Viburnums are evergreen or deciduous, depending on the species and the location. Most prefer sun, but some do well in partial shade. Their hardiness is well suited to the cold winters of USDA hardiness zone 7. They are adaptable to a range of soil … [Read more...]
Pesticides, Pollinators, and Pestilence: Protecting Public Health and Pollinators
Tick and mosquito control provides important public health protection, but can also affect pollinator populations. The effects are often dependent on specific local conditions, such as how close the pesticide application is to places pollinators … [Read more...]
Dealing With Heat Stress: How To Protect Vegetables In Hot Weather
In many parts of the country, gardeners have considerable anxiety when summer temperatures rise, especially when they rise in combination with low rainfall amounts. While some vegetables suffer more than others, all feel some degree of stress with … [Read more...]
Virginia’s Noxious Weeds
Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
Yellow nutsedge—sometimes referred to as nutgrass—is a persistent weed problem in lawns, athletic fields, and golf course turf. This species thrives in moist, poorly drained soils and can persist in full sun and moderate shade. Yellow nutsedge … [Read more...]
Soil Health in Raised Beds
By selecting the contents of the raised bed, soil properties like texture, drainage, and organic matter content can be controlled. A soil and compost mix is recommended, at a ratio of 70% soil to 30% compost. Make sure that both the soil and compost … [Read more...]
From the Help Desk – Isn’t That Just Plum-Dandy!
QUESTION The client called about a 6-yr old plum tree that had fruit for 3 years but not for last 2 even though it bloomed well. DIAGNOSIS / RECOMMENDATION The problem was identified as a lack of a pollinator variety. Japanese plums … [Read more...]
How to Use Succession Planting in Your Garden
Succession planting, also known as successive planting, is a way to extend your harvest by staggering plantings of crops or planting varieties with staggered maturing dates. There are four methods of succession planting. CONTINUE SOURCE: … [Read more...]
How to Grow and Care for Hellebore
The common name hellebore is assigned to several species of plants in the Helleborus genus of the Ranunculaceae family, which also includes monkshood, delphinium, and anemone. Hellebore foliage is thick, evergreen, and forms a low lying clump with … [Read more...]
Bedford Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale
IT'S ALMOST TIME! The Bedford Extension Master Gardeners have been hard at work growing plants for their annual Plant Sale. Laurel Denne, Plant Sale Coordinator, stated, "Our goal is to provide quality plants and also offer unique plants that … [Read more...]