BTW, if you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.
Video Wednesday: Purple Plants of the Bishop's Garden
BTW, if you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.
A Perfect Weekend
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| visitors to my small pond |
Thank you to all who came out to the DC Plant Swap on Saturday and the Washington Gardener Magazine Open Garden on Sunday. It was great meeting you all.
You can see more photos from this weekend's event and many other DC-garden related activies over at the Washington Gardener Magazine Facebook page: facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine.
Fenton Friday: Growing and Sowing
We got our official plot markers now. Aren't we spiffy?
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| New Plot Marker |
My bush beans and corn, planted just a week ago, are all up and looking really good. Need to note for next year that the earlier planted beans were totally skeletonized - both in my plot and in all the others at the community garden - so planting them later (mid-late June) to avoid the particular insect menace may be the best solution.
In case you missed it, on Wednesday I posted a video tour of the Fenton Community Garden and in particular the deer fence and cistern. Check it out here.
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| Kentucky Pole Bean seedling |
I'm having an Open Garden on Sunday afternoon. (Details here.) I figure that if anyone is interested also in the community garden plot, we can walk on over for a quick -outside-the-fence tour too.
Maybe some of the more experienced edible gardeners will be able to tell me if my potatoes are ready for a first layer/mounding of soil and if my purple tomatillos are ready to harvest. (And if so, what to do with them. Salsa?)
Open Garden at "Fenton Oaks" aka Washington Gardener Magazine Headquarters
You are Invited to "Fenton Oaks," the newly dubbed gardens at Washington Gardener Magazine Headquarters
Sunday, June 26 from 2-4pm
Hosted by Washington Gardener Magazine
☼ Come by with your garden questions
☼ See our trial gardens in progress
☼ Pet our garden kitty, Santino
☼ Renew or subscribe to the magazine in person
☼ Purchase gift subscriptions
☼ Pluck a weed or two as a keepsake souvenir
☼ Single copies of our back issues and current issue are also for sale
☼ Pick up a pack of seeds with any purchase
☼ Take photos of whatever is in bloom for our annual Photo Contest
☼ Light refreshments: lemonade and brownies
☼ Children’s activities - Fish Pond, Wishing Tree, and Fairie Garden
☼ Information table on various area garden events and groups
☼ Surprises and Prizes
Come to 826 Philadelphia Ave. (Rt. 410), Silver Spring, MD - at the corner of Fenton - across from the Public Storage building. Please walk, bike, bus, metro, or car-pool. We are a 10-15 minute walk from either the Silver Spring and Takoma Park metro stops. Also, several Metro and Ride-On bus routes pass nearby. If driving, there is limited free parking available nearby on King Street and in nearby public garages/lots along Fenton.
The Open Garden is rain or shine. We’ll quickly duck in the gazebo or in the house, if it storms.
The event is free. Registration/reservations are not required.
Please pass this invite on to your DC-area gardening friends and family
Video Wednesday: Community Garden Tour with Above-Ground Cistern
Here is a short tour of the brand new Fenton Street Community Garden in downtown Silver Spring, MD. Every Friday on this blog, I've been giving you little updates on what is growing in my plot there, but I thought it'd be nice if you all had a video of the entire garden and some of the more notable features. In particular, everyone asks about the deer fence and about the above-ground cistern. The cistern does command attention as it is a huge, dark, elevated structure that can be seen from all angles daily by the thousands of passing motorists, bike trail users, metro commuters, etc. I've heard it called a "big UFO" and a "giant tank," both of which are pretty apt descriptions.
If you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.
4th Annual DC Plant Swap This Saturday!
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| DC Plant Swappers |
hosted by Washington Gardener Magazine
What: a Plant Swap -- bring and receive free plants to expand your garden
Why: Free Plants! Last chance to do so before the season heats up.
Date: Saturday, June 25
Time: starting at 10am bring your plants for sorting by category (shade perennial, groundcover, herb, etc.) -- swap starts promptly at 10:30am -- do not be late (the swap goes fast and can be over in a matter of minutes!) - after swapping, we can socialize, snack, buy farmer's market goodies, and trade more info on the plants we brought - we plan to conclude and be cleaned up by 11:00am. so you will have the rest of the day to plant and enjoy your Saturday.
Place: H Street Farmers Market at H & 8th -- 624 H Street NE near Union Station on Saturdays (the market runs from 9am-12n)
Who: anyone is welcome as are any of your friends, relatives, or neighbors -- it is FREE -- feel free to forward on this invitation
How: be prepared to BRIEFLY introduce yourself and describe your plant swap offerings
Bring:
~ a name tag - home made or from work or school -- whatever works
~ pen and paper - you will want to take lots of notes as folks describe their plants and growing conditions
~ plants to swap - pot them up NOW -- the longer they can get settled in their pots, the better their chance of success and survival - (no plants to share? see note below)
~ labels - fully label all your swap plants with as much info as you have - optimally that will include: common and scientific name, amount of sun needed, amount of water needed, any other special care notes, and color of the blooms (if it is not currently in flower)
What NOT to bring: common orange daylilies* and any invasive species - use this list to screen your plant offerings
*hybrid daylilies are fine and welcome
What if you do not have plants to swap? Come anyway! Bring refreshments like cold drinks and yummy finger foods to share with the other swappers:-) Be sure to also bring cups, napkins, utensils, serving spoons, etc, if your food item requires those for serving.
A BIG thanks to FreshFarm Markets for hosting us and giving us the space to do this. Don't forget to shop at the market!
Happy National Pollinator Week!
Members of Congress, their staff, and the public are invited to participate in a briefing by pollinator scientists and experts on Thursday, June 23 at 4:00 PM at the Longworth House Office Building Room 1302. As a special pollinator treat, pollinator supportive companies Häagen-Dazs and Burt’s Bees will provide ice cream and lip balm for attendees. Both Burt’s Bees and Häagen-Dazs are committed to the health of honey bees that are instrumental in their products and in the well being of plants, people, and animals. The briefing is being held in conjunction with the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C), which was created in the House by co-chairs Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Timothy V. Johnson (R-IL) to increase understanding of the importance of pollinators in land management, food, and the environment.
New Legislation to be Introduced: A widely supported effort to decrease the costs of roadside management by reduced mowing and increased native plantings, the Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Act (Highways BEE Act), will be introduced on Thursday, June 23 as part of Pollinator Week. Rep. Hastings and Rep. Timothy V. Johnson will be lead sponsors of the bipartisan legislation. “Our bill’s approach is to help States reduce roadside maintenance costs while providing better habitat for pollinators—similar to farmers being good conservationists while they produce our food,” noted Rep. Johnson. “Neighboring farmers will benefit from improved ag pollination services.” Rep. Hastings added, “Many conservation approaches are viewed as adding costs – this measure is designed to help cash-strapped states reduce roadside maintenance costs, while providing habitat for pollinators and other benefits. Everyone wins; we save money, and the safety of our nation’s highways is enhanced.”
The Highways BEE Act seeks no new monies and the limited federal role is to assist the states. It has received widespread endorsement from the business and environmental communities as well as from House Members on a bipartisan basis, scientists and diverse organizations including National Audubon, National Farmer’s Union, The Isaac Walton League, The American Farmland Trust, Waste Management, The National Gardening Association, among others. Sounds to me like a win-win for everyone and not only does it not cost any money, it should save a great deal in the long run.
Another Washington DC Event for National Pollinator Week: On Friday, June 24 a Pollinator Festival will be held from 10 am to 2 pm on the National Mall outside of the U.S. Department of Agriculture next to the People’s Garden and the USDA Farmer’s Market. Booths from nearly 15 federal agencies and nonprofits will feature pollinator information and activities including those just for kids. You can learn more at www.pollinator.org.
UPDATE: For even more local Pollinator Week events, go to http://pollinator.org/npw_events.htm and click on the interactive map.
Bee image courtesy of the USDA.
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