Asiatic Bittersweet Image 1: Unopened Asiatic bittersweet fruit in early October, by Gloria SchoenholtzImage 2: Asiatic bittersweet vine with expanded fruit later in the fall, by Gloria SchoenholtzIntroduced to the United … [Read more...]
Fall armyworm outbreak in Virginia – Turf, sod, small grains, late sweet corn, sorghum, and other crops at risk.
Recently, some VCE agents as well as golf course superintendents in the northcentral and southwestern counties of Virginia have reported fall armyworm outbreaks on lawns and golf courses. This outbreak is earlier than usual and potentially could … [Read more...]
Laurel Wilt Disease
From EMG Communications, ALERT: Laurel wilt found in Virginia! In June, laurel wilt was discovered in Scott County. Laurel wilt is caused by the fungal pathogen Raffaelea lauricola, which is carried by the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus … [Read more...]
Acorn Collection
The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) collects a variety of species of acorns and nuts that can be planted at its Augusta Forestry Center (Crimora, Va.) to grow into tree seedlings that will become the forests of tomorrow. These seeds will … [Read more...]
The Beloved Peony
Peony flowers have richness unlike any others. Home gardeners can create an exquisite and long-lasting display by understanding the types of peonies available and the proper planting requirements. CONTINUE SOURCE: … [Read more...]
Saving the monarch butterfly, one milkweed plant at a time
On a hot summer day at Claytor Nature Center, a handful of students are plucking fingernail-sized clippings among rows and rows of milkweed plants. What are they doing? Broadly speaking, they are researching how to save the declining monarch … [Read more...]
Snails and Slugs — A Garden’s Thugs
What is the definition of a slug?A snail with a housing problem! I know. It’s a very old joke. But its punch line truly is the primary difference between a snail and a slug. They are both in the mollusk phylum, and both are gastropods (literally, … [Read more...]
Knock Out Roses Won’t Bloom – How To Get Knock Out Roses To Bloom
We buy rosebushes typically for the beauty their blooms will add to rose beds, gardens or landscaped areas. Thus, it is cause for major frustration when they do not bloom. In some cases, roses will form nice big buds or clusters of buds, then … [Read more...]
Wise Watering in Dry Times
We gardeners don’t need a weatherman to know it’s been an abnormally dry year in the Charlottesville area. Federal weather data confirms what we’re seeing in our yards: total precipitation for our locality is around four inches below what we would … [Read more...]
Downy mildew in garden cucumber and other cucurbit plants
This disease can occur anywhere throughout the eastern US, even in a garden with just one cucumber plant and no past occurrences. This is because the pathogen spreads via wind-dispersed spores that can be moved long distances and be deposited by … [Read more...]