Root vegetables are sweetest and juiciest when harvested in cool weather. Many root vegetables are considered “cool weather” crops—they grow lush and juicy when daytime temperatures are in the seventies, but barely muddle through hot weather. … [Read more...]
Herbs: September Tips
• Pot up chives, parsley, and other herbs, and bring them into the house to extend the growing season. • To ensure a good crop of big bulbs next fall, plant garlic cloves this fall. Be sure to cover the garlic plot with a layer of organic … [Read more...]
Apple Picking
Juicy, fresh-picked apples are hard to beat. Visit Virginia's orchards to pick your own, or find an apple themed festival for ready-to-eat treats! Visit virginia.org here to see the EVENTS in your area! … [Read more...]
Designing for the Smaller Garden
Let’s face it. Most of us do not live in a sprawling mansion on a large tract of land. Our landscape needs are for much smaller houses and properties. When designing for a small lot, choosing smaller versions of our old favorites will make … [Read more...]
September Events
September is celebration time in Central Virginia! Join us at Centerfest, Bedford County Fair, Monticello's Heritage Harvest Festival, presentations, workshops and so much more! GENERAL EVENTS Sept 2- Genworth Free Community Day Lewis … [Read more...]
How to Prune Lavender Plants
Vigorous pruning means heavier blooming. A hardy plant for sunny dry spots and one of the longest-blooming semi-shrubs around, lavender (genus Lavandula) would earn a place in most sunny gardens even if it didn’t have such a … [Read more...]
Nature can be as engaging as video games — how to help kids fall in love with the outdoors
You don’t need to go to a national park to help your kids fall in love with nature; a walk around the block can be enough. Tech also doesn’t have to be the enemy. Instead, use it as a tool to enhance their awe, says science communicator Scott … [Read more...]
Sprouting onions and scarred tomatoes: How to tell whether fading produce is still safe to eat
Fresh fruits and vegetables can do some alarming things. They can crack open and change colors, sport tiny — or really big — scars, and even start trying to make new produce, right there on your kitchen counter. “When in doubt, throw it out,” you … [Read more...]
Microgreens in Pots
Anyone who has picked up a gardening magazine lately has seen that the latest gardening rage is pollinator gardens. You probably know that you do not have to have a garden spot to help support our native pollinators and the moth and butterfly … [Read more...]
What weed is it? Putting names to pesky plants
I KNOW A LOT OF PLANTS BY THEIR PROPER NAMES, but when it comes to “weeds,” as we term unwanted garden visitors that seem to just come with the territory, my knowledge really paled until recent years. Lately, on days not conducive to outdoor work, … [Read more...]