In 2003 the United States Department of Agriculture established July as National Blueberry Month. Nice to have a whole month dedicated to one of my favorite things. So here are a few interesting tidbits about these delicious berries. Blueberries belong to the family Ericales. This makes them related to cranberries, Brazil nuts, persimmons, camellias, azaleas, … Read more
You can find lists everywhere about which plants are toxic for cats/dogs/small children but what’s harder to find is a list of plants that are safe. Here is a list of houseplants known to be non-toxic. Do understand that a child or pet could still have an allergic reaction, however. Whenever there is any question, … Read more
My neighbor gets home from work at about the same time I do. He nods his head and hollers, “Hot enough for ya?” I grin, and then roll my eyes. At least I can go to a nice cool house. Our garden plants can’t. Powdery mildew loves hot humid weather and can be a problem—particularly … Read more
June is National Pollinators Month. To honor this special month, it’s a great time to highlight some of the other insects that pollinate flowers. Honeybees and butterflies seem to get all the press, but there are other pollinators also doing important work. These include: Flies Yep, the same insects that annoy us by flying around … 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
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
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
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
Okay, so I’ve got all my veggies planted. I can put up my feet and relax now, right? Not exactly. Here’s what I need to do now: Stay on top of weeds Right now, weed seedlings are already popping up in my freshly planted raised beds. If I slack off, they can quickly get out … Read more
Considering the number of customers I’ve had looking for plants to repel mosquitoes, I thought I’d repost this blog from a couple of years ago… Swirling cloaks, spooky music, and a voice with a Hungarian accent saying “Good E-e-e-vening.” Or incredibly annoying little insects buzzing around your face and feasting on every square inch of … Read more
