Vegetable gardens are… HOT and DRY… It’s been a tough start for the vegetable garden season this year. If your garden seems to be struggling, don’t take it personal, you probably have done nothing wrong. It’s just one of “those” years. A few notes about what we are seeing and hearing: Increased Blossom End Rot (BER) Most commonly seen on…
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…
We often get asked what our favorite variety of tomato is! Here’s each of the Gary’s answers to that question! Gary Sr. Favorite: “Celebrity! A nice sized 8 oz. tomato that keeps well and has a good taste. Great for both canning and fresh eating!” Gary Jr. (Nelson) Favorite: “Cherokee Purple! A great heirloom tomato with the best flavor! The…
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…
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…
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…
Spring has Sprung! By: Gary Garner Sr It’s now spring. By the calendar and by signs from Mother Nature. Mother Nature sent her spring signs early this year. Many spring blooming trees and shrubs have already bloomed or are now in bloom. Winter dormant perennials are beginning to poke out new growth. Lawns have…
Grow Vegetables. Save Money! Grocery prices are sky rocketing and supply chain issues are leaving many wondering not only “Can I afford groceries?” but also “Will the store even have what I want?” As a result, more and more people are turning to vegetable gardening to save money and ensure a plentiful supply of fresh, healthy vegetables. To give you…
Surviving Summer Heat By: Gary Garner Sr. Summer is officially here. If the summer is anything like the beginning, it is going to be extremely warm if not hot. So far, the number of 90-degree days is unusually high. The question now is how, when and how much do we water what we have planted and what else can we…
