JUNE IS PERENNIAL GARDEN MONTH and ECHINACEA (CONEFLOWER) IS MY CHOSEN PERENNIAL TO HIGHLIGHT LET’S GO CONE CRAZY!!! Most people who come into the garden center will ask for coneflower and not use the botanical name, Echinacea. So, I will continue this pattern with this blog. Every perennial has its own personality and requires different … Read more
There are a lot of pests and diseases—even nutrient deficiencies–just waiting to pounce on our vegetables/flowers/trees/shrubs. It can be overwhelming to know what to do. So here are some things to keep in mind. Identify the problem If you are not 100% sure what the problem is, bring a sample to a reputable garden center … Read more
FLAG DAY / FATHER’S DAY/ FIRST DAY OF SUMMER – ALL WITHIN ONE WEEK TO ENJOY AND CELEBRATE!! June is here. In June, we celebrate Flag Day on Friday, June 14, Father’s Day on Sunday, June 16, and the start of summer on Friday, June 21. FLAG DAY Flag Day is this Friday, June 14. … Read more
SUMMER OFFICIALLY STARTS THIS MONTH AND WE HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT GARDENING CHORES TO DO THIS MONTH. Before we get into June I want to do a little re-capping of the weather we had in May. May was 6 degrees warmer than average. I certainly believe this after the heatwave we had the last few … Read more
I’ve already had several questions about how to avoid problems in vegetable gardens, so thought it seemed timely to repost this blog on preventing and/or treating problems. Our garden vegetables are prone to certain diseases. Our best defense is knowledge and good cultural practices. Diseases are opportunistic—tending to attack stressed plants. Starting with healthy organic-rich … Read more
WITH WARMER DAYS COMES THE CROP OF BUGGY PESTS Here we are the end of May after Memorial Day weekend and the “unofficial” start of summer. And, hotter days. Unfortunately, it is also the beginning of bugs on our plants and flowers. It is frustrating to watch plants we’ve struggled so hard to get going … Read more
I’ve enjoyed writing blogs for The Great Big Greenhouse for the past few years. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most is learning new and interesting facts. I thought I’d share with you 12 of the most fun and interesting things I’ve learned so far: There are several species of fireflies native to Virginia. Most … Read more
ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER FOR OUR BELOVED HYDRANGEAS Many customers have recently come into the garden center so excited that their blue hydrangeas are in bud and bloom for the first time in two or three years. This past couple of years so many customers were wondering why and if they did something … Read more
We got in some beautiful Dragon Wing begonia hanging baskets and I bought one and hung it by the front door last week. Two days later, as I was walking in the door from work. I saw a few bits of debris on the ground. I sighed, knowing what I was going to find—the beginnings … Read more
STACHYS ‘HUMMELO’ IS THE CHOSEN ONE. SOME GARDENERS MAY CALL IT BETONY. Many of you may not know that every year the Perennial Plant Association selects a perennial to highlight. The chosen perennial is voted on by hundreds of growers, designers, and perennial plant geeks. The winner is a good plant that is hardy in … Read more
