Many flowers and vegetables may be started from seeds indoors. Vigorous plants started indoors flower sooner and produce an earlier harvest than plants started outdoors. Seeds of certain species, however, are best sown directly outdoors when weather … [Read more...]
Vegetable Gardening in January
As is the natural cycle of things, January in the Virginia Piedmont is a period of dormancy and regeneration for our outdoor plants and for gardeners. It is ideally a relaxing time of planning and preparation for the coming spring, with a little bit … [Read more...]
DRYING FLOWERS
Even with the increased popularity of plastic and fiber flowers (silk for example), many people still prefer “the real thing” preserved in a lifelike manner. Flower preservation has become a popular hobby. Flowers such as marigolds, zinnias, … [Read more...]
Ripening Of Grapes: When To Harvest Grapes
For the home gardener, growing grapevines may create a lovely shaded oasis or arbor, or an ornamental detail with the added bonus of edibility. But how do you know when to harvest grapes at the peak of their sweetness and optimum flavor? Read More: … [Read more...]
7 Lawn Care Musts for Your Fall Yard
Among turf care experts, it's a well-known fact that the best way to ensure a thick, green, and healthy lawn in the spring is to give it some well-timed care in the fall—in other words, right now. Continue Source: This Old House … [Read more...]
Help Birds Survive the Winter by Skipping Fall Yard Work
Forget manicuring your lawn this fall. Endangered birds need messy yards to survive the winter. There are a billion fewer birds in North America than there were 40 years ago, and a fifth of the bird species on the continent are listed as … [Read more...]
The ultimate guide to weeds: What to yank, what to leave and what you should never ever touch
But no matter how many weeds they've plucked, even veteren gardeners get stumped at times trying to determine what is, and what is not, a weed — particularly in the spring when everything is just beginning to peek out of the soil and your winter … [Read more...]
Don Davis: Get your fall gardens going
Summer gardens are winding down and fall gardens are starting up. September is a busy month if you want homegrown food, a tidy yard and lush indoor greenery. MORE SOURCE: … [Read more...]
How to Prune Lavender Plants
Vigorous pruning means heavier blooming. A hardy plant for sunny dry spots and one of the longest-blooming semi-shrubs around, lavender (genus Lavandula) would earn a place in most sunny gardens even if it didn’t have such a … [Read more...]
Winter Checklist for Garden Activities
Even in winter, indoor and outdoor plants, shrubs and trees require our attention. Follow this checklist to keep on target with plant care throughout the winter. Source: Penn State Extension Home Gardening Newsletter … [Read more...]