You probably already know why it’s a good idea to spread mulch on your beds: In addition to keeping them tidy and helping to minimize weeds, a quality mulch also protects and feeds your soil. But notice I said “quality.” The uniform orange or deep-brown mulches often seen decorating the grounds of gas stations and […]
It’s here. After a slow but productive spring and a gorgeous early summer, we’ve hit the gardening doldrums. The heat and humidity are stifling and it’s tempting to give up until September returns with cooler weather and a whole new harvest. But don’t give up yet! The tomatoes are just coming on, we’re awash in […]
Rain and warm weather have caused a verdant explosion in recent weeks, a welcome change from the long winter and slow spring. With this greening comes the inevitable growth of opportunistic plants—some call them weeds—that may sprout in places we’d rather they didn’t. It’s tempting to pick up a container of RoundUp and spray. Don’t. […]
Winters in Virginia sure can be fickle. Last winter it was so warm that the ground barely froze, and I had clients harvesting tomatoes well into December. And then March hit, with sleety, slushy snow and cold temps, and my spring gardens couldn’t be planted until April—compare that with planting spinach on February 22 several […]
Gardeners can be a fussy and opinionated lot, which makes them hard to shop for. As Christmas approaches, here are some gift ideas for the gardener in your life. Fruit trees. Winter is the best time to plant fruit trees. Because the trees are dormant, their chances of survival and getting well established increase dramatically. […]
That fall feeling is here. The morning air is crisp, autumn blooms like yellow crownbeard and native asters dot the roadsides, and our vegetable gardens are in transition. The tomatoes are looking bedraggled—perhaps due to blight, perhaps to infestations of stink bugs—the cucumbers are kaput, and cravings for slow-cooked greens and butternut squash soup begin […]
Even though summer temperatures have finally climbed to average and above-average highs, it’s definitely time to think about what to plant for the lovely fall growing season. If you haven’t planted a fall garden before, let me review why it’s awesome: Cooler temperatures support the growth of our favorite spring veggies, so if you didn’t […]