HOW EARTHWORMS BENEFIT OUR SOIL Some people are freaked out when they see earthworms. Earthworms aren’t everybody’s favorite. I get that. But having earthworms in your soil is an excellent sign in many ways. Earthworms provide many benefits to healthy, productive soils, and wise gardeners do everything they can to maintain healthy populations of earthworms … Read more
ARE YOU READY FOR SPRING? So far, Mother Nature has been very kind to us this winter. I have been following the weather very closely since the beginning of January. We had our sixth warmest January on record. We had weekly rainfall in January and February, keeping our soil moist and our rivers and reservoirs … Read more
PAWPAW TREE IS BECOMING A FAVORITE UNDERSTORY TREE TO PLANT IN VIRGINIA Pawpaw, or Asimina triloba, is considered a native tree by the Virginia Native Plant Society. The fruit of the pawpaw was consumed by both Native Americans and early European settlers. At least two U.S. Presidents enjoyed pawpaw fruit. George Washington reportedly enjoyed them … Read more
The reason I chose Aloe Vera as my houseplant highlight is simple. Aloe Vera is popular with homeowners and relatively easy to grow. One reason for its popularity is its medicinal use. Aloe Vera plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Cleopatra is reputed to have used Aloe gel in her … Read more
ENHANCE YOUR LIFE WITH PLANTS TROPICAL PLANTS ARE MORE THAN JUST DECORATIVE ACCENTS IN OUR HOME OR OFFICE This is our 15th year with highlighting houseplants during the month of February. Let our Professional Staff assist you. We pride ourselves with carrying the best and largest selection of tropical plants in the Richmond area. Have … Read more
SPRING WILL OFFICIALLY BE HERE IN APPROXIMATELY 46 DAYS GROUNDHOG DAY JUST HAPPENED: GROUNDHOG POPS US (Sung to: “I’m a little teapot”) HERE’S A LITTLE GROUNDHOG, FURRY AND BROWN, HE’S POPPING UP TO LOOK AROUND. IF HE SEES HIS SHADOW, DOWN HE’LL GO. THEN SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER – OH NO!! So, did he … Read more
WOOD ASHES: GOOD IDEA OR A BAD IDEA? Quick answer to the question above is—GOOD IDEA, but to use IN MODERATION. Like with most everything, knowledge is key in doing it right and with success. After that cold spell over the holidays, many used their fireplaces and wood stoves to keep warm. As a result, they … Read more
HOW WOULD YOU RATE OUR WINTER SO FAR? What actually constitutes how we rate our winters in Virginia? I think it depends on who we ask. Personally, my vote is that we are having a good winter. I base my vote solely on the temperatures—especially here in January. Where I grew up along Lake Erie, … Read more
JANUARY IS A GOOD MONTH TO SIT BACK, RELAX, AND PLAN YOUR GARDEN STRATEGY FOR THE UPCOMING SPRING SEASON Let’s talk about December before we get into talking about January. Our daily temperatures hovered around normal. We did get a great soaking rain on the 15th of December—I live in Midlothian and we got over … Read more
YEAR ROUND CONTAINER GARDENING HAS BECOME A STRONG GARDENING TREND Yes, container gardening is very popular. Yes, container gardening can be done year round here in Central Virginia. Yes, each or our four seasons gives our container gardens their own challenges. These past couple of weeks I have had numerous customers ask about what they … Read more
