HERE WE ARE IN NOVEMBER, WITH THE HOLIDAYS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, AND WE STILL HAVE GREAT WEATHER But the only downside to this early November warming trend is that we are drier than normal. KEEP ALL THESE NEWLY PLANTED PLANTS WATERED! We need to continue watering new trees and shrubs until the ground freezes. … Read more
Last week, I discussed what to do with citrus over the winter. This week, I’ll discuss what to do with orchids over the winter. How Many Species? Really? First, a little background: there are over 30,000 naturally occurring species of orchids, with well over 100,000 manmade hybrids. 30.000??? That’s right! Orchids are the single most … Read more
WHERE’S THE COLD WEATHER? Here we are in early November and experiencing a nice warming trend. Yes, we have had some cold nights with temperatures down into the low 40s and upper 30s. And, yes, some of you have experienced a frost. But most of us in the Richmond area and surrounding suburbs have yet … Read more
Last week, I brought all my citrus back inside for the winter, so I thought I’d talk about them this week. I have a Meyer lemon, a Key lime, and two kumquats. Citrus is fairly easy to grow if you’ve got the right spot. How Citrus Trees Found Their Way to The Americas Citrus trees … Read more
Last week, I wrote about things you can do in your garden from mid- to late fall. This week, I thought I’d mention some eco-friendly things you can do now. One Big Eco-Friendly Action Fall is a great time to plant, and one of the most eco-friendly things you can do is plant native plants. … Read more
WITH OCTOBER COMES SOME BEAUTIFUL FALL COLOR IN VIRGINIA Have you ever wondered why leaves change color this time of year? And, how boring it would be if all leaves had the same color in the fall. Here we are in mid-October. We are having a hot spell this week which makes it feel like … Read more
One of the most important things you can do is to learn which USDA winter hardiness zone you are in. In Central Virginia, we are in zone 7a, which means our winter lows can drop to around 5 degrees. To the west, in the mountains, some areas are zone 6, where their winter lows have … Read more
A quick guide and facts to feeding and enjoying our feathered friend Like many people, I am a seasonal bird feeder. I like to start feeding birds in the fall and go through the winter. September through March is a difficult time for birds, as many natural sources of food disappear in the winter months. … Read more
Here’s How to Protect Your Fall Veggies This is the perfect time of year for cool-season veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, cabbages, arugula, radishes, and collards. Unfortunately, it also makes it the perfect time of year for Cabbage Loopers and Cabbage worms. They love to munch on all members of the cabbage family, … Read more
ILEX VERTICILLATA “WINTERBERRY” HOLLY I have been writing these blogs for quite a few years now. I can’t believe I have never written on this native deciduous holly until now. Winterberry is native to the Eastern Seaboard. What a beautiful, low-maintenance shrub to have growing in your landscape. Winterberry holly is a slow-growing, woody, deciduous … Read more
