I was surprised to find out I could eat sweet potato vines—yes, that’s right—the VINES. I went to a friend’s house and she had a huge bowl on the table of greens sauteed with garlic. After eating them, her son said, “Bet you didn’t know these are sweet potato greens.” Well, he was right. I … Read more
‘TIS THE SEASON WE HAVE WATER PLANTS NOW! Water plants represent yet another form of landscaping. Yes, it is not for everyone. But more and more homeowners are accenting their existing landscape with a water feature. This feature doesn’t have to be large. You can start small and then “grow” and expand your water feature … Read more
Most people have heard of the Three Sisters garden—corn, beans, and squash. Well, believe it or not, it makes sense. The corn gives the beans something to climb. The beans affix nitrogen to the soil (and corn loves nitrogen), and the squash suppresses weeds by acting as a mulch. This is companion planting at its … Read more
MAY IS ANOTHER SPRING MONTH. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? Let’s recap the month of April. April can be considered a dryer-than-normal month. “April showers bring May flowers” does not apply this year. But overall, we are still ahead of rainfall for the year. Our soil temperature continues to warm up more each week. All … Read more
Allepathy is how a plant interacts with the growth or germination of another plant near it. Sometimes, it hurts. Black Walnut Trees, Hickory Trees, and Juglone – Oh My A Black Walnut tree releases a chemical called Juglone that can inhibit the growth of certain plants. It mainly doesn’t get along with Solanaceae (potatoes, tomatoes, … Read more
MANY OF OUR BENEFICIAL INSECTS NEED OUR HELP – INCLUDING THE BUTTERFLIES Our butterflies need our help—especially the Monarch butterfly. Here are some butterfly gardening tips to consider this spring and summer. When planning and planting our gardens this spring, remember some of the blooming annuals and perennials that are particularly attractive for our butterfly … Read more
My neighbor came to me yesterday, showed me a bottle of insecticide, and said that caterpillars ate all of their parsley and dill last year. This year, he wasn’t taking any chances. Would this work? I asked him, “You plant milkweed for the Monarch butterflies, right?” He said he did. I said, “Well, the Monarch … Read more
THINK ABOUT ADAPTING TO SQUARE-FOOT GARDENING Last week, I wrote my blog on vegetable gardening. It is time to move forward and get our vegetables and herbs planted. Just keep in mind that vegetable gardening is just at the beginning stages. Early May is still a great time to get started. Now, back to this … Read more
Today, April 22nd is Earth Day. Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed it in 1970 in response to the environmental interest created by Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring in 1962. Let’s Thank Rachel Carson, Author of Silent Spring Rachel Carson, a marine biologist, voiced her concerns about DDT and certain other pesticides in her book. This … Read more
ARE YOU READY? Here we are in mid-April. I carefully watch our weather and our extended forecast to correctly advise customers on vegetable gardening. With Virginia weather consistently breaking now (fingers crossed), many Virginians are turning their attention, once again, to vegetable gardening. I am writing this blog on April 11th. Every day, I tell … Read more
