THE FALL PLANTING SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER Knowledgeable gardeners know that fall is the best season for planting trees and shrubs. The main reason is that our soil temperature is warm in the fall and our air temperature will be cooler. This combination helps to reduce the stress that plants can face while being planted. This logic applies to the planting of Japanese Maple trees this fall. Are you awed by the beauty of Japanese maple trees? I sure was when I was the buyer of trees and would make yearly trips out to Oregon to do my purchasing for the garden center. In Oregon, Japanese m ..read more

Growing citrus trees indoors is fun and easy, if you have the right conditions. I have a Meyer lemon, a key lime, and two kumquats on my back deck. Nothing like drinking iced tea with your OWN lemon or lime floating in it! Grow Your Own Citrus Pick a window with six or more hours of direct sun. An unobstructed south window is best—no sheer curtains, blinds, or overhang, and no trees outside. I grow mine in a southeast window—direct sun from sunrise until about three in the afternoon in the winter. They do okay. Because winter sun is weak and days are short, on cloudy days, I supplement with a ..read more

AUGUST IS A GOOD MONTH TO THINK ABOUT DIVIDING PERENNIALS Here we are in the “Dogs Days of Summer”. It is hot. It is humid. And, it can be dry. Like us, plants too can struggle under these conditions. But, perennials that are over-crowded can be under more stress. Sometimes dividing perennials is needed in order to revive their performance and improve their health and longevity. I know this blog is on dividing perennials. Just keep in mind that not all perennials need to be divided. Some of the more popular perennials that can benefit from being divided are Peonies, Daylilies, Hostas, Coreopsi ..read more

Besides getting rid of summer debris, one thing we can do to really improve next spring’s garden is to consider planting a cover crop. Cover crops are sometimes called green manure. They do important things—like help to replenish the soil, keep weeds down over the winter, prevent erosion and many varieties even bloom in early spring—providing food for foraging bees. Cover crops also prevent erosion and can reduce soil loss by improving the structure of the soil. And cover crops are very little work. Either late fall or early spring you simply till them INTO the soil and let them continue to en ..read more

Have you been thinking about building a raised garden bed? If so, August is a good month to do so and this will enable you to try it out come this fall. Here is what I suggest to customers who ask me about raised gardening beds: My first question is: What is it that you want to grow in the beds? Raised beds can be used to grow most anything from vegetables, small fruits, perennials, annuals, dwarf conifers, etc. My second question is: What is the sun exposure? Full sun, partial sun, etc.? Location is the key to success. My third question is: What size do you want your raised bed to be? And fi ..read more

One of the phrases we hear a lot is “sustainable” gardening. So what is sustainable gardening exactly? My definition is to leave my environment in the same or in better shape than it already was—and to try to use as few products as possible to keep it that way. How to Apply to Your Yard Start by watering trees, shrubs, and lawns only when they need it. The Virginia Cooperative Extension Office recommends one inch of water once a week. Set up a rain gauge to measure how much rain you get before you water, so you don’t water unless you need to, thus conserving water (unlike a neighbor whose spri ..read more

AUGUST CAN BE A TOUGH MONTH FOR GARDENERS Yes, August can be tough for gardening mainly because of the heat and high humidity that makes being outside and working in the gardens a little unbearable. This may be the main reason to look at August as a planning month for the upcoming fall planting season. As for the month of July—July was hot and dry. Until the last week of July, we were very dry with almost 3-inches of rainfall behind what is considered normal. Thank goodness for the rain we got in the last week of July as we begin to head into August. Hopefully, Mother Nature will be kind to us ..read more

Last week I wrote about one of my favorite veggies—broccoli. This week I’ll talk about the other fall veggies—and chores we need to think of now. What are you going to do when the tomatoes, squash, and green beans finally give their last? Do you let your garden lie fallow over the winter or do you get hungry at the thought of spinach, lettuce, and broccoli? Since some of my favorite vegetables are cool-season crops, I know which category I fall into. Things To Do Now If you’re just going to let those summer veggies go until the frost finally gets them, then yank them up and enjoy a well-deserv ..read more

BLUEBERRIES ARE OFTEN LABELED A SUPERFOOD – FOR GOOD REASON! I am a nut when it comes to blueberries. I LOVE BLUEBERRIES!! I eat blueberries every morning mixed with my oatmeal and have been for years. And, I love buying fresh, locally grown blueberries that are available at our farmers’ market. Blueberries are labeled a superfood because the deep blue color comes from anthocyanin, an antioxidant that can help protect the body from heart disease and cancer, reduce inflammation, and increase immune function. More scientific research also suggests that compounds found in blueberries may boost br ..read more

Seeds for cool season veggies are in and I’ve already picked out my favorites. I always plant spinach and kale—they even make it over the winter here. I always plant Little Finger carrots—in a window box, no less. They’re a crunchy sweet mini-carrot that does particularly well in containers. I always do either lettuces or a mesclun blend—I particularly like a mesclun blend called Chef’s Medley or one called Jazzy—both a mix of lettuces with spicy greens like arugula or mustard thrown in. And I always plant snap peas. I grow them in a couple of big pots on my deck. Nice days in the spring, I’d ..read more