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…
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…
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…
By: Gary Garner Sr. Like me you may have a number of beautiful containers of various flowers and other plants on your deck, patio, porch or other areas of the yard. As I write this I can see, I see pots of begonia, Hosta, vinca, marigold, a bay tree, some Christmas Catus, Japanese maple and a drift rose. There are…
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?…