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Dill Plant Profile 30 Apr 1:37 PM (13 hours ago)

Dill Plant Profile

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an annual herb that is native to Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Dill is used in pickling and in such dishes as potato salad, sauerkraut, and fish preparations. It has beautiful ferny foliage and pretty yellow flowers.

In addition to its culinary uses, Dill attracts beneficial insects. It is a host plant for the caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly. It was named Herb of the Year in 2010.

Grow it in full sun and in well-draining soil--protected from strong winds. It is hardy to USDA zones 2 to 11.

Dill is best started by direct-sowing seeds in the ground. It can also be grow in containers. (It has a long taproot, so it doesn’t like to be moved or transplanted.) To have a continual supply of dill, sow a new row of seeds every few weeks.

You should occasionally weed around the plants and thin out the new seedlings once they are a few inches high. Pinch off the flower heads to encourage fuller leaf growth, which is the main part you will harvest for use in cooking.

Once the dill plant has 5-6 leaves on it, you can start harvesting them. To harvest the leaves, pinch or snip them off with kitchen scissors. Select the older leaves first.

Towards the end of the season, let the dill flower and form seedheads. Collect the seeds for use in cooking and to plant some for next year. If you let the seeds fall where they are growing, they will often self-sow next season.

It is deer-resistant and makes a charming addition to a cut-flower bouquet.

Dill: 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 Madison Korman

➤ 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 enjoyed this Plant Profile, check out:

~ Borage Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/borage-plant-profile.html

~ Bronze Fennel Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/bronze-fennel-plant-profile.html

~ Yarrow Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/06/yarrow-plant-profile.html

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Win 4 New Gardening Books from Quarto Publishing in the April 2025 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contes 29 Apr 3:30 AM (yesterday, 3:30 am)

UPDATE:

Congratulations to Smita Parida of Rockville, MD!

For our April 2025 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, we are celebrating National Gardening Month by giving away a set of four new gardening books from Cool Springs Press/Quarto Publishing to one lucky winner. (Retail value: $100.)

   The four garden books in the prize package are Go Forth and Forage by Whitney Johnson, Start with Soil by Juliet Sargeant, Plants with Superpowers by David Domoney, and Kitchen Garden Living by Bailey Van Tassel.*

   To enter to win the books, send an email by 5:00pm on April 30 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Gardening Month” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in the April 2025  Washington Gardener issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about May 1. Replies might be published.

*Note: These are Amazon affiliate links.




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Monday Thoughts: "The plants are calling to us. They have a rich and diverse vocabulary and speak in many tongues." ~ Rosemary Gladstar 28 Apr 3:47 PM (2 days ago)

 

"The plants are calling to us. They have a rich and diverse vocabulary and speak in many tongues." 

~ Rosemary Gladstar

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 238: Flower Photography Tips 26 Apr 8:15 AM (4 days ago)

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Ngoc Minh Ngo, celebrated photographer and author of Roses in the Garden*, all about photographing flowers. The plant profile is on Kangaroo Paws 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 Transforming Urban Spaces by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 202: Documenting Gardens

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-202.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 17: Garden Photography

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/06/gardendc-podcast-episode-17-garden.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/Flower-Photography-Tips-e3214lp

Show Notes will be posted after 4-29-2025.

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 & Show Notes: Skylar Drew
Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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*Note: This is an Amazon affiliate link
https://amzn.to/4lNXyKY

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Fenton Friday: Pollinator Garden Reboot 25 Apr 11:17 AM (5 days ago)

This week we rebooted the pollinator garden strip on the exposed corner of our community garden. Some of you may recall the school bus incident last May that demolished it, but it bounced back just fine (after I spent hours replanting it and pulling out pieces of embedded metal, rocks, and other debris.) After our hard winter, I thought few things would come back, but when we cleared out the dead material and weeded it yesterday, I was happy to say many plants returning. Those included Swamp Milkwood, self-sown Calendula and Borage, Mountain Mint, and a miniature Thyme. To those, we added Jerusalem Artichoke (Don't worry, the pollinator strip is hemmed in by concrete on all sides!) and started seeds of: Zinnia 'Andew Jewel, Zinnia 'Purity', Zinnia 'Forecast Mixed Colors', a dwarf yellow Tithonia, and Celosia 'Flamma Orange'. To that, I hope to add some unique Marigold varieties next week. As you can see from this listing, it is mainly going to be flowers in hot colors and that corner is practically going to GLOW. I hope that keeps any further incoursions by errant vehicles away!


I also bought a fancy metal sign for it that says: "Pollinator-friendly Garden." My aim is that the sign discourages plant and flower thefts. We also made little plant labels for everything, so that I hope folks take pictures and can see this is being cared for/deliberately planted.

This week also marked the end of the rabbit-proof box from our plot. It had done a great service in protecting our vulnerable veggies over the last few years, but the wood was starting to rot and fall apart. I salvaged one end of the box and made a little fence at the top of our plot. I also took off all the hardware cloth and formed those pieces into loose wire cages around the lettuces and other greens that I thought bunnies might be most interested in.

Everything else in our plot is humming along. We should be able to harvest the Arugula and Lettuce soon. I see heads forming on our Broccoli plants, some Potatoes are making a come back (We were SO SURE we dug all of them up last fall!), and the Dahlias left in the ground iver-winter are sending foliage up too.

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).

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Basket of Gold Plant Profile 23 Apr 3:50 PM (7 days ago)

Basket of Gold Plant Profile

Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis) is an evergreen perennial with a long period of bloom. Its bright-yellow flowers can last for 4-6 weeks in mid-spring. It is also known as Golden Alyssum, Madwort, and Golden Tuft.

It is native to Europe and is a member of the mustard family. It is hardy to USDA zones 3 to 7.

It attracts butterflies and is a nectar source for other beneficial insects as well. It is also deer-resistant

Basket of Gold prefers to grow in full sun in well-draining soils and is drought-tolerant once established.

It is low-care. Simply sheer it back after the flowers fade and be careful not to over-fertilize it.

Basket of Gold is low-growing, so it is a good choice for containers, rock gardens, and in the front of garden beds.

You can propagate it by sowing seeds in the early spring or by dividing it in the fall.  

Basket of Gold: 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 Madison Korman

➤ 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, you may enjoy these other plant profiles:

~ Sweet Alyssum Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2019/11/plant-profile-sweet-alyssum.html

~ Candytuft Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/04/candytuft-plant-profile.html

~ Chamomile Plant Profile

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/06/chamomile-plant-profile.html

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Reduce Your Lawn Day is May 20th 22 Apr 10:18 AM (8 days ago)

Happy Earth Day! Here is a NEW green holiday to boost!
Mark Your Calendar: Reduce Your Lawn Day is May 20th

Reduce Your Lawn Day returns on May 20, 2025—a national invitation to rethink our outdoor spaces and reimagine them as thriving habitats. Whether you’re planting a small pollinator bed or rallying your block to convert a shared green space, this movement makes sustainable gardening feel accessible and highlights the power of collective action.

Last year, over 3,000 participants pledged to replace more than 10.5 million square feet of lawn with pollinator plants, meadows, and low-water landscaping. This year’s goal? Inspire 10,000 pledges to take back turf for the planet.

Reduce Your Lawn Day is supported by over 25 organizations dedicated to sustainability, water conservation, and pollinator-friendly landscapes—and the movement is still growing! High Country Gardens is actively seeking additional partners to help spread awareness and inspire more homeowners to take action.

Less Lawn, More Flowers: 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Lawn
Looking for yard ideas and garden design inspiration? Here are 10 simple planting projects to kickstart your sustainable yard transformation:

  1. Remove the grass along your driveway and plant an easy-to-grow native wildflower border.
  2. Surround your mailbox with perennials to brighten the neighborhood.
  3. Flip the strip! Replace the lawn between the sidewalk and the street with a mini-meadow or no-mow groundcovers.
  4. Carve out a flower bed to create a pollinator pit stop in your yard.
  5. Expand your existing flower beds by pushing out their boundaries and adding more low-growing flowers.
  6. Remove tough-to-trim grass along walkways and plant creeping groundcovers to create a pretty pathway.
  7. Build a raised bed near your house for an easy-to-access kitchen garden or cut flower garden.
  8. Replace the grass along your fence with a beautiful blooming border.
  9. Designate a corner of your yard “for the birds” with a pre-planned garden of native plants.
  10. Flank your front walkway with flower beds to boost your curb appeal.

Join the Movement
You can pledge to take part in Reduce Your Lawn Day on May 20th. Downloadable yard signs are available to help spread the movement—because sustainability begins in your backyard.

American Meadows, a leading advocate for doing good through gardening, in collaboration with Kathy Jentz, author of Groundcover Revolution*, proudly announced the inaugural Reduce Your Lawn Day scheduled on May 20th, 2024. This new national day is an annual event aiming to raise awareness and encourage participation in adopting eco-friendly yard solutions at any scale, promoting a shift away from traditional turf lawns. 
   Why Reduce Your Lawn? Traditional turf lawns, prevalent over the last two centuries, lack biodiversity, fail to support pollinators, and are often water-intensive. Reduce Your Lawn Day “is a day to step back and take stock of what you are growing in your landscape and make a conscious decision to reduce turfgrass areas” says Kathy Jentz.   
   Rooted in the spirit of No Mow May, this initiative goes beyond simply refraining from mowing, instead providing better value-added alternatives.
*Amazon affiliate link

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Monday Thoughts: "Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadow of April showers." ~ Byron Caldwell Smith 21 Apr 7:40 AM (9 days ago)

 

"Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadow of April showers." 

~ Byron Caldwell Smith

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April 2025 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine: Tulips, Parsnips, Mock Orange, Spring Natives, and much more… 20 Apr 8:30 AM (10 days ago)

 

The April 2025 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine is out.

Inside this issue:

·         How and When to Repot Houseplants

·         Magically Fragrant Mock Orange

·         Winterburn on Evergreens

·         Celebrating Tulip Time

·         Weeding Out Bad Bedstraws

·         Asiatic Lilies for Summer Drama

·         Parsnip, the Ancient Heirloom

·         Spring Native Plants

·         Garden Book Reviews and Contest

·         6 Tips for Transplanting Encore Azaleas

and much more…

 

Note that any submissions, event listings, and advertisements for the May2025 issue are due by May 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



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GardenDC Podcast Episode 237: Edible Native Plants 19 Apr 8:54 AM (11 days ago)

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Wendy Brister, Marketing Director of Cavano's Perennials, all about native edible plants. The plant profile is on Basket of Gold 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 Playing with Frost by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 28: Preserving Your Harvest

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/09/gardendc-podcast-episode-28-preserving.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 148: Serviceberries

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-148.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/Edible-Native-Plants-e31o464

Show Notes will be posted after 4-22-2025.

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 & Show Notes: Skylar Drew
Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Finally Feeling like Spring! 18 Apr 10:33 AM (12 days ago)


This past week, we had a little more rain along with some chilly nights and very windy days. The forecast for the next 10 days shows lots of sun and warmth, so I think we may be past any more frost/freeze alerts for the season. (Knock on wood!)

Our cistern faucets are still not connected so any watering we do needs to be hauled from home -- not fun. I'm hoping we get some decent rains and we can avoid that chore -- but please no rain on weekend garden festival days!

The cool-season seedlings are all doing nicely (see pic above). They include 'Traditional Chioggia' Beets, Black Seeded, Simpson Lettuce, Cilantro, Arugula, 'Frosty' Peas, and the 'White Globe' Turnips.

We officially gave up on the 'Crispy Colors Duo' Kohlrabi and 'New Zealand; Spinach. In their respective places now is Carrot 'Dragon' and Radish 'Plum Purple' -- both of which I bought from https://seedsavers.org/. I have not grown these varities before and honestly picked them simply because they look gorgeous in the catalog photos. I hope they taste as good!

We did a little weeding and .I was able to harvest a few more Asparagus spears this week. 

The thornless Blackberry is covered in blossoms so I take that as a good indication of lots of fruits this summer. I have also seen a few flowers appearing on our Strawberry plants.

We added a row of heirloom Dill 'Leafy Diana.' I'm not expecting to harvest anything from these plants -- just growing it for the pollinators. Speaking of which, we still need to clean out the Pollinator Garden strip and start more pollinator-supporting flowers from seed in there. I might get to that right after Easter.

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).

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Lyreleaf Sage Plant Profile 17 Apr 10:47 AM (13 days ago)

Lyreleaf Sage Plant Profile

Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata) is a perennial plant that is native to the eastern half of the United States. It has pretty lavender-blue flowers in spring.

The basal foliage resembles that of the dandelion, but the leaves have a reddish-purple veining.

Lyreleaf Sage is a member of the mint family. It can reseed itself and establish into a small colony to form a nice groundcover.

It can grow in full sun to part shade and prefers well-draining soils. It is hardy to USDA Zones 5 to 8.

The flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. It is fairly deer-resistant as well.

It is a medicinal herb that was once thought to cure cancer. Lyreleaf Sage is edible and is collected as a wild salad green in the early- to mid-springtime.

Lyreleaf Sage: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, Video, and Text by Kathy Jentz Editing by Madison Korman

 

➤ 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: 

Trout Lily Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/04/trout-lily-plant-profile.html

 Virginia Bluebells Plant Profile

 https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/04/plant-profile-virginia-bluebells.html

 Baptisia Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/baptisia-plant-profile.html

 Spring Beauty Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/04/plant-profile-spring-beauty-claytonia.html

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Monday Thoughts: “Just as meditation connects us with spirit, herbs and plants connect us to the earth because they arise from the soil.” ~ Christopher Hobbs 14 Apr 9:15 AM (16 days ago)

“Just as meditation connects us with spirit, herbs and plants connect us to the earth because they arise from the soil.”  ~ Christopher Hobbs

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 236: Forest Bathing 12 Apr 10:39 AM (18 days ago)

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with author and naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley all about forest bathing. The plant profile is on Caladiums 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 Easiest Mushrooms to Grow by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 137: Into the Heart of the Garden

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-137-into-heart.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 38: Art in the Garden 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-38-art-in.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 92: Universal Gardening 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-92-universal.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 224:The Reformation of a Bad Naturalist

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-224.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/Forest-Bathing-e31ee33

Show Notes will be posted after 4-15-2025.

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

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

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Fenton Friday: A Wet Week 11 Apr 12:05 PM (19 days ago)

This past week, we had more rain (thank goodness as we are still in a 10+ inch drought deficit) and the temps turned downright chilly, which is not so welcome after last week's warmth. 

How chilly? Well, it dropped near/below freezing for most of us in the DMV-region on Tuesday night. I had a cover cloth still on the Broccoli seedlings so I knew were fine, but all else was on its own as I had no time to run over and cover them as I gave two local garden talks that day. Thanksfully, nothing in the plot seems to have been affected.

The 'Traditional Chioggia' Beet, Black Seeded, Simpson Lettuce, and Cilantro seedlings are up this week to join the  Arugula, 'Frosty' Peas, and the 'White Globe' Turnips seedlings that were already growing well. The Turnips are growing so big and thickly, that they already needed thinning this week.

The two seeds that have not emerged yet are the 'Crispy Colors Duo' Kohlrabi and 'New Zealand; Spinach. Not sure why they have failed, other than likely being dud seeds. We'll replant their spots next week. I had already set some Radish and Carrot seed packs aside for that purpose.

We did a little weeding and between the rain finally got to apply fresh wood chips on the pathways that have gotten a bit bald around our plot.

I was able to harvest a few more Asparagus spears this week. 

I saw that some Calendula seedlings are coming up in the Pollinator Garden strip and another gardener has transplanted some of her prolifically reseeding Bachelor's Button to the strip too. I hope they survive that transfer! We'll get over their this next week or so to clear out the weeds and start more pollinator-supporting flowers from seed in there.

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).

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Trout Lily Plant Profile 9 Apr 2:15 PM (21 days ago)


Trout Lily Plant Profile

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) is a perennial spring ephemeral plant that is native to eastern North America. It has pretty yellow or white flowers that dangle at the top of 6- to 8-inch high stems.

The foliage is mottled and resembles the brown coloring of a brown trout.  It is also known as fawn lily, Woodland Glory , yellow adder's-tongue, or yellow dogtooth violet.

It prefers to grow in moist, acidic soils under deciduous shade trees. It will form a colony where it is happy.

It is hardy to USDA zones 3-9.

They provide pollen and nectar to early season native bees like Mason Bees and Queen Bumblebees.

Trout Lily are generally deer- and rabbit-resistant.

It can be most easily propagated by digging a clump and dividing it, but it can also be grown from seed or bulb offset.

 The plant is a healing herb that was used in wound care by Native Americans.

Trout Lily: 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 Madison Korman

➤ 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, you may enjoy these other plant profiles:

 Virginia Bluebells Plant Profile

 https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/04/plant-profile-virginia-bluebells.html

 Baptisia Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/baptisia-plant-profile.html

 Spring Beauty Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/04/plant-profile-spring-beauty-claytonia.html

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Monday Thoughts: “A garden that is easy to maintain-and easy on the eyes— doesn't happen by accident; it is the product of planning.” ~ Martha Stewart 7 Apr 4:00 AM (23 days ago)

“A garden that is easy to maintain-and easy on the eyes— doesn't happen by accident; it is the product of planning.” ~ Martha Stewart

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 235: Spring Pruning Tips 5 Apr 6:12 AM (25 days ago)

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Peggy Singlemann, host of Virginia Home Grown, all about spring pruning tips. The plant profile is on Horsetail 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 Great Plant Swap Mishap by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 228: Reducing Runoff with Rain Gardens

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-228-reducing.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 184: Spring Garden Prep

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-183-spring.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://open.spotify.com/episode/20ugHDmyYAzvZj8szPzzFS?si=OK1TRU0JS_ixAbdW6dzbUA

Show Notes: 01:20 Introducing Peggy Singleman 02:45 Kathy and Peggy talk about preparing to prune 04:22 Peggy’s favorite tools 09:40 Peggy’s early spring pruning tips 11:48 “How do you know…if [a shrub or tree] needs pruning?” Kathy asks Peggy 17:04: Sealing vs. Healing 19:13 Peggy talks about “making windows” for sunlight when pruning 20:58 Kathy and Peggy discuss knowing when to stop cutting a plant 26:16 Kathy and Peggy talk about human hedging habits 28:36 “Groundcover Revolution” by Kathy Jentz 32:18 Pruning challenges with Forsythia 34:23 Kathy’s favorite ways to prune and uses for Forsythia clippings 39:07 Peggy talks about pruning Clematis 40:27 Clematis Expert podcast episode 41:08 Peggy talks about distinguishing and pruning Boxwood 45:06 Peggy and Kathy talk about pruning Callicarpa (American Beauty berry) 49:40 Peggy talks about pruning Red Twig Dogwood 51:30 Pruning native hollies 54:19 “The Urban Garden” by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight 55:13 Horsetail Plant Profile 56:39 What’s new in the garden this week? 59:03 The Last Word by Christy Page: The Great Plant Swap Mishap 01:02:05 How to support the Garden DC 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
Show Notes: Skylar Drew
Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Peas and Arugula 4 Apr 12:18 PM (26 days ago)

This past week we finally gotten some decent rains and the temps were pretty balmy, for the most part. 

I was able to harvest a few Asparagus spears twice this week. 

The Arugula seedlings are up (see photo at right) as are the 'Frosty' Peas, (see above). The 'White Globe' Turnips seedlings are growing fast too.

Still waiting to see some signs of life from the 'Traditional Chioggia' Beets, 'Crispy Colors Duo' Kohlrabi, and 'New Zealand; Spinach. If there are no seedlings showing up next week, we'll replant them.

The Black Seeded, Simpson Lettuce and Cilantro have only been in the ground for a week, so I have more patience waiting for them.

The 6-pack of 'Castle Dome' Broccoli seedlings continue to do well under their cover cloth

I did a little weeding, but we still need to apply fresh wood chips on the pathways that have gotten a bit bald around our plot.

I will also start seeding in some annual flowers soon into the Pollinator Garden strip. The forecast shows that one night dips down to 34 degrees next week, so I will wait until after that.

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).

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Windflower Plant Profile 2 Apr 3:26 PM (28 days ago)

Windflower (Anemone blanda) is a plant with daisy-shaped flowers that bloom in a blend of pink, blue, and white in the early spring. They are also known as Wind Anemone or Grecian windflower. They are native to the mountains of Europe and Greece.

They are commonly planted in containers, rock gardens, and at the front of flower borders as they grow to only 4- to 6-inches tall. The foliage is attractive and fern-like. They are visited by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Windflowers are easy-to-grow, deer-resistant, and can naturalize after a few years. Fertilizer and supplemental watering are unnecessary. They are hardy to zones 4 to 10.

Soak the corms or bulbs overnight before planting them in a sunny spot in a hole about 3 to 4 inches deep in well-drained soil and in a location that will not be wet or irrigated in the summer.

The corms are round and it is fairly hard to tell which end is up, so just place them on their side and they will find their way to the surface and sun. You can plant them pretty close together – a dozen or more in one square foot of space is normal.

Once the flowers have faded, let the foliage turn yellow or brown and then cut it off. Cutting the foliage too early may deprive the bulbs of needed chlorophyll to store energy and re-bloom next year.

Windflower: 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, video, and text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Madison Korman

➤ 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:

~ Winter Aconite Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/02/winter-aconite-plant-profile.html

~ Amur Adonis Plant Profile

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

~ Spanish Bluebells Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/04/spanish-bluebells-plant-profile.html


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Monday Thoughts: “What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.” ~ Suzanne Collins 31 Mar 10:38 AM (last month)

 

 “What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.” 

~ Suzanne Collins

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 234: Lilacs 29 Mar 8:15 AM (last month)

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Dr. Mark DeBard, board member of the International Lilac Society, all about Lilacs. The plant profile is on Trout Lily 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 Lilac in Nosferatu: Symbolism of Lilacs and Death.

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

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 6: Spring-Flowering Trees and Shrubs

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-6-spring.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 75: Versatile Viburnum

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/09/gardendc-podcast-episode-75-versatile.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/Lilacs-e30qi4k

Show Notes: 01:19 Introducing Dr. Mark DeBard 01:50 Was Mark born with chlorophyll in his veins and a green thumb? 04:00 Mark talks about his home garden and planting lilacs 04:55 Mark’s growing conditions in Central Ohio (Columbus) 06:20 How Mark became a volunteer master gardener 06:50 Mark’s involvement with the International Lilac Society (ILS) 08:16 “Why lilacs?” 10:21 The four main types of lilacs 12:37 Lilacs’ roots in East Asia 14:33 Kathy and Mark discuss lilacs’ need for cold exposure 16:00 Species of lilac that fare well in the DC area (Hyacinthiflora) 17:35 The seven recognizable colors of lilac flowers 19:10 Best growing practices for lilacs 24:15 Moving techniques for lilacs getting too much shade 24:55 When and how to prune lilacs 27:40 “Groundcover Revolution” by Kathy Jentz 29:30 Mark talks about lilac suckers 30:55 Kathy and Mark talk about lilacs’ appearance in late summer and disease 33:15 Mark speaks more about Hyacinthiflora 37:53 Propagating lilacs and planting new cuttings 45:46 Mark discusses the ILS auction 47:50 Mark talks about the issue of reblooming 54:53 The Mackinac Island Lilac Festival 55:50 “The Urban Garden” by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight 57:15 Trout Lily Plant Profile 58:45 What’s new in the garden this week? 01:03:00 The Last Word by Kathy Jentz: Nosferatu and Lilacs 01:09:03 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
Show Notes: Skylar Drew
Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: Turnip Seedlings Up 28 Mar 12:11 PM (last month)

This past week was more up and down - frigid winds, a touch of rain, some heat and sun, then back to typical March days. 

I was pleased to see a couple of Asparagus spears emerging (pictured above). I'll give them a few more days and then do my first harvest of the season.

We started additional seeds this week. This time we added Black Seeded, Simpson Lettuce, Arugula, and Cilantro.

The only seedlings we saw emerging were the 'White Globe' Turnips (pictured at right). It looks like they ALL germinated so will need to be thinned in a few weeks.
   Other than that no seedlings were up from the previous seed plantings we did over the last two weeks, which included 'Traditional Chioggia' Beets, 'Crispy Colors Duo' Kohlrabi, 'Frosty' Peas, and 'New Zealand; Spinach.  

The 6-pack of 'Castle Dome' Broccoli seedlings are doing well under their cover cloth.

I did get a chance to prune the Thornless Blackberries back a bit. I should probably still thin it out some more in the next few weeks.

We did a little weeding and watering. It is the season of the chickweed and henbit explosions. I also found a hunk of Lesser Celandine coming up near my Asparagus -- I dug that chunk out with a sharp spade and put it in a plastic bag to go out with the garbage. I really would like to know how it got in there!

We still need to apply fresh wood chips 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).

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Gardening Publication for DC Area Turns 20! 27 Mar 11:46 AM (last month)

 

We are very pleased to announce that Washington Gardener magazine, the  gardening publication tailored specifically for the local metro area — zones 6-7 — Washington DC and its suburbs, turned 20 years old in March 2025. The first issue of the print magazine was published in March 2005.

 Washington Gardener magazine’s basic mission is to help DC area gardens grow. The content of the magazine gives real examples that you can use immediately in your own garden. It saves area gardeners’ time and shows them how to stretch your garden resources. It inspires them with new ideas and new ways of looking at things. With all of that, we don’t forget to include a heavy dose of whimsy, a sense of humor, and a portion of wonder. We have some great stories in the works — from Unique Plant Combinations to Starting a Water Garden to Growing Vegetables in Tight Spaces — we can’t wait to share them with our readers!

 The magazine is written entirely by local area gardeners. They have real world experience with the same problems you experience in your own gardens. They’ll be sharing their thoughts on what to plant in deep shade, how to get tropicals to grow in our region, which annuals work best throughout the humid DC summers, and much more.

  Go to http://www.WashingtonGardener.com to subscribe online using a secure credit card transaction.

 In addition to Washington Gardener Magazine, the GardenDC Podcast has hit its 5th year anniversary this month as well. We have published more than 230 episodes and have over 200,000 episode downloads.

 Washington Gardener is a women-owned business based in Silver Spring, MD.

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Mock Orange Plant Profile 26 Mar 1:32 PM (last month)

 

Mock Orange Plant Profile

Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is a deciduous shrub with wonderfully fragrant white flowers in the spring and summer. The shrub is a terrific nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators.

Plant it in full sun for the best flowering. It prefers soils that are well-drained and slightly acidic to neutral. This shrub hates to sit in damp ground and usually only needs watering during periods of extended drought.

Fertilize it by spreading a layer of compost around the root zone in spring. A high-nitrogen fertilizer will encourage leafy growth at the expense of the flowers, so be careful not to spread any turf-grass fertilizers around the shrubs when fertilizing a nearby lawn.

The blooms on Mock Orange are most fragrant at night and you should locate it where you can enjoy their wonderful scent.

It produces flowers on new wood, so prune the shrub shortly after it finishes blooming each year. If it becomes overgrown, take out about a third of the older stems down to the ground. You can propagate it by taking cuttings in the summer.

It is a native to Europe and is hardy to USDA zones 4 to 8.

Mock Orange is disease- and deer-resistant.

It can grow to 10 feet tall and wide. There are dwarf and compact cultivars available such as ‘Snowbelle’, which is about 4 feet high, and ‘Illuminati Sparks’, which grows to about 3 feet tall.

Mock Orange: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.

Video, audio, and text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Madison Korman

➤ 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:

~ Azaleas: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/05/plant-profile-azaleas.html

~ Aronia: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/05/aronia-chokeberry-plant-profile.html

~ Carolina Allspice: https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/05/carolina-allspice-plant-profile.html

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