While most of the stinging caterpillars have bright contrast in colors, this one doesn’t. Its appearance may be considered misleading, as its earthy shades do not give off the “do not touch” warning colors that you may expect a dangerous caterpillar … [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...]
Beneficial Wasps and You
Don’t be scared! Did you know…Wasp pollination and predatory efforts are signs of a healthy ecosystem!?! Read on: … [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...]
HYDRANGEAS: STARS OF LATE SUMMER
There are 75 different species of hydrangea native to China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, Indonesia, and the Americas, with the greatest diversity of species in Japan, China, and Korea. Continued: By Sarah Fiorello August 11, 2021 … [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...]
Does Vinegar Kill Weeds?
We field many questions about alternatives to synthetic herbicides for weed control. One common question is whether vinegar, or acetic acid, works as an herbicide. The answer is, it depends! Continued: By Noelle Orloff, Extension Associate … [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...]
Fall Vegetable Gardening
By planning and planting a fall vegetable garden it is possible to have fresh vegetables up to and even pastthe first frosts. At the time when retail vegetable prices are on the rise, you can be reaping large and varied harvests from your … [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...]