African violets are among the most popular flowering houseplants. With their fuzzy leaves and compact clusters of pretty flowers, along with their ease of care, it’s no wonder we love them. But, there can be issues with these houseplants. If your … [Read more...]
Native Plants for Winter Interest
A number of plants native to our region provide continuing value and interest in our gardens into the winter. Their evergreen foliage or interesting bark add beauty to the landscape, while their berries, seeds, or stems provide support to wildlife … [Read more...]
Vegetable Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide
Vegetable gardening is becoming more popular—both as a pastime and a food source. We experience satisfaction in planting a seed or transplant, watching it grow to maturity, and harvesting the fruits of our labors. In addition, vegetable gardening … [Read more...]
Start Sowing Early To Extend Your Growing Season
It is one of the big questions each gardening season – when exactly should you get started? When is the right time to sow seeds or plant out crops? Read more: … [Read more...]
Care of Flowering Gift Plants in the Home
One of the nicest gifts one can give or receive is a flowering potted plant. Flowering plants are not just for holidays or for special occasions. Blooming plants can be given throughout the year and used for interior decorations anywhere people live, … [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...]
Spiders: An Undeserved Bad Reputation
All too often, spiders are seen as scary and dangerous. In reality, the vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans, and valuable predators of arthropod pests in our yards and gardens. Learning more about spider biology and identification, can … [Read more...]
Plant Names – a basic introduction
The name of a plant is based on an original description, the earliest use of the name generally being the most relevant, dating back as far as 1753 for flowering plants, when Linnaeus published his concept of the binomial naming system. Read on: … [Read more...]
It’s January: Time to Plan Your Garden
Playing in dirt is a gardener’s delight. We may tend to think of planting early crops such as peas, salad greens, and potatoes as the beginning of the gardening season. In truth, the work of gardening begins long before that, and it starts in the … [Read more...]
GET GARDENING- A New Video Series
Happy New Year, everyone!!! Although 2022 has just begun, make no mistake - the growing season is right around the corner! Are you ready to get growing? The Virginia Cooperative Extension office has created a resource just for you! Give … [Read more...]