Walk into a Hill-based store that has plants, gardening supplies or yard tools and you will inevitably discover something new or have an opportunity to learn about advances in the growing space. While Capitol Hill may not be an agrihood (a planned community built around a garden or small farm), we see plenty of agrarian initiatives undertaken by our neighbors. Most of us don’t have a farming background, but we can get expert advice and maybe learn about tech or innovations in growing ornamental or edible plants, whether on a windowsill, balcony or lawn.
For information on the perfect plant for a growing environment, accessories, tools and books, you really don’t have to venture far. Visit neighborhood shops and chat with plant enthusiasts.
A robot lawnmower cuts the greenery in the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.
Lawn Tech
I started thinking about writing this piece on a trip overseas. At the beautiful Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, I saw what looked like a lawn Roomba providing an efficient (and quiet) way to keep the grounds perfectly coiffed. Mike, at W.S. Jenks & Son hardware store on Bladensburg Road NE, says that this type of equipment is best used for larger lawns and golf courses. He adds that the Husqvarna Auto Mower 315X is a popular choice.
Some robotic mowers respond to voice commands, working through platforms like Alexa and Google Home, and you might find versions outfitted with weather sensors that bring the robot home to dock during rain or bad weather.
While the robotic mower doesn’t replace humans, it allows for repurposing tasks to other aspects of tending the green space, or more time to relax and enjoy an iced tea on a warm summer day. Prices for robotic mowers start around $699 for home use; check for holiday promotions.
Murphy at Ginkgo Gardens displays a set of soil testers,
important for outdoor growing to detect soil contaminants.
Tools to the Max
Head over to Frager’s Hardware on Pennsylvania Avenue SE and check out a multitude of options for garden tools. Louise, an associate in the garden department, points to the Ego brand as a versatile way to grow the garden toolbox. Every tool and machine in this multiverse can be used with every battery and charger (although some batteries may be more suited to specific tools due to size and run time). You can buy an initial tool with a battery and charger and then buy a tool only, with supplemental batteries if desired. Or you can purchase a specific Power Head system with a power shaft and separate attachments.
“This flexibility provides the ability to interchange an edger, saw, pruner, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, cultivator, weed whacker and more,” explains Louise, “which could be bought as standalone tools or as changeable heads to the power shaft system.”
There are many combinations of tools, with and without batteries, but you might choose to buy the Power Head with battery/charger and string trimmer attachment as a kit, on sale now for $379 or discounted for Ace Rewards members. Most attachments range from $179 to upwards of $300. There are also larger machines such as riding mowers.
The portable Stihl chainsaw, though not a multi-tool, makes light work of trimming jobs or taking down smaller trees. W.S. Jenks & Son offers the Stihl chainsaw (starting around $250). Remember to include safety gear like leg chaps and gloves.
Louise at Frager’s shows off a battery-powered (no cords!) multipurpose platform that accepts up to 80 attachments, from pole saw to edgers to brush cutters, leaf blowers, brooms and cultivators.
Good Soil, Water and Lighting
Murphy, the manager at Ginkgo Gardens on 11th Street SE, emphasizes that plants need good soil, water and light to thrive. He recommends a set of soil testers ($25) that will give quick feedback on PH levels and soil nutrients, and a guide to check it against requirements for about 400 types of plants without having to send the sample away and wait for results.
For indoor growing, Murphy recommends either clip-on ($40) or staked ($20) lighting fixtures for optimum light to encourage seedlings. “You can also look to light bulbs that fit into an existing lamp,” he notes, “with full-spectrum white light or blue best for vegetative growth or red to promote fruiting and flowering” ($15 to $25).
At Frager’s Hardware, Louise points to decorative lighting options for outdoor use ‒ some solar-powered ‒ garden lights and lights on a string, as well as others that can be hung from a tree or post. There’s even a globe (a foot across) that can be programmed to cycle through a range of vibrant colors (starting around $25). It sounds perfect for your spring garden dance party. If you’re away from home for a few days, there are smart ways to stay on top of watering with an automatic water-drip line, particularly good for container gardens or hanging planters, or a one- or two-zone programmable water timer ($50 to $65) that easily attaches to a faucet.
Indoor Planting Systems
As I don’t have outdoor growing space, and my mom knows how much I like to have an herb garden close to the kitchen, she got me a Click-and-Grow windowsill system last year ($120 and up including seed pods). Assembly is truly intuitive.
I’ve been most successful with basil, now on my third cutting with this round, and have also planted dill, tomatoes and mini strawberries with pretty good success. It’s nice to walk by the basil and get a whiff of what could be a complement to the evening’s dinner.
The intuitive Click-and-Grow System provides the right amount of water and light for seeds to germinate and thrive. It is particularly nice on a kitchen window for easy access to culinary herbs.
Re-Potting Services
Michael at W.S. Jenks & Son describes how to care for a plant that has outgrown its potted home. Have it expertly transplanted with the appropriately-sized pot and soil, allowing for further growth in the new year. This thoughtful service starts at $5.
And Always, a Book
You can’t go wrong with a book. East City Bookshop’s many offerings include a notebook for garden planning and tracking, a book for the beginning grower and a book by Joan Dye Gussow, whom the New York Times called the “matriarch of the eat-locally-think-globally food movement.” Learning about growing your own food in a sustainable fashion has become more attractive, particularly when weekly grocery bills continues to climb. It’s also a wonderful way to have time with the favorite people in your life.
Where to Go
East City Bookshop (645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, www.eastcitybookshop.com)
Frager’s Hardware (1115 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, www.acehardwaredc.com). You can reference the website to check stock levels, order and arrange in-store pickup.
Ginkgo Gardens (911 11th St. SE, www.ginkgogardens.com)
W.S. Jenks & Son (910 Bladensburg Rd. NE, www.wsjenks.com)
Writer, and food and agricultural-systems advisor Annette Nielsen returned to Capitol Hill after her tenure as executive director of the Hunter College Food Policy Center in New York City.
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