SPRING THOUGHTS By: Gary Garner Sr. Spring is now here. If you are an avid gardener, then you are ready to get outside and start digging and planting. Doesn’t it feel good to get your hands dirty? Many of us have taken advantage of the early warm days to deal with some of our outdoor tasks. We have…
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…
This information will be applicable to most if not all fruiting trees. If you want information on a particular type of fruit let us know and we will be happy to provide more info. While the information should be appropriate for most fruit trees, this article will use apple trees for examples. Root importance, fruiting time, and pollination requirements are…
Small Space Endless opportunity! Most people know that a container garden can yield a plentiful harvest of vegetables but often overlook or forget about fruits…! Fruits can successfully be grown in containers! First and foremost, it’s important to note that fruits prefer full sun. Here’s a quick list of the best fruits to grow in containers: Strawberries Blueberries Blackberries /…
USDA Hardness Zone Updates In November 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an updated Plant Hardiness Zone map! Central Virginia remains firmly in zone 7 Much of the area shifted to the slightly warmer zone 7b (5° to 10° F) Small pockets remain in 7a (0° to 5° F) What this means for Central Virginia’s Gardeners: All…
One of the big fall considerations is what should be done to or with our lawns. The last few weeks we have had plentiful rainfall and pleasant temperatures. Most lawns look good, especially for the time of year. With all the rain grass has been growing most of the summer. Lawns have had to be mowed weekly. This brings…
By: Gary Garner Sr. Like it or not Fall is right around the corner. Summer is slowly ending. Our summer plants are beginning to shut down. Production of summer vegetables is less each day. Tomatoes are smaller with more blemishes. We can try to stretch summer crops but only for so long. Despite…
I’M THINKING FALL By: Gary Garner Sr. It’s nearly ninety degrees and the sun is shining. Yes, its early August and summer gardens are still at peak production. Summer flowers are gorgeous. All the weather signs say its summer and it is. However, if we are going to have nice fall flowers and vegetables it is time to start…
It’s officially summer and July has brought warm sunny days with it. So far, we have had a cool and somewhat dry spring and early summer. The last few days and the weather forecast indicate that might be going to change. We have had plenty of rain recently and the temperature is beginning to…
A common myth: Wilted plants always need more water… FALSE! Plants often wilt due to heat… in nurseryman’s terms it is called a “heat wilt”. Leaves may go limp and wilt because they are losing water faster than they can replenish it. However, that doesn’t always mean the plant needs water. If the soil is moist, a plant that is…
Summer is right around the corner; the days are getting longer and warmer and rain is sporadic to say the least. Most of our summer rain comes from summer storms. Some are very heavy and drop a lot of water in a short period of time, others make a lot of noise with very little rain. Our neighbors may…
We all like to have some unique features both inside and outside of our home. For something relatively easy both to grow and to maintain outside of the house I would suggest container grown trees. Almost any tree can be grown in a container. It’s a matter of placing the right size plant in the right size container. Potted trees…