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Fenton Friday: Betting on Eggplant

Eggplant 'Picasso'

This week was the community garden's annual harvest collection for Shepherd's Table and we filled the back seat and trunk of a small car with tomatoes, herbs, okra, edamame, peppers, squash, greens, and much more.

From my own plot, I stripped several branches off the tomato plants and groomed off anything green to ripe on them. I am starting on the garden clean-out process of the summer crops, since the days are getting shorter and cooler now.

Two things I was surprised are still going strong in my plot are the eggplants and peppers. The eggplant is just one plant that I tried out in a container. I kept it under a covercloth to ward off those nasty flea beetles that turned me off of growing eggplants after experiencing some bad infestations. It barely gave me anything all summer, but now I am getting handfuls at once. 'Picasso' is a beauty -- almost hate to eat them.

The pepper plants are prolific as well. I pull out two plants of 'Lemon Drop' -- a hot one from Peru with a citrus flavor - and donated all of them to the harvest collection. I also pulled out one of the 'Roulette' pepper plants to give away those as well. These are habanero type, but with no heat. They are also an All-America Selections winner and are a very attractive, care-free pepper to grow.

Pepper 'Roulette'

What are you 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 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

DIY: Pumpkin Succulent Arrangement

 

I love Halloween! Sometimes though, I don't feel like going to all the trouble and mess of cleaning out and carving a pumpkin. This year, I thought I'd try creating a succulent-topped pumpkin. You can use this for fall displays both indoors and out and keep it through Thanksgiving for a table centerpiece. 

Note that the project is easy, but I would not recommend it for small children as the hot glue gun can cause minor burns.

Level: easy   Cost: inexpensive   Use: gardening/holiday decor 

Materials:

- pumpkin

- succulent plants

- Spanish moss or reindeer moss

- hot glue gun and extra glue sticks

Step 1: Gather your supplies and plug in your hot glue gun. Make sure your pumpkin is clean and dry.

Step 2: Break/cut the stem off the top of the pumpkin and then drizzle a circle of hot glue around the stem area. Working quickly, press the moss down on the hot glue. Be careful not to directly touch the glue yourself.

Step 3: Trim branches off the succulent plants and strip the lower leaves off. Starting with the larger succulents first, then work to fill in around them. Place them around the moss area first before gluing them in to see the effect. Re-arrange as desired. 

Step 4: Finally, glue down each succulent into the moss layer. You can then evaluate and fill in any bare spots you might see. Be sure to step back occasionally to look at the arrangement from above and all angles for balance and even distribution.

You can also watch a quick video how-to of this project on TikTok.

Tips and Care:

• The trimmed-off lower leaves from the succulent plants can be use to propagate more plants by laying them on top of slightly-moistened soil in a small spot placed in a sunny window.
• After you are done displaying the pumpkin, you can carefully peal off the succulent cuttings and stick them in soil. Not all will successfully root, but many should.
• The pumpkin can be broken down afterwards for its seeds and flesh for making pies, puree, etc. or you can just compost it.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a few pennies from Amazon.

This is a monthly blog series on DIY projects for the beginning home gardener. Look for the other installments in this DIY blog series by putting "DIY" in the search box here at washingtongardener.blogspot.com. 

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