Transitioning from Spring to Summer By: Gary Garner Sr. Last weekend we were knocking at the door of record highs in the low to mid 90’s. As I write this it is supposed to be in the 60’s the next few days and back to the low 80’s for the weekend. That’s Virginia weather. Tough to…
Watering 101 “How often do I water my plant?” is undoubtedly the most frequently asked question about plants and also one of the hardest questions to answer! Here’s the simple answer: Water when the plant gets dry. 9 out of 10 times when we see a watering problem it is due to overwatering – for whatever reason people seem to…
HERBS DRYING & FREEZING Herbs have been around and in use for thousands of years. Their popularity has increased tremendously over the last few years. I think the push toward healthy eating and more natural remedies has helped to fuel the demand for herbs. Herbs are normally easy to grow. Plant them in proper lighting, a reasonably well…
Vegetable Gardening 101 By: Gary Garner Sr. It’s that time of the year and anyone that gardens even a little has the itch to get outside and starting to play in the soil and get something in the ground. The ones of us that have gardened most, if not all our lives, know the basics or at least think we…
COLD – GOOD OR BAD? Most of the plants we grow outside need a certain number of cold hours to grow and produce as they should. A cold hour is defined as an hour below 32 degrees. Even our best lawn grasses, turf type fescues, need a few cold hours to perform at their best during the summer. The real answer is…
Reflections on 2021 – Excitement for 2022 Happy New Year! We hope you and your family have a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2022! Coming into 2021 we had no idea what to expect but as we look back we can honestly say it was amazing ride that far exceeded our expectations. For that we say thank you very much to…
LICHEN… WHAT IT IS… WHAT IT ISN’T I receive questions from time to time that they have a tree or trees that are being killed by a grey substance growing on the tree or plant. What they are talking about is a combination plant that is part fungi and part algae. There are about 3600 known species of lichens in…
Winter Prep for Spring Success! I thought now might be a good time to look at preparing your garden, either flower or vegetable, for winter as well as getting ready for spring. What you do over the fall and winter months will determine the nutrient levels in the soil next spring and summer. The goal is to replenish the soil…
MULCH WHY-WHEN-HOW Mulch is often referred to as the gardener’s friend. Nothing adds to the looks of a well-cared for landscape more than properly mulched and edged beds and borders. Mulch protects plants and bare soil, also helps to prevent erosion over the winter. In spring it helps suppress weeds, locks in moisture and…
By: Gary Garner Sr. I recently was trying to think of some tips that might save you time, labor and maybe a little money on your lawn care. The “Lazy Man” is always trying to find a quick, easy and cheaper way to care for his lawn Obviously, the easiest way is to hire someone to do the lawn. That…