MAY OFFERS MANY GARDENING ACTIVITIES May is finally here, and it is a perfect month to get outside and do some gardening. Before I get into the tasks for May, just be aware of watering. April was relatively dry. We are entering May under abnormally dry conditions. Thank goodness the last week of April cooled … Read more
During Earth Day last week. experts told us one way we can help is by composting. Did you know that the U.S. wastes over 60 million tons of food a year? That’s more than any other country in the world! Food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxides, all … Read more
How does an El Niño impact weather here in Central Virginia? Good question. A couple of weeks ago, during our Weather in the Garden event, a guest asked Ros Runner, an NBC 12 meteorologist, if we would have an El Niño or a La Niña this year. Ros answered by saying that we will probably … Read more
Last Wednesday was Earth Day. So how did Earth Day get started? How Rachel Carson’s Book, “Silent Spring” Led to Change Senator Gaylord Nelson was a senator from Wisconsin who was interested in conservation. He was inspired by Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring.: He was also inspired by an oil spill on the Santa Barbara River in January, … Read more
The Farmer’s Almanac shared a map on Facebook showing when different regions of the United States can expect to see hummingbirds. According to the map, hummingbirds are expected to arrive in Virginia any day now. Here we are in the last part of April, and I have not seen any hummingbirds at my house. Have … Read more
Now is the time to begin thinking about moving your houseplants outside for the summer. Here in Central Virginia, I usually aim for the first week of May, but now I always check the long-range forecast first. May Freeze, Really? Six years ago, we had a frost on May 10th. I had forgotten to check … Read more
EDIBLE LANDSCAPING CONTINUES TO GROW IN POPULARITY Last week, I wrote a blog post about going from garden to table, focusing on growing your own vegetables and herbs and using them at the table, freshly picked. Today’s blog on edible landscaping takes this idea of home gardening a little more in-depth on the concept of … Read more
WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN FRESH GREENS, VEGETABLES, AND HERBS So, what exactly does GARDEN-TO-TABLE mean? Garden-to-table is the practice of growing your own food and bringing it inside to use in recipes. I love this concept, and more and more people are recognizing its advantages as well. I’ve been practicing garden-to-table for quite some … Read more
Hasn’t the weather been great the past few days? And now is a great time to plant your root vegetables — beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, and even radishes. You can also plant peas, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and collards. Wait On These Veggies I’d wait another 3 weeks (in the … Read more
