LATE SUMMER CAN BE A TRICKY TIME OF YEAR FOR COLOR IN THE GARDEN Here we are in the last days of August. Gardeners are looking for more color for their gardens or containers. Summer blooming annuals continue to produce color as long as you support them with a haircut and monthly feeding. And, of … Read more
SUMMER IS THE MOST STRESSFUL SEASON OF THE YEAR FOR LAWNS – EXCEPT FOR OUR LAWN WEEDS Here we are in mid-August. August is an important month in lawn care preparation. September will be here soon. But, we need to use this month to get our lawns in the best position possible before we think … Read more
SO MANY WONDERFUL VARIETIES It is now towards the end of July. It is hot. It is dry. It is humid. But, who loves this time of year? ORNAMENTAL GRASSES! This is their time of year to show off their beautiful blades of grass and their flower plumes. I fell in love with ornamental grasses … Read more
SUCCESSION VEGETABLE GARDENING IS PLANTING A SECOND CROP OF VEGETABLES I love to write about trends in gardening that more and more people are attempting. This is a good one. Succession Vegetable Gardening is something that more people are learning to do here in Central Virginia in order to grow more produce for a longer … Read more
HOSTAS AND SLUGS / A GARDENERS’ NIGHTMARE Gardeners love their hosta plants but hate all the predators that love to feast on these beauties. With this specific blog, I am referring to slugs and not deer. Slugs love to live under hosta plants mainly because hostas grow in our shady gardens, which tend to stay … Read more
SUMMER IS THE MOST STRESSFUL SEASON OF THE YEAR FOR LAWNS Are you happy with the way your lawn looks right now? I am concentrating this blog on lawn care to our cool-season fescue lawns, which most of us have rather than the warm season grasses such as Bermuda and Zoysia. The month of July … Read more
IF YOU HAD ISSUES WITH JAPANESE BEETLES LAST YEAR, MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU WILL AGAIN THIS YEAR The best defense in fighting Japanese Beetles is knowledge. The best strategy in eliminating, or at least reducing the damage done by Japanese Beetles, is through learning the life cycle and applying control measures at the appropriate times. … Read more
JUNE IS PERENNIAL GARDENING MONTH You may be asking yourself, “What are Stepables and what does this have to do with June being Perennial Gardening Month?” The quick answer is that Stepables are a series of hardy perennials that tolerate foot traffic. To give you a little background information, the Stepables series was started over … Read more
TIPS ON KEEPING YOUR FLOWERING HANGING BASKETS THRIVING AND BLOOMING FOR MONTHS Over the past six weeks, so many of you came into the garden center to purchase a beautiful, flowering hanging basket. I give a shout-out to our buyer, Kathy Madsen, for keeping up with the demand and keeping us in stock as we … Read more
THE PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION ( PPA ) ALSO SELECTS A “PERENNIAL OF THE YEAR” The PPA has selected the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. This year the PPA is promoting Calamintha nepeta “Cat Mint” ‘CAT’S PAJAMAS’ as the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. Each year PPA chooses a perennial to honor that is … Read more
