SEPTEMBER OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF THE “FALL IS FOR PLANTING” SEASON I think we can safely refer to August as the PETRICHOR MONTH. Petrichor is defined as the unique, earthy smell associated with rain. We had a record rainfall amount in August. But, on the positive side, our plants have been well watered by Mother Nature. … Read more
AUGUST IS THE GATEWAY TO THE FALL PLANTING SEASON & THE GATES ARE OPENING Here we are in the last full week of August. What a month August has been, especially when it comes to rainfall. It has been a record month. And, most of our plants are very grateful for all this water, especially … Read more
SOME THOUGHTS AS TO WHY WE GARDEN, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR Here we are in mid-August and we are all struggling to understand and accept what has happened to our daily lives these past six months. One thing that is very evident to me is that more people and families have turned to the garden as … Read more
NORMAL. SUCH A SIMPLE WORD BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ANYMORE WHEN IT COMES TO PLANTS AND GARDENING? As I write this blog, Virginia and the entire U.S. is in the process of trying to re-open from the Great Shutdown brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. It seems that our local, state and national news … Read more
IT’S TIME FOR A MID-SUMMER GARDENING REPORT First, let’s recap the month of July. I think I can accurately describe the month of July in one word “UGH”!!! What a hot and dry month July turned out to be this year. 21 straight days of 90 degrees or better. Not a record. The record was … Read more
What a difference a year can make. Last year we experienced above-average rainfall for the month and below-average temperatures for July. But not this year! Here we are in the last week of July and we are experiencing a hot and dry July. So, why do we refer to this time of year as the … Read more
ALERT! – Here we are in mid-July and the Japanese Beetles are out and about eating away on many of our favorite plants such as roses, basil, tomatoes, crape myrtles, and others. I have been talking to customers daily about these nuisance beetles. They will be around for a few more weeks so protect your … Read more
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR JAPANESE BEETLES BECAUSE THEY ARE HERE, OUT AND ABOUT, AND EATING AWAY I was wondering when customers would be coming into the garden center with evidence of damage to their plants from Japanese Beetles. This past week I had a couple of customers right here in North Chesterfield needing advice … Read more
AGASTACHE – ALSO KNOWN AS “HUMMINGBIRD MINT” So much is going on with perennials in June. The Perennial Plant Association has designated June as Perennial Gardening Month. The main reason for June being selected as the perennial month is that June is a great month for seeing so many beautiful perennials in bloom. Secondly, June … Read more
FATHER’S DAY IS SUNDAY, JUNE 21st. HONORING ALL FATHERS AND FATHERHOOD Just a little history with Father’s Day: First observed in Spokane, Washington in 1910. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson wanted to make the 3rd Sunday of June a recognized federal holiday. In 1966, President LBJ issued the first presidential proclamation to make Father’s Day … Read more
