Native fruit and nut trees can be grown to produce food for people and/or wildlife while protecting soil, water and air quality. Because they are multifunctional, native fruit and nut trees and shrubs are prime candidates for agroforestry plantings … [Read more...]
Wildflower of the Year 2020 Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Wild Geranium is an excellent garden plant, fitting well with mixed perennials in light shade or naturalistic woodland settings. CONTINUE SOURCE: https://vnps.org/2020-wildflower-of-the-year-wild-geranium-geranium-maculatum/ … [Read more...]
Piedmont Native Plants A guide for landscapes and gardens
Each of us has followed different paths to find this guide to Piedmont Native Plants. Some of us are gardeners or landscapers, farmers or scientists, locavores or nature enthusiasts. … [Read more...]
Shaggy Mane Mushrooms
Shaggy Manes are a kind of mushroom commonly referred to as “inky caps”. That’s because they grow quickly and then “melt” into a pool of black ooze that looks like INK. I know, that’s a gross description, but it’s true. MORE SOURCE: … [Read more...]
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
Our Master Gardeners have put their heads together to identify and describe a broad variety of native plants that thrive in our local conditions and benefit our local wildlife. We’ve created more than 100 fact sheets to highlight the beauty, ease of … [Read more...]
When To Pick Pawpaws: How To Tell If Pawpaw Fruit Is Ripe
If you have a pawpaw tree in your landscape, consider yourself lucky. These native trees are cold hardy, low maintenance and have few pest issues, plus, they produce delicious, exotically flavored fruit. If you’re new to picking pawpaws you’re … [Read more...]
Native Wildflowers: A Feast in the Fall
Our native wildflowers are still putting on a show, in addition to provisioning late season pollinators and butterflies searching for fuel to carry them through the winter. Some of those creatures hibernate right here, others are taking wing and … [Read more...]
Home Fruit Plantings: Elderberries
Because of their tartness and relative seediness, elderberries are rarely eaten fresh. However, they offer a low-cost, low-maintenance fruit crop from which a delightful jelly or pie can be produced. MORE SOURCE: … [Read more...]
Dogwood Borers
The client sent photos of a pink dogwood tree with bark peeling from ground up. The photo showed extensive bark loss well up the tree. The client wanted to know what caused the problem and how to take care of the tree. Dogwood borer … [Read more...]
Caring for Your New Plants
Here are some tips from Wildflower Center horticulturists for promoting healthy growth of your new plants: https://www.wildflower.org/learn/how-to/care-for-your-new-plants A note from Bedford Extension Master Gardener KathyN: The Lady Bird … [Read more...]