Ticks have fast become the pest of greatest personal health concern to gardeners and outdoor people of all stripes. With good reason. They are everywhere, hard to detect and can carry debilitating, even deadly diseases. While there is no silver … [Read more...]
Environmental Lawn Care Calendar
This all-in-one article includes tips and information for the year-round care of cool-season species of grass ( fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass) in the Bedford, Virginia area. Published by Bedford County Extension Agent, Scott Baker. January … [Read more...]
Early Spring Pond Inspections
If you are a pond owner, early spring is a good time to take a walk around your pond and check to see if any maintenance is needed. More... … [Read more...]
a plant i’d order: hakonechloa ‘all gold’
IT GROWS IN SHADE, READS AS SOLID GOLD, and looks good from early May to sometime in winter, I think, faded to wheat-color and partly hidden in snow. Even my beloved former cat agreed on this one: Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ was Jack’s favorite … [Read more...]
Pruning Your Butterfly Bushes
The client called in with concerns about a butterfly bush that was not pruned back over winter. There is no sign of green/growth yet coming from base / roots or on any over-wintered branches. Can it be pruned now? Will there be blooms … [Read more...]
Why Would You Want to Cut a Plant Almost to the Ground?
I can think of a few good reasons for what horticulture calls “coppicing.” The main reason is to rejuvenate a big, old bush. Getting rid of all of the old wood clears space and coerces a plant to get busy growing fresh shoots – or else. … [Read more...]
Fennel
Description There are two types of fennel. One is treated as an herb (herb fennel – Foeniculum vulgare) and one that is treated like a bulb type vegetable (Florence fennel or Finocchio – Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce). ... ...Read More … [Read more...]
Growing Daffodils
Daffodils are among the easiest plants to grow, and the rewards far outweigh the work. Of the major groups of bulbs, daffodils are the only truly reliable perennials, and the blooming season can be as long as two months if the right varieties are … [Read more...]
10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Superstar Dutch Designer Piet Oudolf
If the world of gardening has rock stars, Piet Oudolf qualifies as Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Prince rolled into one. The Dutch landscape designer—whose work is instantly recognizable for its dreamy romanticism and oft-copied for its emphasis on … [Read more...]
So, I’m Not Alone, Eh?
Apparently, deer-eaten plants is an even worse issue than I thought… and it’s one that seems to bring out a lot of passion, compassion, and empathy. Lots of fellow gardeners wrote not only to offer tips and experience-driven advice, but to say how … [Read more...]