LATELY, HOMEOWNERS AND APARTMENT DWELLERS ARE LOVING THIS PLANT Growing up, I remember both of my great-grandmothers having this plant in their homes. To this day, I still don’t know why I remember such a trivial fact with my great-grandmothers unless I was just intrigued by the plant at a very early age. Today, the … Read more
LET’S GO CONE CRAZY!!! Most people who come into the garden center will ask for coneflower and not use the botanical name, Echinacea. So, I will continue this pattern with this blog. Every perennial has its own personality and requires different care. This is certainly the case with coneflowers. At this time, we must have … Read more
I’ve enjoyed writing blogs for The Great Big Greenhouse for the past few years. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most is learning new and interesting facts. I thought I’d share with you 12 of the most fun and interesting things I’ve learned so far: There are several species of fireflies native to Virginia. Most … Read more
We recently got some beautiful Dragon Wing begonia hanging baskets, and I hung one by my front door last week. Just two days later, I noticed bits of debris on the ground—and sure enough, the beginnings of a bird’s nest. This has happened many times before, and from experience, I can tell you it’s not … Read more
‘Tis the season to plant tomatoes Tomatoes are native to the Americas, like peppers, and were grown by the Aztecs who called the fruits “tomatl”—meaning “plump thing with navel.” Botanically, tomatoes are actually berries—believe it or not! Finding Your Favorite Tomato Variety So, which tomato is the best? I can only share my favorites because … Read more
What are native plants, and why should I consider planting them? There is some confusion when determining if, or how, a plant is considered “native.” In my opinion, the best definition for a “native” comes from the Virginia Native Plant Society: “Native plants are those that were growing here when the settlers first arrived and … Read more
My granddad always planted his garden peas between mid and late March, so right now is the perfect time to get started! The first step? Decide which type of pea you want to grow. Which Pea Varieties Are You Planting? English (Shelling) Peas: These are the classic sweet, tender peas that need to be shelled … Read more
Everyone knows what mulch is, but how many of you are familiar with the product Preen? How Does Preen Work? Preen is a pre-emergent weed preventer. That means it doesn’t kill weeds that are already growing. Instead, it creates a weed-prevention barrier in the top layer of soil and mulch, helping to stop weed seeds … Read more
Right now is a good time to start thinking about starting seeds for outdoor planting. Seed packets will tell you to start a certain number of weeks before our average last frost date. Some people will tell you mid-April is our last frost date. I’ll remind you that last spring we had SNOW after mid-April … Read more
Planning and Caring for Your Container Garden Now that it is late February, this is the best time to plan and prepare for container gardens on your patio, deck, balcony, or in your landscape gardens. Just to let you know that I AM A CONTAINER GARDENING NUT! Now more so than ever because I recently … Read more
