As I drive around our area, I notice two familiar scenes: 1) Fresh mulch on commercial property landscape beds. 2) Innocent crepe myrtle trees being hacked. It must be spring. A familiar scenario that many gardeners encounter now that the thermometer is increasing is impulse buying. We have all done it. Some plants at the garden center are so beautiful they seem to jump onto our cart without assistance. Then it happens….we get home only to discover that perfect place is not so perfect. You can avoid this predicament by shopping at a local, full service garden center. The staff…

Spring is soon upon us and so is lawn season. I had the pleasure recently of visiting The Diamond to discuss turf care with Steve Ruckman, Sports Turf Manager for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Steve was gracious with his time and we chatted about grasses, soils, drainage, irrigation, and turf mowers. He is a turf professional and was willing to share some of his knowledge. The turf at the Diamond is a combination of perennial rye grass and two types of bermudagrass. Rye grass is a cool season grass meaning it grows primarily in the fall and spring. Bermudagrass is…

Trees and shrubs in landscapes provide several benefits: shade, habitat for wildlife, increased property value, and beauty. An eight-foot-tall tree you proudly planted may now be 30 feet tall and more difficult to care for. This is where a Certified Arborist can mean the difference between a well-managed tree and a tree that just manages to survive. I sat down recently with Jason Anderson, Board Certified Master Arborist and co-owner of Arborscapes in Midlothian. I have known Jason for a number of years through the volunteer work he does for the Chesterfield County Cooperative Extension Service and I am also…

With well over a foot of snow on the ground recently, most folks are not thinking about spring planting. Remember, it is February and local garden centers will have new plant stock available soon. One garden topic that is gathering more interest is the use of native plants. Virginia native plants are plants here at the time of the settlers at Jamestown. Many plants in Virginia are also naturalized from other parts of the world that have similar climate and growing conditions. According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) there are nearly 3,200 native or naturalized plants…

I am often asked about timing. “Is it too late for, too early for, or when should I….?” These are common but good questions because it means the person is thinking before doing. Most trees, shrubs, and lawn grasses are forgiving when it comes to errant timing of pruning and pest management. An example are azaleas. Azaleas bloom on the current season’s growth. This is often referred to as ‘new wood.’ Pruning after mid-summer will remove next spring blooms but it will not harm the plant. Another example is spraying herbicide on weeds in the lawn when the temperatures are…

Happy New Year! What is a gardener to do in the winter? Research and planning are both necessary steps in successful gardening. New or extended plant beds in the landscape is a common garden project that can be rewarding but also disappointing if not thought out thoroughly. Many gardeners rush around their yard in the spring looking for that perfect place for a new plant bed. They remove the existing vegetation, work the soil, install the plants, edge the bed, cover with mulch, and hurt their shoulder from patting themselves on the back because it looks wonderful. Then they walk…

In case you need a last minute gift that will give a little extra cheer to the gardener in your life, read on. Many full service garden centers, gift shops, as well as hardware stores have just the perfect tool or gadget that is sure not to overload Santa’s sleigh. Here are a few gifts that will warm the heart of even the Grinchiest of gardeners. Pruners and saws: Every gardener needs a variety of pruners. Hand pruners, lopper pruners, pole pruners, and snips come in a variety of sizes, colors and handle configurations. If your gardener has enough pruners…

Jingle Bell Rock, not just a Christmas song for my fellow garden enthusiasts, but it is also one of the new varieties of poinsettias available to brighten your home this Christmas season. I had the opportunity to spend an hour on location with Mark Landa, owner of Boulevard Flower Gardens on Ruffin Mill Road last week. Boulevard is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2015 and has produced poinsettias since the late 80’s. Part of that time was spent in the green house where they produce over 8,000 plants annually. They have over 20 varieties in colors such as red, pink,…

As a follow up to my last column on organic mulches, I will discuss inorganic mulch. But before I get to that, I want to expand on my comment regarding “mulch should not be piled up on the tree.” As you travel around, especially in parking lots, you will notice what is referred to as “mulch volcanos.” One to two feet of mulch stacked onto the tree may look attractive but the bark of the tree retains moisture. That haven of moisture is an invitation to insects as well as disease. Inorganic mulch may be natural stones, pea gravel, crushed…

With two days near 80 degrees last week, winter is not on most people’s mind. Yes, fall so far has been mild but cold temperatures are not far away. Now is the time to ensure your trees and shrubs are mulched and mulched properly. Think about trees and shrubs in the forest. They shed their leaves which provide protection to the soil. Roots are protected, erosion is reduced, moisture is conserved, and organic matter is added. So what benefits does mulch in your landscape provide? Roots are protected, erosion is reduced, moisture is conserved, and organic matter is added. Pretty…