Moss in the Lawn

Moss in hands

GOOD OR BAD? IT DEPENDS Lately, homeowners have been coming into the garden center to talk about moss they have discovered growing in their lawns. Most want to know why and what they can do to eliminate the moss. Some other homeowners are OK with having a moss-covered yard. Here are some primary reasons why … Read more

April Gardening Chores

April gardening chores

WHAT A GREAT MONTH FOR GARDENERS The month of March was challenging. March was warm in the beginning and then turned colder during the middle of the month. The last 10 days of March were back to normal for March. But, on a more positive note—March kept up with giving us weekly rainfall, which was … Read more

Boxwood and Boxwood Blight

Boxwood blight is a problem for boxwoods

SHOULD WE BE RECOMMENDING PLANTING BOXWOODS IN OUR LANDSCAPE? Should we be planting boxwoods knowing that boxwood blight is prevalent in Central Virginia? My answer to customers who ask this question is YES, but with a different mindset when choosing boxwood varieties. There is no question that people need to be concerned about boxwood blight … Read more

2023 Perennial Plant of the Year

Rudbeckia American Gold Rush

RUDBECKIA AMERICAN GOLD RUSH Rudbeckia is more commonly called Black-Eyed Susan. The Perennial Plant Association chooses a perennial to honor each year that is suitable for a wide range of growing climates, requires low maintenance, have multi-season interests, and is relatively pest and disease free. To me, this variety of Black Eyed Susan fits the … Read more

A $100 Hole for a $10 Plant

Digging a hole to plant a tree

ARE YOU READY TO START PLANTING? Here we are in mid-March. Up to this point, our winter has been the perfect storm. We have experienced a mild winter with just a few frigid days. And we have had weekly rainfall. Our ground soil is moist and warm for this time of year. So many of … Read more

Earthworms

Several earthworms in the soil

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

March Gardening Chores and Thoughts

March Gardening Chores

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 Trees

Pawpaw trees

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

Doug’s Houseplant Highlight – Aloe Vera

A row of Aloe Vera plants

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

February is Houseplant Month at The Great Big Greenhouse

Celebrate Houseplant Month this February

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

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