Saturday, October 14, 2023

GardenDC Podcast Episode 169: Cyclamen

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we chat with John Lonsdale of Edgewood Gardens all about Cyclamen. The plant profile is on Arugula 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 Hostas by Christy Page at the Food Gardening Network.

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


~ GardenDC Episode 99: Trilliums with Amy Highland
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-99-trilliums.html
~ GardenDC Episode 42: Hellebores with Barry Glick


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: 00:01:39 Cyclamen and introducing John Lonsdale. 00:01:46 John’s childhood gardening experiences. 00:05:17 Garden journey and nursery business. 00:06:21 Gardening with passion and adaptability. 00:12:14 Improving soil with shredded leaves. 00:14:35 Mimicking natural habitat. 00:18:27 Number of cyclamen species worldwide. 00:22:29 Cyclamen leaves are the highlight. 00:23:29 The beauty of cyclamen leaves. 00:25:40 Cyclamen need good drainage. 00:29:04 Natural spread of cyclamen. 00:31:10 Deer and potential pests. 00:36:36 Plastic pots vs terracotta. 00:37:43 Gravel top dressing. 00:39:42 A fabulous growing mix. 00:43:40 The progression of plants. 00:44:19 Cyclamen are low-maintenance and diverse. 00:46:21 The incredible variation of leaves. 00:51:07 Don't be scared to grow them. 00:57:20 Dutch gardening and horticulture. 00:57:24 Discover the beauty of Dutch gardening. 01:00:09 Options for replacing grass. 01:03:23 Strategic replanting and lush greenery. 01:03:42 Hostas are the perfect plant.

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: Christine Folivi

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Friday, October 13, 2023

Fenton Friday: End of Harvest Party

This Sunday, 10/15/23, we are hosting an End of Harvest Party at the Fenton Community Garden from 5-6:30pm and all are welcome. We'll be collecting garden-grown produce donations for the hungry and have refreshments, kid's activities, flower arranging, seed sharing, and more. Please plan to join us. (Note that it is canceled if it is raining here at 5:00pm.)

Many of my fellow Fenton gardeners are already cleaning out their plots, but I'm still plugging away and plan to keep on going until a killing frost at least. I

We had a mild weather week and harvested more zucchini, blackberries, cucamelons, peppers, and cherry tomatoes. We also cut more bouquets of zinnias and dahlias. The arugula, radish, and cilantro seedlings are up and doing well.

I will be planting garlic soon and as this year's crop was kind of "meh," I am seeking out a new source of seed garlic. My usual source is the Takoma Park Farmers Market and when I went by there last week, the 'German White' garlic for sale was also pretty puny. So I'm looking for a new source and will see if I try a new variety this time. Got any recommendations?


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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Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Hardy Banana Plant Profile

Hardy Banana Plant Profile

The Hardy Banana Tree (Musa basjoo) gives a tropical look to temperate landscapes and is a fun conversation piece in the garden. It is also known as the Japanese Banana or the Hardy Fiber Banana. It is, in fact, not a tree at all, but one of the world’s largest herbaceous perennials.

The Hardy Banana can grow in USDA Zones 4 to 10 and is native to Sichuan, China. This plant will produce lots of dramatic leafy growth and if the season is long enough, you will get creamy-yellow flowers that then form small, inedible fruits.

The plant can reach 12 to 18 feet in height. After it flowers, the main pseudostem will die and then send out baby shoots around the mother plant that can be lifted and replanted or gifted to other gardeners.

It prefers full sun, moist soil, and plenty of fertilizer to support the tremendous amount of growth it puts out in one season.

The giant leaves of the Hardy Bamboo can get shredded in high winds. If you find the shredding unattractive, site the plant where it will receive some wind protection.

Hardy Banana is perfectly hardy planted in the ground. It will die back when hit by a killing frost in late autumn. When that happens, cut the plant down to one foot high, surround it with a chicken wire cage or netting, and then pile on hay or leaves or other insulating mulch materials around the plant’s crown.

Here, in the Mid-Atlantic US, many gardeners don’t bother doing the cut back and mulching. They simply let the fallen foliage act as a crown insulator and then clear some of that out as the growing season begins the next spring.

Hardy Banana 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 Christine Folivi

➤ 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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Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Discover The Netherlands Garden Tour with Kathy Jentz

Experience the beauty of Dutch gardens and horticulture on our Discover the Netherlands Tour from April 16 - 25, 2024!

Join Washington Gardener Magazine editor Kathy Jentz on this once-in-a-lifetime garden adventure.
We will visit private and public gardens, nurseries, test gardens, flower shows, and more.

Highlights include the Keukenhof Gardens, Hortus Botanicus Leiden, and the FloraHolland Flower Auction.
Accommodations are in 4-star hotels, and most meals are included.
Space is limited to the first 20 guests who sign up.
Pricing starts at $4,985 per person.
For Full Details and Registration at:

https://www.wetravel.com/trips/discover-the-netherlands-garden-tour-with-kathy-jentz-discover-our-tours-netherlands-16777484?fbclid=IwAR3LUEzp88lM5KuilJwQ3blgXeXX-9OSqeyuNqRYBlJ2Ba6xIuIejdpHfQE

OR

https://tinyurl.com/HollandTourwithKJ

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Monday, October 09, 2023

Monday Thoughts: “Mother Earth is not a resource, she is an heirloom.” — David Ipina, Yurok Tribe

 

“Mother Earth is not a resource, she is an heirloom.” 

— David Ipina, Yurok Tribe

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Saturday, October 07, 2023

GardenDC Podcast Episode 168: Favorite Fall Perennials

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we chat with Doug Oster, Pittsburgh's Garden Guru, about Favorite Fall Perennials. The plant profile is on Autumn Daffodils 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 Flying Squirrels by Christy Page at the Food Gardening Network.

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

~ GardenDC Episode 53: Superior Perennials with Karen Rexrode
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-53-superior.html

~ GardenDC Episode 64: Daylilies -- the Perfect Perennial?


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: 00:01:36 Doug and Kathy's mutual love of Duke's Mayo. 00:03:35 Fall perennials are low-maintenance and perfect for planting in the autumn season. 00:04:17 Doug's love affair with perennials. 00:06:21 Easy-to-grow perennials for spreading. 00:09:46 A plant that spreads everywhere. 00:12:44 Growing Tricyrtis plants. 00:13:24 Toad lilies need supplemental water. 00:16:07 Rabbit and chipmunk garden troubles. 00:20:48 Asters are great late-season perennials. 00:21:28 Favorite native Asters 00:24:32 Asters are great pollinator plants. 00:24:38 Asters as a substitute for mums. 00:31:14 Pink Salvia and the Chelsea Flower Show. 00:33:24 Goldenrod is a misunderstood wildflower. 00:34:08 Goldenrod and Joe Pye Weed are low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly plants. 00:35:09 Goldfinches and Goldenrod. 00:40:26 Ugliness that I need. 00:43:59 Deer-resistant plants for shady areas. 00:46:19 Deer-resistant Ligularia for low-maintenance gardening. 00:50:17 Dried seed heads as winter interest. 00:51:28 Importance of sentimental plants. 00:54:23 Amazing perennial plant discovery. 00:57:23 Overwintering potted plants. 01:02:04 Fall perennials are a great addition to any garden. 01:03:11 Hummingbirds visiting canna flowers. 01:06:09 Gardening events and book recommendations. 01:08:31 Flying Squirrels 01:08:38 Hate for flying squirrels emerges. 01:10:22 Catching flying squirrels.

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: Christine Folivi

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Friday, October 06, 2023

Fenton Friday: Sweet Potato Blues

The good news is that while weeding I uncovered a group of Brassica seedlings where I had let the Celosia reseed at the back of my plot. They are where the Broccoli was growing last Fall to Spring, so I'm assuming it is Broccoli, but it could also be Kale or another Brassica family member that we've grown in recent years. I'll let them develop and see how they grow.

The bad news is we dug the Sweet Potatoes and... there was nothing there. Well, there had been something there, but some creature got to it all before we did (I suspect urban rodents) and ate all the tubers. There were still plenty of sweet potato vines running all over the back if the plot and they had rooted themselves in several spots. We cut back most of the vines and composed them just to clear out some space around them. I know some folks eat sweet potato greens, do you? How do you like to prepare them? 

From the cool-season seedlings we planted over the last few weeks only one of the two types of arugula is up and thriving and that is 'Astro'. So far, 'Rocky' is a bust. The 'Round Black Spanish' radish is also growing strongly., but the 'Bloomsdale Long Standing' spinach,  'Long Standing' Cilantro, and 'Chioggia' beets have all not surfaced yet. We thinned both the radish and the 'Astro' arugula to give the remaining seedlings room ro grow.

We harvested more zucchini, blackberries, cucamelons, peppers, and cherry tomatoes. We also cut more bouquets of zinnias and dahlias.


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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Wednesday, October 04, 2023

Spider Flowers (Cleome hassleriana) Plant Profile

Spider Flowers (Cleome hassleriana) Plant Profile

Spider Flowers (Cleome hassleriana) is an annual flower that blooms in mid-summer to early fall. It is also known as Grandfather’s Whiskers and Spider Legs.

The flowers are usually pale to dark pink, purple, or white. The foliage is palm-shaped and the stems are somewhat spikey. It is native to South America and is hardy to USDA Zones 10-11.

It can grow to several feet tall, depending on the variety. It is surprisingly sturdy and normally doesn’t need staking.  There are more than 180 kinds of Cleome including the fragrant ‘Rose Queen’ and the compact ‘Linde Armstrong’. ‘Señorita Rosalita’ is a newer introduction that is thornless, odorless, and sterile.

Cleome does best in full sun and well-draining soils. They are fairly drought-tolerant and do not need fertilizing. They will die after being hit by a frost.

Hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators are highly attracted to this plant. Some theorize that bats are the main pollinator of this plant in its native tropical habitat.

Cleome are easy to start from seeds and they are prolific reseeders.

Cleome: 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, text, and editing by Kathy Jentz

Video by Christine Folivi

Photos courtesy of Proven Winners, https://www.provenwinners.com/

 

➤ 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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~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com

~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

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~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC

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Monday, October 02, 2023

Monday Thoughts: "Every seed I sow, will grow into a tree. And someday there'll be apples there, for everyone in the world to share." - Johnny Appleseed

 

"Every seed I sow, will grow into a tree. And someday there'll be apples there, for everyone in the world to share." - Johnny Appleseed

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