I’ve pulled up all my spent summer veggies—the tomatoes that didn’t have one more bud left on them, the squash that looked, well, squashed and the last crop of bush beans that just didn’t have any bean left. I’ve already planted some fall vegetables—I have some fat little kale plants, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli in … Read more
SEEDING AND FERTILIZING THE LAWN NOW – “AM I TOO LATE?” Finally, Mother Nature has decided to be cooperative with us in our effort to take care of our lawns by giving us some good, old fashioned, soaking rains this past week. So many homeowners were holding off aerating, seeding, and fertilizing their lawns until … Read more
October is Bat Appreciation Month. Bats have gotten a bad rap over the years from writers of horror fiction, but they are actually good guys. They are not only pollinators but an outstanding source of pest control. Here are some cool facts about these fellow mammals. Bats are the only mammals that fly. There are … Read more
FLOWERS ALL YEAR ROUND There are many joys with gardening. For many of us, the number one joy is being able to enjoy having color in our gardens or containers year-round. We are fortunate to live in a state (Zones 6 – 8) that is temperate enough to allow flowers to be planted and enjoyed … Read more
This is the time of year to get my all-time favorite flowers–Amaryllis. Well, actually, what we call ‘amaryllis’ are really ‘hippeastrum’–members of the amaryllis family. The plants that are technically ‘amaryllis’ are the Amaryllis Belladonna and relatives, however, hippeastrum has been called ‘amaryllis’ for so long, that we’ll never be able to get people to … Read more
HERE IS SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION AND CARE TIPS FOR SCHEFFLERA PLANTS BUSHES IN THE HOUSE: SCHEFFLERA AND DWARF SCHEFFLERA Sometimes called Umbrella Tree, the Brassaia actinophylla is a large tropical shrub with rosettes of 5 long glossy green leaves forming umbrella-like symmetrical heads. Native to Queensland, Java, and New Guinea, the Schefflera is an easy … Read more
Despite the fact that the Netherland is the world’s leading grower of tulips, did you know that tulips are NOT native there? Tulips are native to the mountains of Turkey and Russia! So how did tulips get from there to the Netherlands? In the late 1500s, the ambassador to the courts of Suleiman the Magnificent … Read more
FALL IS FOR PLANTING – OCTOBER IS A BEAUTIFUL MONTH TO BE LIVING IN VIRGINIA!! I love the fall season. It is my favorite season of all. The days have become cooler and leaves are beginning to change color. What would make this time of year even more perfect is if we would have had … Read more
In the spring, I sit on my deck and admire the peonies in the back of my yard. I watch the occasional deer walk by—and keep on walking. They don’t eat them! I cut a few buds to bring inside because the fragrance is wonderful. I appreciate the beauty that they have brought to my … Read more
OCTOBER IS A BUSY GARDENING MONTH WHEN IT COMES TO PLANTING Usually, my first blog of the month is about important gardening chores that need to be done in the month. However, I feel the need to address the seriousness of our drought conditions and the importance of watering. The blog on ‘Gardening Chores for … Read more
