THE GARDEN IN WINTER IS A MUCH DIFFERENT PLACE THAN ANY OTHER TIME OF YEAR When the last of the leaves are raked and composted, and the flower beds are tidied and mulched for the winter, most gardeners retreat to the warmth of their favorite chair and surround themselves with garden catalogues and stare out … Read more
Winter officially runs from the Winter Solstice on or around December 21st, through the Spring Equinox on or around March 21st. Meteorologists consider winter the months of December, January, and February. Me personally? I consider it winter the first time I have to pull out my coat. Winter in Richmond According to NOAA.gov, winter temps … Read more
ONE WAY TO SHAKE OFF THE DREARY WINTER BLUES IS TO DO A LITTLE GARDENING – INDOORS Again, Happy 2026 to all of you. I am excited about 2026 and what this year has in store for us gardeners. I mentioned this earlier this month: 2026 is our nation’s 250th birthday. Let your creative juices … Read more
So what should you be doing with your houseplants or in your garden in January? How about NOTHING! Days are pitifully short and sunlight weak, so it’s not advised to fertilize, prune, or repot now. However, this is a great time to reflect on the previous year and decide what went right or wrong in … Read more
LET’S ALL MAKE 2026 A REMARKABLE AND MEMORABLE GARDENING YEAR One HUGE event for 2026 that will help all of us make this year memorable is that it marks our nation’s 250th birthday. With this HUGE celebration, the horticultural industry, along with the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, is asking all the garden clubs to … Read more
Last week, we learned a little about Grow Lights. This week, I’ve got the perfect things to use them on—fresh herbs inside for the winter. If you have less than six hours of natural light, then that’s where you can use your Grow Lights. The lights should be about 2 feet from your plants and … Read more
STOP MULCH VOLCANOES I probably write a blog on mulching every year. It is very important to mulch your trees and shrubs correctly. Their health depends on us doing the right thing when it comes to mulching. Yes, it is late December but mulching is done year round. And, poor mulching techniques is done year … Read more
We all know plants need light to grow. They use the sunlight to create food for themselves, releasing oxygen as a by-product, thereby giving us what we need to breathe. Without enough light plants become weak and spindly. In addition, without proper light plants stop flowering or fruiting; they may even give up altogether and die. So whether we are trying to grow … Read more
Common names for the Helleborus perennial are CHRISTMAS ROSE, LENTEN ROSE, OR WINTER ROSE. Hellebores are a genus of bushy, clumping, flowering perennials in the Ranunculaceae family native to Europe. It is now mid to late December with winter being officially here. Hellebores are just getting “warmed” up in the garden at this time. Hellebores … Read more
Sunday, December 21st, was the Winter Solstice, the day with the shortest daylight hours and the longest night. It’s also known as the Hibernal Solstice. As the planet travels around the sun, it does so at an angle. The Solstice is when the tilt is at it’s maximum. This happens twice a year—around June 21st … Read more
