ADDING LIVING DÉCOR TO A DORM ROOM It’s early in August, but many parents are preparing to pack their kids for college. Many kids are leaving home for the first time and will spend their first year of college living in a dorm room. We all know how small and cramped a dorm room can … Read more
Fun Facts About Cucumbers Just about everybody’s garden contains cucumber plants, so here’s some interesting information: Cucumbers are members of the Cucurbitaceae or cucurbit family. Other family members include watermelons, pumpkins, melons, and squash. Cucumbers are native to India. Christopher Columbus is credited with bringing them to Haiti in 1494. From there, it spread to … Read more
Welcome to Virginia—home of red clay, granite chunks, and critter problems—moles, voles, and deer. And yet, it’s home. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve learned that there are several things to think about when I plant. Our Gardening Reality My yard is the best of Virginia—red clay in the front yard and red clay … Read more
In the last couple of weeks, I have had a handful of customers come see me with evidence of Crape Myrtle Bark Scale. It doesn’t surprise me that evidence is showing up this early. This is because so many issues are advanced due to our mild winter. Last year was my first year of experience … Read more
JULY IS NATIONAL BLUEBERRY MONTH July is an excellent month to enjoy the fruits of bounty from blueberries in the area. Our produce vendors with our farmers’ market can now provide fresh, locally grown blueberries. See and enjoy our farmers’ market every Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm. Not long ago, I did a … Read more
Elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta) have been cultivated for more than 10,000 years, making them one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Their botanical name comes from the Latin word esculenta, meaning edible, though they’re toxic when raw due to calcium oxalate crystals and must be cooked before eating. In Polynesia, elephant ears are … Read more
Should we be planting boxwoods, knowing that boxwood blight is prevalent in Central Virginia? My answer to customers who ask this question is YES, but with a different mindset when choosing boxwood varieties. There is no question that people need to be concerned about boxwood blight and how it has killed so many of our … Read more
ARE YOU READY TO START PLANTING? Here we are in mid-March. Up to this point, our winter has been the perfect storm. We have experienced a mild winter with just a few frigid days. And we have had weekly rainfall. Our ground soil is moist and warm for this time of year. So many of … Read more
Some people are freaked out when they see earthworms. Earthworms aren’t everybody’s favorite. I get that. But having earthworms in your soil is an excellent sign in many ways. Earthworms provide many benefits to healthy, productive soils, and wise gardeners do everything they can to maintain healthy populations of earthworms in the ground. There are … Read more
Why the Pawpaw Tree is Becoming a Favorite Understory Tree to Plant in Virginia Pawpaw, or Asimina triloba, is considered a native tree by the Virginia Native Plant Society. The fruit of the pawpaw was consumed by both Native Americans and early European settlers. At least two U.S. Presidents enjoyed pawpaw fruit. George Washington reportedly … Read more
