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Malabar spinach appreciation post ✨ During DC summers, it is difficult to grow leafy greens because most varieties like cooler weather. However, Malabar spinach likes warm weather and so we grow it during the summer in order to have some greens for the community! Malabar spinach (Basella alba) is native to the tropical regions of India, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. We got our last harvest for the season for the leaves — but what’s super cool is that the berries (which have a seed inside if you wanted to save them to plant next year!) have a deep purple color and make an excellent dye for painting!! Here you can see some beautiful art made by some regular visitors 💜 #malabarspinach #plantart #youthgarden #urbangarden #WYG #nationalarboretum @fonarboretum

Happy Fall y’all! 🧡🍁💫 The Autumnal Equinox was earlier this week and cooler weather has been creeping in already. The garden team has been preparing the demonstration garden during this transition time by doing by things like: -Sheet mulching with cardboard and building up garden beds with compost -Planting cover crop like winter rye and clover -Harvesting bean seeds for next season -Growing leafy greens that appreciate cooler weather like arugula What fall activities are you most excited about?! #washingtonyouthgarden #WYG #youthgarden #dcgardens #nationalarboretum #urbangardening @fonarboretum

This weekend’s Garden Maintenance Morning kicks off FONA’s Fall Fest! Celebrate #fall and join us for 3 weekends of family-friendly outdoor events and a number of forest bathing walks. Scroll to find all the info you need for #fallfun! Sept 18: School Garden Maintenance Morning at Washington Youth Garden Oct 2: Bulb Sale in the New York Avenue parking lot Oct 9: Fall 5K Run throughout the whole #USNationalArboretum Sept - Dec: Forest bathing experiences Links in bio to learn more and sign up! . . . @fonarboretum #shareyourarboretum #FONA #fallfestival #fallfest #fallfoliage #5k #familyfriendly #outdoorevents #forest #forestbathing #nature #naturetherapy #schoolgarden #garden #horticulture #botanical #arboretum #nationalarboretum #event #dc #dcevent #nationalarboretumdc #capitolcolumns

Join us this Saturday, Sept. 18th at 9am-12pm for our free School Garden Maintenance Morning, with workshops, Q&A's, snacks, and resources. Participation is free, but registration is required. Registration link in the bio. LOCATION: Washington Youth Garden, on the grounds of the US National Arboretum. If driving and staying for workshops, we suggest parking at the Grove of State Trees parking lot. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 9 am- 12 pm: Q&A sessions with WYG staff on garden maintenance, preparing for the upcoming fall/winter seasons, and sustainable gardening techniques free supplies to prepare your garden for the upcoming season including root vegetable and cover crop seeds, straw, compost and kale and collard seedlings (only for those affiliated with school gardens). We encourage you to bring buckets for compost (we will have some) and/ or set up transportation for your supplies. connecting with garden experts and networking with your fellow garden educators from across D.C Workshops: 9:30 am: Keeping Honey Bees with Toni Burnham of DC Beekeepers Alliance 10:15 am: Container Gardening with Niraj Ray of Cultivate the City 11:00 am: Composting with Najwa Womack of Sistained 8 COVID-19 Protocol: Social distancing is encouraged throughout the event, which will take place outside, and we ask that participants wear masks.  Should you need, we will have masks for you on-site.