Right now I’m inundated with tomatoes and zucchini. I’m sure my neighbors want to run when they see me heading their way with a bag of veggies in hand. But I have no more room on the kitchen counter! And how many loaves of zucchini bread can you eat anyway? And, yet, in the midst of … 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
I’ve had so many customers come in recently with tomatoes in their hands because they have a problem with the fruit. If you’re growing tomatoes, here is a list of what you may find, the cause, and how to mitigate the problem. Blossom End Rot Blossom end rot is water-soaked lesions at the bottom of … Read more
One of the big “catch-phrases” you hear a lot is “sustainable” gardening. What is sustainable gardening exactly? The goal of sustainable gardening is to leave the environment in the same or in better shape than it already was—and to try to use as few products as possible to keep it that way Remember water is … Read more
Whether you’re a brand new gardener or you’ve gardened for many years, knowing the garden terms below will help you be a better gardener and get superior results. Why? Because knowing these terms helps you understand how to create the best growing conditions. Knowing these terms also helps you ask better questions when talking with … Read more
If you’re like me, you had your houseplants outside back in May. I know they love the fresh air circulation, better light, and great humidity—it reminds them of “home.” I love seeing all the bright green new growth and it’s nice not to have to pick up yellow leaves from the living room floor where … 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
Okay, so you’ve got all your veggies planted. Now what? There are still some things to be done to ensure you get the harvest you want: Don’t Let Weeds Get Ahead of You With all the rain we’ve had recently, weeds have already begun to pop up even in my raised beds and pots. Get … 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
As I tiptoed through various gardening groups on Facebook these past few days, I saw several people asking how to kill ants in the yard. So I thought I’d remind us all to what they actually do. (Besides march across our kitchen counters, climb all over our deck furniture, and leave anthills in the middle … Read more
