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Visit a nursery developing new blight resistant boxwood cultivars. Meet a garden author committed to sustainable food production and learn how to improve your harvest.
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VPM/VPMGet a close-up view of the microbial life inside of plants and soil at a Cooperative Extension laboratory. Visit a colonial style garden to learn about flowers and herbs grown to make colorful dyes for fabric. -
If you mention plants for the shade garden, one of the first plants that comes to my mind is hosta. This wonderful plant is one of the first plants that got me to become the “plant nerd” I am today. So even as I balance my garden with more native plantings, hosta will be part of my 30%. These plants come in an array of sizes, colors, variegation, leaf shapes and textures. There are even dwarf cultivars, yes, dwarf! Tiny versions of hosta are growing in popularity and as their larger cousins, they have a special place in my heart.
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Once a year the Virginia Home Grown Team is at the RVA Big Market in Richmond’s Bryan Park. We have a wonderful time interacting with everyone who stops by. I particularly enjoy answering gardening questions, and this year a common question was about rain gardens.
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VPM/VPMDiscover popular houseplant varieties and learn about their care. Visit a garden featuring unique herbs and discuss their uses beyond the kitchen.
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I am looking forward to consistently warmer weather so we can plant our heat-loving crops such as tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, cucumbers and melons. However, what I am not excited about are the increased number of pests and diseases that come along with the warm weather.
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We all know the heat is coming; it’s only a few weeks away. Rather than react, I act now by taking a few simple steps to keep the landscape green, growing and resilient.
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Tim Wright/VPMExplore state and national champion trees at Richmond’s historic Maymont park. Tour Dragon Run on the Middle Peninsula to learn about bald cypress and the old growth forest network.
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PhotoJuthamat - stock.adobe.com/376424661Is your soil ready for your plants? This is a great question and most of us might just look at the soil to say yes — it looks loamy and has that black, rich color, or no — it looks like red Virginia clay to me! There is so much more to soil than meets the eye, and I want to introduce the best way to know more about what is in your dirt: the soil test.
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I garden with deer, where more than a dozen think my gardens are their personal restaurant to browse through. I have gardened with deer for many years, and through research backed by expensive trial and error on my part, I now only buy plants with specific traits.
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As gardeners, during the winter months we start missing our time in the garden. We spend so much time in our gardens during the warm season, that when we are forced to slow down due to frozen ground or uncomfortable cold, we can start feeling depressed and eager to get back to playing in the soil.
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Meet a group in Loudoun organizing homeowner associations to remove and replace invasive plants. Then visit the Appomattox River to learn about riparian buffer repair and wildlife habitat restoration. -
The Department of Conservation and Recreation has identified plant species that cause ecological and economic harm in the Virginia. These plants have shown demonstrable evidence of threatening forests, native grasslands, wetlands or waterways. The species are grouped by their invasive impact. Plants with higher invasiveness alter ecosystems, displace native plant communities, spread in new areas quickly and are more difficult to control.
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With the soil still warm, October is an excellent time to add compost, vermicompost and other organic matter to the gardens.
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As the days inevitably get shorter in fall, often the heat breaks and rain is part of the forecast. Fall is often the best time of year to plant trees and…
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Meet farmers committed to environmental stewardship. Visit a family farm in Sedalia sustainably producing fruits, vegetables and eggs. Learn about a Richmond farmer’s mission to reconnect the community to food with regenerative growing practices.
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September is caterpillar season — and it is important to let them enjoy their meal. This is part of the circle of life!
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As gardeners, we all are looking for more space to grow. And I’m no exception.
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Tour a cut-flower microfarm in Norfolk specializing in native perennials to support pollinators. Visit a home landscape in Stanardsville designed to provide habitat for birds and insects.
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Whew, it’s hard to believe August 6th marks the peak of summer, with the first day of fall just 48 days later. Per the 2023 update, the first frost dates for USDA cold hardiness zones 6 and 7 now range from early October to early November. All this means there is still plenty of time to garden!
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Watering on hot days may seem like it makes sense, but maybe it's time we re-think that method.
