Deterrents are easy and inexpensive, and so are usually the first line of defense of gardeners against unwanted deer in their gardens. Of the various methods that surprise or offend their senses from smells, tastes, hearing, or touch, odor … [Read more...]
JAPANESE BEETLES HOW TO IDENTIFY AND GET RID OF JAPANESE BEETLES IN THE GARDEN
What are those iridescent green garden beetles eating your plants? Here are tips on how to identify and get rid of Japanese beetles. More... … [Read more...]
Squash Bug: Management in Home Gardens
Squash bug (Anasa tristis) can be the most destructive insect pest of winter squash and pumpkins. Feeding damage results in wilting of vines, often with plants being prematurely killed. Problems are most common in the warmer areas of the state and … [Read more...]
Bedford County 4H Camp
MASTER GARDENERS AND YMCA TEAM UP For 4-H CAMP! Every summer, children from Bedford County are afforded the opportunity to attend 4-H camp. This week-long program, from July 22nd thru July 26th, at the W.E. Skelton 4H Education and Conference … [Read more...]
WEEDS AS INDICATOR PLANTS – WHAT COMMON WEEDS CAN TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR SOIL
Weeds are annoying, but they can also be great indicator plants, telling you what nutrients your garden is lacking or what it has in excess. More: http://Weeds are annoying, but they can also be great indicator plants, telling you what … [Read more...]
Rosette Disease
The client brought in a sample from his rose bush, which has red color, distorted leaves and buds. DIAGNOSIS / RECOMMENDATION The problem was identified as rose rosette disease (RRD). The recommendation is to remove and destroy … [Read more...]
Champion Trees
A champion tree is the largest known tree of a given species in a particular geographic area. Some champions are very large trees and some champions are rather small. For example, the largest known tree in Maryland, an American sycamore, is more than … [Read more...]
The Walnut Tree: Allelopathic Effects and Tolerant Plants
Allelopathy is a complex phenomenon which Pliny the Elder, a Roman natural science author, first wrote about in 77 A.D. In his writings he noted the toxic effects of black walnut on neighboring plants in the landscape. More: … [Read more...]
Nasturtium
Nasturtium is both a decorative garden annual as well as a useful culinary herb. There are two types of nasturtium; a trailing type (Tropaeolum majus) that can be trained to climb or allowed to spread on the ground and a bush type (Tropaeolum minus) … [Read more...]
Carpenter Bees Xylocopa virginica
People who complain about bumblebees flying about under the eaves of their homes are probably being annoyed by carpenter bees. Carpenter bees resemble bumblebees in both size and appearance, but are not social insects... More … [Read more...]