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…
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…
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…
Fall Planting By: Gary Garner Sr. It is now time to start planting fall cole crops, flowers, etc., at least according to the calendar. Then I take a look at the thermometer, it reads 93, feeling like 100 and I’m not so certain I want to do much planting. People have started to plant fall vegetables. Cabbage, broccoli, and other…
Summer months of June, July, and August bring excessive heat, spells of dry weather along with possible storms and heavy downfalls of rain. All of these will take a toll on our flower gardens, vegetable gardens and newly planted shrubs and trees. What to do? How hot is it? How Humid is it? Is it cloudy? Partly cloudy? Full sun?…
CONTAINER SHRUBS By Gary Garner Sr. There are many reasons to love shrubs and the many purposes they serve in our home landscape. They give us multiple seasons of interest, provide habitat and food for birds and other wildlife. Some even provide food for humans. Plant breeders recognize their versatility in garden design and with today’s smaller properties in mind…
Spring is slipping up on us and many of us may not be fully prepared. While it has not been a particularly cold or snowy winter the last few weeks have been threatening on a daily basis. Every weather news cast seems to call for a chance of snow, freezing rain, cold days, cloudy, with very few days of warm sunny…
