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...]
Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds
In 2019, scientists documented North America’s staggering loss of nearly 3 billion breeding birds since 1970. Helping birds can be as simple as making changes to everyday habits. Here’s our quick list of 7 Simple Actions you can take to help birds. … [Read more...]
Climate Change and Its Effect on Gardening
To quote David W. Wolfe, Professor of Plant & Soil Ecology at Cornell University, “We are in the unfortunate situation of being the first generation of gardeners, ever, who cannot rely on historical weather records to tell us what our climate … [Read more...]
8 Uses for your Tree After Christmas
The end of Christmas doesn’t have to be the end of life for your living Christmas tree. If you had a real Christmas tree this year you can extend its life and use beyond the home. Here are 8 ways to responsibly recycle your Christmas tree for other … [Read more...]
Cover Crops – Protect and Improve Your Soil
Farmers around the world grow cover crops to increase crop yields. Cover crops, also known as green manures, are an excellent tool for vegetable gardeners, especially where manures and compost are unavailable. They lessen soil erosion during the … [Read more...]
NATIVE PLANTS: AN ELEGANT SOLUTION
Along the eastern edge of Lake Sydnor, on the narrow strip of land between the shoreline and the Children’s Garden, a group of plants is hard at work. The beauty of the bed belies its greater purpose. The plants there are members of a “designed plant … [Read more...]
Composting
All organic matter eventually decomposes. Composting speeds the process by providing an ideal environment for bacteria and other decomposing microorganisms. The final product, humus or compost, looks and feels like fertile garden soil. This dark, … [Read more...]
Living with Black Bears in Virginia
Black bears and human populations commonly coexist in many parts of North America. Black bears occur throughout most of the Commonwealth, and residential areas of Virginia are encroaching into forested lands and habitats commonly used by wildlife as … [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...]